Modern Foreign Languages

Intent

At Leechpool, we want every child to feel confident and curious about the world beyond their own. Our Modern Foreign Languages (MFL) curriculum sparks this curiosity by introducing children to both French and Spanish. Through stories, songs, games and cultural celebration, children build a foundation in listening, speaking, reading and writing — developing their linguistic confidence and global awareness. We aim to give all children the chance to enjoy learning a new language and to recognise the value of communicating across cultures.

Implementation

Languages are introduced from EYFS and taught weekly from KS1 onwards. French is taught by class teachers in KS1 and lower KS2, supported by planning, sentence builders and co-delivered lessons. In upper KS2, this is supplemented by specialist teachers and enrichment through Spanish. The curriculum is structured through progressive long-term plans, covering vocabulary, grammar, phonics and intercultural understanding. Teaching is practical and engaging, using schemes such as Lightbulb Languages, Languagenut and Rockalingua, with activities ranging from role-play to poetry and song. Cultural learning is embedded in every unit, supported by International Fortnight and after-school clubs. Assessment is visual, pupil-led and tracked through platforms such as Seesaw and Insight.

Impact

Children leave Leechpool with the confidence and enthusiasm to continue their language journey at secondary school. They speak and write with increasing fluency, using simple grammatical structures and vocabulary in context. Pupils understand that learning a new language broadens their perspective and helps them connect with others. For some, learning French or Spanish sparks a passion that we actively nurture through additional learning opportunities and cultural experiences. Children enjoy learning languages and take pride in their ability to communicate across cultures.