Modern Foreign Languages (MFL) Curriculum at Mount Stewart

Approach and Planning:
The MFL curriculum at Mount Stewart Schools is dedicated to delivering a comprehensive Spanish language learning experience designed to nurture global citizens proficient in multicultural communication. To ensure the rigour and relevance of our curriculum, we base our planning on Language Angel's schemes of work, selecting units that resonate with our student’s needs and interests.

Teaching Strategies:
Diverse methods and resources are employed, including regular practice and interactive materials, focusing on reading, speaking, and writing in Spanish along with cultural insights. 

• Detailed Medium Term Plans: outline each session's teaching and learning, ensuring coherence and a clear sequence. They highlight 'key knowledge' for Knowledge Organisers and End of Unit Assessments.
• Comprehensive Resource Suite: Each lesson is supported by a complete suite of teaching resources, including interactive materials accessible to all classes.
• Native Speaker Recordings: All foreign language instances are pre-recorded on Language Angels by native speakers, giving students an authentic linguistic experience.

Curriculum Intent:
 

At Mount Stewart, we embrace the teaching of Spanish as an integral part of our curriculum, recognising its power to enrich learning with excitement, enjoyment, and challenge. Our commitment is not just to teach a language but to nurture lifelong enthusiasts for language learning, shaping them into well-rounded global citizens. In today's rapidly evolving world, proficiency in a language like Spanish is more than an academic achievement; it's a preparation for life in a modern, multicultural Britain where multilingualism is an asset. Our curriculum is designed to spark pupils' curiosity, enhance their understanding of the world, and deepen their appreciation of their own language. By learning Spanish, our pupils gain insights into cultural differences, fostering a tolerance for diversity. We aim to equip our children with the ability to confidently and competently use their acquired language skills in various contexts, building their confidence and developing their linguistic abilities in a way that resonates beyond the classroom.

• Transform students into enthusiastic language learners.
• Foster curiosity, world understanding, cultural awareness, and tolerance.

Implementation:
At Mount Stewart, our Spanish curriculum aligns with the National Curriculum, offering a structured and comprehensive progression of content, skills, and technical language from Years 3-6. Our planning, including the Long-Term Plan for Spanish, is both coherent and rigorously structured.

Key Features of Our Spanish Curriculum:

• Customised Scheme: The Language Angels scheme is tailored to suit our pupils’ unique needs and interests at Mount Stewart.
• No-Ceiling Approach: In every session, all students are supported to achieve lesson outcomes through challenging yet achievable tasks, fostering a sense of academic success.
• Cross-Curricular Integration: Language Angels covers many topics, integrating familiar curriculum subjects such as Healthy Eating, The Romans, The Tudors, Habitats, The Planets, and World War II.
• Student Support Tools: Pupils use exercise books and Knowledge Organisers as reference tools and are taught strategies like similar recognition and pattern identification in language.
• Essential Knowledge Reinforcement: Vocabulary, phrases, phonics, and grammatical concepts are regularly revisited and practised.
• Positive Behaviour for Learning: We promote resilience and independence in learning, particularly in Spanish lessons, where pupils confidently engage in oral sessions and seek help or clarification when needed. This approach stems from the strong, supportive relationships between staff and students, encouraging a culture of 'having a go' and learning from mistakes.

Inclusivity and Support:
All students are supported to achieve lesson outcomes through a no-ceiling approach, encouraging resilience and independence, and using Knowledge Organisers for reference and understanding.

Impact:
Our use of Language Angels aligns teaching directly with the 12 attainment targets of the DfE Languages Programme of Study for KS2, providing teachers with detailed insights into each pupil's learning journey and progression in the primary language skills – speaking, listening, reading, and writing. The impact of our curriculum's intent and implementation is reflected in most students achieving age-appropriate National curriculum expectations. This success is measured through:

• Continuous assessment for learning in lessons and through evaluation of written work.
• Video and audio recordings that showcase the progression of spoken Spanish among students meeting age-related expectations.

Furthermore, assessments facilitated by Language Angels enable teachers to:

• Compare student progress with the 12 teaching targets of the DfE Key Stage 2 Languages Programme of Study.
• Thoroughly review and analyse class-wide and individual pupil performance across the four key language skills.
• All assessment results are quantified with total scores, percentage scores, and detailed performance descriptions.

This comprehensive assessment approach ensures a clear understanding of each student’s development in Spanish, guiding and informing our teaching strategies to maintain high standards of language education at Mount Stewart.

When students leave Mount Stewart, they will have:

• Acquired proficiency in Spanish, encompassing speaking, listening, reading, and writing skills.
• Developed a strong understanding of Spanish culture and global perspectives.
• Attained the ability to communicate effectively in Spanish, both verbally and in writing.
• Gained confidence in using Spanish in real-world contexts and situations.
• Fostered an appreciation for linguistic diversity and cultural differences.
• Built a solid foundation for further language studies in secondary education and beyond.
• Enhanced critical thinking and problem-solving skills through language learning.
• Cultivated a lifelong interest and curiosity in learning additional languages.
• Developed skills to aid in future travel, work, and multicultural interactions.
• Achieved a level of Spanish proficiency aligned with the age-appropriate National curriculum expectations.

Reshma Lakhotia the MFL Leader at Mount Stewart, an inspiring educator who is passionately dedicated to guiding our students on their journey to becoming proficient and enthusiastic language learners.