Modern Foreign Languages

The learning of a foreign language provides a valuable educational, social, and cultural experience for our pupils. Pupils develop communication and literacy skills that lay the foundation for future language learning. They develop linguistic competence, extend their knowledge of how language works and explore differences and similarities between Spanish and English. Learning another language raises awareness of the multilingual and multicultural world and introduces an international dimension to pupils’ learning, giving them an insight into their own culture and those of others. The learning of a foreign language provides a medium for cross-curricular links and for reinforcement of knowledge, skills and understanding developed in other subjects.

Learning a foreign language is also provides an opening to other cultures. A high-quality languages education should foster pupils’ curiosity and deepen their understanding of the world. The teaching should enable pupils to express their ideas and thoughts in another language and to understand and respond to its speakers, both in spoken and in written forms. It should also provide opportunities for them to communicate for practical purposes, learn new ways of thinking and read great literature in the original language. Language teaching should provide the foundation for learning further languages, equipping pupils to study and work in other countries.

The language being taught in school is Spanish and our principal aim is to inspire a love of language learning and a widening of cultural knowledge.

In KS3/4/5, children from Thatto Heath continue to learn a variety of languages including Mandarin, French, German, Spanish and Italian.  The languages curriculum at Thatto Heath aims to provide our children with the foundation for learning further languages at a higher level. It also aims to provide our children with the ability to study and work in other countries.