Languages

Intent

Effective mastery in Languages should allow the development of communicative skills and encourage intercultural knowledge and understanding. At The Vine Inter-Church Primary School, we aim to benefit the community we serve by developing international links, nurturing pupils to become courageous advocates, and equipping then with the skills they need to be able to make the world a better place, each in their own way.

We seek to open students’ minds to different cultures whereby students are proud to be “Citizens of the World” demonstrating ‘respect and tolerance’ for others, as well as an appreciation of their own ‘identity and belonging’. We want pupils to develop a lifelong passion and curiosity for languages and to be able to consolidate the skills they learn now so that they can apply them to future language learning. With over 40 different languages spoken by students at The Vine, languages are at the heart of our school culture, feeding into our Christian Vision (Matthew 28:16) to ‘go make followers of all nations’.

Implementation

For children to achieve mastery in Languages at The Vine, we will ensure pupil have opportunities to

Listen attentively to spoken language and show understanding by joining in and responding.
Explore the patterns and sounds of language through songs and rhymes, linking the spelling, sound and meaning of words.
Engage in conversations; ask and answer questions; express opinions and respond to those of others; seek clarification and help.
Speak in sentences, using familiar vocabulary, phrases and basic language structures.
Develop accurate pronunciation and intonation so that others understand when they are reading aloud or using familiar words and phrases.
Present ideas and information orally to a range of audiences.
Read carefully and show understanding of words, phrases and simple writing.
Appreciate stories, songs, poems and rhymes in the language.
Broaden their vocabulary and develop their ability to understand new words that are introduced into familiar written material, including through using a dictionary.

Understand basic grammar appropriate to the language being studied, including (where relevant) feminine, masculine and neuter forms and the conjugation of high frequency verbs; key features and patterns of the language; how to apply these, for instance, to build sentences; and how these differ from or are similar to English.

Our tailored Languages Curriculum covers the National Curriculum objectives with the support of the Language Angels scheme of work, providing pupils with progressive learning built around specific goals and subject themes so that pupils can develop their language skills as a series of building blocks across KS2.

How do Languages link to our school vision?

This is our school: Pupils challenged through quality first teaching. Shared best practice. Differentiated learning accessible to all.
Let peace dwell here: A safe learning environment in which pupils feel happy and confident to speak in another language.
Let the rooms be full of contentment: A variety of interactive activities to keep pupils engaged in their learning.
Let love abide here: Encouraging pupils to foster a curiosity and passion for languages and an appreciation of other cultures.
Love of one another: Working with others towards a common goal, supporting each other’s learning. Connecting locally and globally with the wider community. Building relationships with our partner school in Spain.
Love of mankind: Celebrating similarities and differences in languages, beliefs and cultures. Encouraging pupils to show an appreciation of tolerance, respect, identity and belonging.
Love of life itself and love of God: A positive and joyful attitude towards language learning, understanding the theological importance in spreading God’s word across the world.
Let us remember that as many hands build a house, so many hearts create a school: A personal, tailored curriculum for The Vine, based on the needs and the input of the entire school community. Inviting the wider Vine Community to share cultural experiences to further develop understanding.

“If you talk to a man in a language he understands, that goes to his head. If you talk to him in his own language that goes to his heart.” - Nelson Mandela (Year 6 Courageous Advocate)

International opportunities

Having a partner school in Cádiz, Spain provides our pupils with an additional opportunity to practise their language skills with pupils of similar age across the globe and experience the similarities and differences of another culture. Four members of staff from The Vine visited Colegio Salesianos in October 2022 to strengthen relationships with the staff and students at the Spanish school and identify further opportunities for the schools to work together.