Modern Foreign Language

The 2014 Primary National Curriculum made learning a modern foreign language compulsory at Key Stage 2 (Years 3 to 6).

At Our Lady’s Bishop Eton Primary School, we believe that language learning is not only a matter of developing competence in another language, important though this is, but develops an appreciation of how languages are related.

Learning a language equips children to express themselves in new ways and provides them with the opportunity to explore the relationship between language and identity, develop an international outlook, an enhanced understanding of the world and their place within it. This develops their immediate sense of belonging to the wider world and starts to prepare them for future opportunities in modern life.

Learning another language is also full of rich opportunities to develop pupils’ spiritual, moral and cultural experiences. At a deeper level, learning a language confronts pupils with the fact that the way in which they see the world is just one of many possible ways and the words we use for things are arbitrary labels, not derived from the essence of the things themselves.

Learning another language also develops an understanding and respect for diversity, removing barriers between cultures, highlighting similarities and differences. Pupils may try out aspects of another culture in their classroom, such as food, clothes or celebrations, building a positive understanding of key features of personal and national identity, values and beliefs.

Learning another language is also an opportunity to look at shared values and aspirations, such as personal liberty, democracy and the rule of law. It can help us understand that the particular blend of values we cherish is not universal, but is the result of on-going social and historical collective choices.

In our school we teach French to all KS2 pupils as our language choice, using the School Improvement Liverpool scheme of work.