Languages
Spanish at Our Lady of the Rosary
At Our Lady of the Rosary, we believe that learning a language helps children to develop curiosity about the wider world and a respect for other cultures. Spanish is taught as our modern foreign language, providing pupils with the opportunity to communicate with growing confidence, express ideas, and explore traditions beyond their own.
Our Approach to Teaching Spanish
Spanish is taught weekly from Year 3 to Year 6, enabling pupils to build their skills in listening, speaking, reading, and writing as they progress through Key Stage 2. Lessons are taught by a native Spanish speaker, giving pupils authentic exposure to pronunciation, vocabulary, and cultural understanding. This specialist teaching supports accurate language development and inspires enthusiasm for learning.
Children in the Early Years and Key Stage 1 are introduced to Spanish through songs, rhymes, greetings, and celebrations linked to special festivals. This early exposure helps to foster curiosity about language and prepares pupils for more formal learning as they move into Key Stage 2.
Each lesson begins with a song or rhyme to engage pupils and support accurate pronunciation. Retrieval opportunities are used regularly to revisit vocabulary and grammatical structures, helping pupils to retain and apply what they have learned.
Our curriculum introduces Spanish through familiar topics such as greetings, numbers, colours, and family, before moving on to more complex themes including weather, directions, clothing, and expressing opinions. By the end of Key Stage 2, pupils can hold short conversations, read simple texts, and write short sentences with growing accuracy.
Developing Language and Cultural Understanding
Children develop language skills alongside an appreciation for Spanish culture. They learn traditional songs and stories, explore festivals such as Epiphany (Día de los Reyes Magos), and discover the geography of Spain and other Spanish-speaking countries. These experiences promote curiosity, creativity, and global awareness.
As pupils move through the school, they are encouraged to recognise similarities and differences between languages, supporting their wider literacy and grammatical understanding. This also prepares them for learning additional languages in secondary school and beyond.
Enrichment and Wider Opportunities
Spanish learning is brought to life through engaging cultural experiences. Pupils and staff take part in themed events such as Epiphany Day, sing traditional Spanish carols at Christmas, and enjoy using new words and phrases around the school. Weekly Spanish vocabulary is shared with classes and staff, helping the whole school community to celebrate language learning together.
Staff benefit from professional development through observing lessons and learning alongside pupils, helping to ensure consistency and enthusiasm across the school.
Continuing the Journey
As children move through Our Lady of the Rosary, they develop the confidence to listen, speak, read, and write in Spanish, while gaining a wider appreciation for culture and diversity. They leave equipped with the curiosity, communication skills, and enthusiasm to continue learning languages in the next stage of their education.