Intent

At St Mary’s, we aspire to provide a rich and engaging Modern Foreign Languages (MFL) curriculum that nurtures confidence in communication, deepens cultural awareness, and enables all children to flourish as global citizens. Together, we shine a light on the importance of language learning in connecting with the wider world.

By the end of Year 6, we want our children to develop key linguistic and cultural understanding, including how to communicate effectively in different situations, where Spanish is spoken, exploring the similarities and differences between Spanish-speaking cultures and our own. Using Kapow and Linguascope children develop their knowledge of Spanish phonics to communicate accurately, use vocabulary to express their needs, thoughts, and feelings, and understand how written and spoken language is structured.

At St Mary’s, all children in Key Stage 2 are taught Spanish weekly, while in Reception and KS1, language learning is encouraged through greetings, songs, routines, and counting. We are committed to ensuring our pupils grow into articulate, communicative, and culturally aware individuals, preparing them for a world where language and cultural understanding open doors to new opportunities.at our pupils grow into articulate, communicative, and culturally aware individuals, preparing them for a world where language and cultural understanding open doors to new opportunities.

Implementation

Spanish is taught through Learning Journeys that focus on a theme which provides a clear and progressive framework for language acquisition. Units follow a logical sequence, revisiting and reinforcing prior knowledge while introducing new content in manageable, meaningful steps. This approach enables children to develop both competence and confidence in using Spanish for real-life purposes. Pupils develop a strong foundation in both spoken and written Spanish, with lessons that build vocabulary, grammatical understanding, and cultural awareness over time.

Spanish is delivered in weekly sessions, using Kapow's engaging, well-structured resources that include videos, songs, interactive games, and adapted tasks to support all learners.

We place emphasis on pronunciation, listening and speaking skills, alongside reading and writing, to ensure a well-rounded language learning experience. Lessons include regular opportunities for children to practise conversational Spanish, respond to simple questions, and apply new vocabulary in creative contexts. Spanish lessons are inclusive, accessible, and designed to foster curiosity about language and shine a light on culture beyond the classroom.

Impact

By the end of KS2, pupils will have developed a strong foundation in Spanish, including key vocabulary, phrases, and sentence structures, as well as a growing understanding of how language works. They will be able to engage in simple conversations, ask and answer questions, express opinions, and write short passages with increasing accuracy and fluency.

Pupils demonstrate enjoyment in learning Spanish and show curiosity about other cultures, contributing to their development as respectful, outward-looking global citizens. Progress is monitored through formative assessment during lessons, observing pupils’ participation, recall, and application of vocabulary and grammar. Learning journeys are then formatively assessed at the end of each unit.

The impact of our Spanish curriculum is also evident in the confidence children show when speaking and listening, their enthusiasm for language learning, and their ability to make links between Spanish and other subjects, such as English grammar or geography.