At St Cuthbert Mayne, we want our pupils to develop a love of languages and an appreciation of the wider world. Spanish is taught throughout Key Stage Two, providing children with an engaging introduction to learning another language and developing their confidence as language learners.

We follow the Kapow Primary Spanish scheme, which supports full coverage of the National Curriculum for Languages at Key Stage Two. The curriculum develops children's knowledge progressively through three important building blocks: phonics, vocabulary and grammar. Children then use this knowledge to develop their skills in listening, speaking, reading and writing. 

Our aims

Through our Spanish curriculum, we aim to:

• develop children's enjoyment of and enthusiasm for learning another language;
• foster curiosity about languages and deepen children's understanding of the wider world;
• develop children's confidence in communicating in Spanish;
• enable pupils to understand and respond to spoken and written Spanish;
• provide opportunities to communicate for meaningful and practical purposes;
• develop increasingly accurate pronunciation and intonation;
• develop children's ability to read and write Spanish with increasing independence;
• develop children's understanding of Spanish grammar; and
• encourage an appreciation of Spanish-speaking cultures and the similarities and differences between languages and cultures.

How we teach Spanish

Our Kapow Primary curriculum provides children with opportunities to communicate in Spanish about familiar subjects and routines, through both spoken and written language. As pupils progress through Key Stage Two, they increasingly apply their knowledge to reading and writing as well as developing confidence and accuracy in speaking. 

Kapow's Spanish curriculum follows a spiral approach, meaning that important vocabulary, grammar and language skills are revisited and developed with increasing complexity. This enables children to build upon what they already know rather than learning topics in isolation.

Lessons are designed to be engaging and interactive. Children have opportunities to learn through speaking and listening, songs, games, role-play, paired and group activities, reading and writing. Kapow also provides specific pronunciation and phonics support to help children become increasingly confident and accurate Spanish speakers.

Progression through Key Stage Two

As children move through Key Stage Two, they develop their ability to:

• listen carefully to spoken Spanish and respond appropriately;
• recognise and use an increasing range of vocabulary;
• speak in sentences and communicate information orally;
• develop increasingly accurate pronunciation and intonation;
• read and understand words, phrases and increasingly complex texts;
• describe people, places, objects and actions orally and in writing;
• write words, phrases and sentences from memory;
• understand and apply increasingly complex grammatical structures; and
• use strategies to help them understand unfamiliar language.

Kapow's progression framework identifies how knowledge, skills and vocabulary develop across the year groups so that pupils work towards the National Curriculum expectations by the end of Key Stage Two. 

Cultural awareness

Learning Spanish is about much more than learning vocabulary. We want children to become curious about other countries, languages and ways of life. Opportunities to develop cultural awareness form part of the Kapow Spanish curriculum, helping our pupils appreciate other cultures and develop their understanding of the wider world. 

Enrichment

Our love of languages extends beyond Spanish lessons. Children in Key Stage One and Key Stage Two also have the opportunity to attend our French Club. Through songs, games and engaging activities, children are introduced to key French vocabulary and conversational language in a fun and enjoyable way.