Compton C.E. Primary School

Compton CE Primary School

KS2 Languages

Curriculum Intent

At Compton Primary School, we believe that learning a foreign language is an essential part of being an active and informed member of a multi-cultural and globally connected society. A high-quality languages education fosters pupils’ curiosity, deepens their understanding of the world and promotes respect for different cultures and communities.

In line with the National Curriculum for Languages (Key Stage 2), our intent is that pupils will:

• Understand and respond to spoken and written language from a variety of authentic sources

• Speak with increasing confidence, fluency and spontaneity, improving the accuracy of their pronunciation and intonation

• Write at varying length for different purposes and audiences, using a range of grammatical structures

• Discover and develop an appreciation of a range of writing in the language studied

Language learning at Compton Primary is designed to equip pupils with the foundations for further language study at Key Stage 3 and beyond. Through structured progression in phonics, vocabulary and grammar, pupils develop the knowledge and skills necessary to communicate effectively, understand how language works and transfer this understanding to the study of additional languages in the future.

Curriculum Implementation

Current Provision (2025–2026)

During the 2025–2026 academic year, French is delivered through the Kapow Primary scheme of work. The scheme is carefully structured around three core knowledge strands that build cumulatively over time:

• Phonics

• Vocabulary

• Grammar

These strands are applied through two key skill areas:

• Language comprehension (listening and reading)

• Language production (speaking and writing)

The curriculum follows a spiral model, revisiting and building upon prior learning with increasing complexity. In Year 3, the emphasis is placed on developing strong foundations in phonics and oral language. From Year 4 onwards, pupils increasingly apply their knowledge to reading and writing tasks of increasing length and complexity.

Lessons incorporate a range of pedagogical approaches including structured oral rehearsal, paired and group work, role-play, language games and investigative “language detective” activities. Cross-curricular links are embedded where meaningful to strengthen connections across learning.

Strong subject knowledge underpins effective delivery. The scheme provides teacher guidance, pronunciation support and grammatical explanations to ensure accuracy and progression. Differentiated materials and scaffolding ensure accessibility for all learners, including pupils with SEND.

Transition to Spanish (from September 2026)

From September 2026, Compton Primary School will transition from French to Spanish.

Spanish has been selected for several important educational reasons:

• Global relevance – Spanish is the second most widely spoken language in the world and the most commonly studied language in UK secondary schools. It provides pupils with significant opportunities for cultural understanding and future study.

• Accessibility for learners – Spanish has a transparent orthography, meaning that there is a clear and consistent relationship between letters and sounds. Words are largely pronounced as they are written. This phonetic consistency makes Spanish more accessible, particularly for pupils with SEND, as it supports accurate decoding, reading and spelling.

• Continuity into secondary education – The Spanish scheme of work is being developed by the Modern Foreign Languages department at The Downs School. This will ensure strong curriculum alignment, consistent expectations and a smooth transition into Key Stage 3, where pupils go on to study languages in greater depth.

• Staff expertise and resources – The federation benefits from established subject expertise and a bank of high-quality, SEN-inclusive resources that will support both staff workload and pupil outcomes.

Phased Implementation Model

To ensure a secure and sustainable transition, Spanish will be introduced gradually across Key Stage 2:

• Year 1 (2026–2027): All KS2 year groups will follow the Year 3 Spanish scheme to establish consistent foundational knowledge.

• Year 2: Year 3 will begin the Year 3 scheme, while Years 4–6 move to the Year 4 scheme.

• Year 3: Year 3 (Y3 scheme), Year 4 (Y4 scheme), Years 5–6 (Y5 scheme).

• Year 4: All year groups will be working on their correct year-group programme of study.

This phased approach ensures that all pupils build secure foundations in Spanish phonics, vocabulary and grammar, avoiding gaps in progression while maintaining high expectations.

Throughout the transition period, curriculum design will remain aligned with National Curriculum expectations, ensuring continuity in knowledge, skills and progression.

Curriculum Impact

The impact of the MFL curriculum is monitored through ongoing formative assessment and end-of-unit summative assessment. Teachers assess pupils against clearly defined learning objectives linked to National Curriculum expectations. Assessment tracking enables staff to identify progress, inform planning and ensure appropriate support or challenge.

By the end of Key Stage 2, pupils at Compton Primary School will:

• Engage in purposeful spoken dialogue on familiar topics

• Understand and respond appropriately to spoken and written language

• Read aloud with accurate pronunciation and intonation

• Write phrases and short texts from memory, adapting language for different purposes

• Use a bilingual dictionary effectively

• Identify and apply basic grammatical structures

• Recognise patterns, cognates and key language structures

• Demonstrate the confidence and curiosity required to continue language study at Key Stage 3

Whether studying French during the transition period or Spanish as our future core language, pupils will leave Compton Primary equipped with transferable language-learning skills and a strong foundation for continued study at The Downs School and beyond.