Contact Details
- 01753521811
- enquiries@pennwood.slough.sch.uk
Penn Wood Primary and Nursery School, Penn Road, Slough, SL2 1PH
Penn Wood Primary
and Nursery School
‘Learning a foreign language is a liberation from insularity and provides an opening to other cultures. A high-quality languages education should foster pupils’ curiosity and deepen their understanding of the world’. The National Curriculum, 2014
At Penn Wood, children are taught French in Key Stage 2 by a specialist teacher. The intention of the foreign language curriculum at Penn Wood Primary School is that children are taught to develop their competence in a foreign language in a way that is enjoyable and stimulating.
In 2016, the Teaching Schools Council advised, in their MFL Pedagogy Review, that ‘content should be stimulating and widen students’ knowledge of the culture and history of the new language, without compromising the sequencing of vocabulary and grammar.’ It is therefore imperative that the school’s curriculum achieves a balance between these two aspects of languages teaching. Teaching will allow children to develop a grammatical and phonological understanding of the target language.
In addition, it is essential that children are made aware of cultural differences through learning about another country and its language and practices. Languages teaching must prepare children to be a global citizen now and in their future roles within a global community. Children will be given the opportunity to learn French through songs, stories and books – the golden thread that runs throughout our curriculum.
It is pertinent that schools provide a balanced and broadly-based curriculum which promotes the spiritual, moral, cultural, mental and physical development of pupils and prepares them for the opportunities and responsibilities and experiences for later life; languages teaching is central to this. As stated in a paper on Modern Foreign Languages by The Association of School and Collage Leaders (ASCL), ‘Learning a new language and culture helps stimulate a child’s curiosity and makes them open-minded and tolerant of diversity.’
Principles
Broadly, our curriculum coverage at Penn Wood aims to ensure that all pupils:
Learning another language presents opportunities for the reinforcement of knowledge, skills and understanding in other curriculum areas. According to a paper published ASCL, ‘Research shows that language learning at school boosts overall literacy.’ An understanding of the grammatical structures and etymology within a new language enhances children’s understanding of their own language and therefore links closely to the English Curriculum. We also know from research that ‘the ability to switch between languages develops cognitive flexibility and improves multitasking and creativity.’ (ASCL)
The Big Ideas within Languages teaching
The ‘big ideas’ in language enable teachers and children to organise knowledge and skill within the subject.
At Penn Wood, we are mindful of the following:
Teaching and Learning
High quality languages instruction values listening, speaking, reading and writing as four equally important elements. As part of the National Curriculum, it is expected that all children in Key Stage 2 are taught the following:
Speaking and Listening
Reading and Writing
Grammar
In 2016, in their MFL Pedagogy Review, the Teaching Schools Council advised that ‘the four skills of speaking, listening, reading and writing should be taught together’ and at Penn Wood, these four skills form part of every lesson.
Penn Wood Primary and Nursery School, Penn Road, Slough, SL2 1PH