At Woodsetts Primary School, we want our children to become curious, confident and culturally aware language learners. Our chosen modern foreign language is Spanish and we deliver it through a rich, engaging curriculum that builds practical communication skills and opens a window to the wider world.
We follow the Kapow Primary Spanish scheme, adapted to suit the needs of our pupils. Our aim is to:
- Develop confidence in speaking and listening
- Build understanding of basic written Spanish
- Foster curiosity and respect for other cultures
- Teach through a spiral curriculum that builds and revisits key language structures
- Give children the foundation for future language study in Key Stage 3 and beyond
The scheme includes cross-curricular links with Geography, Art, English, Maths, and History, giving children a deeper and more meaningful context for their language learning.
Our Spanish curriculum is structured around four key pillars:
- Phonics – learning sounds, syllables, and pronunciation
- Vocabulary – building key word banks across themes
- Grammar – understanding sentence structure and verb forms
- Culture – developing awareness of Spanish-speaking countries and traditions
These are embedded within a spiral curriculum, meaning pupils revisit and deepen understanding over time.
Each Key Stage 2 class studies six units per year, with one lesson per week. Units follow key themes such as:
- Greetings and introductions
- Numbers and colours
- Weather and seasons
- Food and drink
- Daily routines and hobbies
- Spanish-speaking countries and cultural celebrations
Although MFL is not statutory in EYFS and KS1, we create early exposure opportunities through:
- Morning greetings in Spanish
- Register routines and classroom instructions
- A whole-school Spanish Day each Summer, celebrating language and culture
These experiences lay the foundations for a love of language and help children become familiar with common words and sounds.
Children’s Spanish learning is gathered in a dedicated MFL folder. These include:
- Vocabulary mats
- Written phrases and modelled sentences
- Cultural notes and visual support
- Retrieval activities and quizzes
We assess Spanish through a mix of:
- Regular quizzing and vocabulary recall
- Retrieval tasks to reinforce memory over time
- Teacher assessment based on pronunciation, participation, and progression
- End-of-unit informal assessments linked to the Kapow scheme
Learning a new language should be fun, challenging, and meaningful — and our pupils agree! Here’s what some of our children say about learning Spanish at Woodsetts:
- "I like learning how to say things I know in another language — it makes me feel clever!" – Year 3
- "The food words are my favourite. I remembered how to say 'banana' because we acted it out!" – Year 4
- "We played a game where we had to say the colour before it disappeared — it helped me remember rojo and azul." – Year 5
- "I liked learning about other countries that speak Spanish. It's not just Spain!" – Year 6
Pupil voice is gathered through:
- Exit questions and quizzes
- Retrieval games and speaking tasks
- Feedback during cultural days and project work
We use pupil feedback to adapt the pace, repetition and structure of lessons, ensuring language learning remains accessible and enjoyable for all.
Useful Links for Families
Language learning can be supported at home through games, songs and conversations. Here are some fun and free resources to help families explore Spanish together:
- BBC Bitesize – Primary Spanish
Videos, songs and interactive activities for KS2 learners. Great for vocabulary, phrases and pronunciation.https://www.bbc.co.uk/bitesize/subjects/zxsvr82
- Rockalingua – Spanish Songs & Videos
A colourful, music-based site for children learning Spanish. Includes songs, games and printable worksheets.
- Digital Dialects – Spanish Games
Click-and-learn style games to practise greetings, numbers, colours and more.
- The Spanish Experiment – Free Stories in Spanish
Well-known children’s stories (like Goldilocks and The Three Little Pigs) read aloud in Spanish with English translations.
We enhance Spanish learning through stories, songs and rhymes. These support pronunciation, rhythm, and vocabulary in fun, memorable ways:
Books
- First Thousand Words in Spanish – Heather Amery
- Hola! Let’s Learn Spanish – Judy Martialay
- Spanish Picture Dictionary – Berlitz
- De la cabeza a los pies / From Head to Toe – Eric Carle (bilingual edition)
- Oso pardo, oso pardo, ¿qué ves ahí? – Bill Martin Jr. & Eric Carle
Songs
- Buenos días (greetings song)
- Los colores (colour song)
- Cabeza, hombros, rodillas y pies (Head, Shoulders, Knees and Toes in Spanish)
- La Vaca Lola and El Baile del Gorila (popular for rhythm and fun!)
