Thornham St James C.E. Primary School
Spanish Vision Statement
Intent
At Thornham St. James, our Spanish curriculum aims to foster a love for language learning and a curiosity for global cultures, grounded in our school motto, ‘Journeying Together, We Shine’. Aligned with our Christian values of community, service, wisdom, and compassion, our approach to Spanish nurtures pupils' confidence in practical communication, encouraging them to engage in both spoken and written Spanish.
Using the Kapow Primary scheme, our curriculum is designed to lay a strong foundation in language through three building blocks: phonics, vocabulary, and grammar. These foundations allow pupils to develop comprehensive skills in listening, reading, speaking, and writing, promoting an understanding of Spanish that not only prepares them for Key Stage 3 but also broadens their global perspective. We envision our students leaving Thornham St. James as confident communicators, equipped with a respect for diverse cultures and the ability to connect across communities.
Implementation
Our Spanish curriculum is delivered through a spiral structure, revisiting and building upon key language skills, grammar, and vocabulary to ensure a deep and lasting understanding. Lessons involve interactive activities such as role-play, language games, and detective-style language work that encourage pupils to communicate around familiar topics. The curriculum links Spanish to other subjects, allowing students to draw connections across their learning and apply language skills in new contexts.
To support staff, each unit includes resources like pronunciation guides, grammar explanations, and phoneme videos, empowering teachers to deliver effective language instruction confidently. Furthermore, classroom routines incorporate Spanish through our ‘During the week’ approach, embedding language practice in daily school life and raising the profile of Spanish throughout the school.
Impact
At Thornham St. James, we are committed to ensuring that our Spanish curriculum embeds learning in pupils’ long-term memory while also promoting excellence in language outcomes. To assess the impact of our curriculum, we employ a comprehensive approach that utilises four key tools:
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Classroom Check-ins: These evaluations focus on subject knowledge, clarity of explanations, high expectations, opportunities for learning, pupil responses, participation, and teacher-student relationships. This approach allows us to assess pupils’ engagement and application of language skills.
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Pupil Book Looks and Pupil Voice: Through discussions with pupils and workbook reviews, we evaluate curriculum structures, teaching methods, participation, and responses. This dialogic model helps us understand whether pupils are progressing, remembering, and applying what they have learned in Spanish.
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Professional Growth Models: We prioritise continuous improvement in staff’s language knowledge and evidence-based teaching practices, including retrieval practice, spaced learning, and explicit instruction techniques. This approach equips teachers to support effective language learning.
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Assessment and Achievement: Learning outcomes are articulated through tasks and quizzes that measure understanding and identify areas for growth. This information guides future teaching, helping us tailor instruction to meet each pupil's needs.
In conducting these evaluations, we ask critical questions such as:
- How well do pupils retain Spanish vocabulary and grammar they have been taught?
- Do books and pupil discussions demonstrate progression and achievement in Spanish?
- Can pupils apply their Spanish knowledge in more complex contexts, showing that their skills have “travelled” with them?
Our Spanish curriculum ensures that pupils are well-prepared for their next steps in language learning. As they progress through each unit, they build on prior knowledge, make connections across contexts, and develop into articulate, culturally aware individuals ready for continued success in languages.
Spanish Curriculum Progression
Spainsh Topic Overview for Parents
