MFL Intent
At Heathcote Primary School our local community is at the heart of our ethos and we feel that the learning of a foreign language is a necessary part of being a member of a multi-cultural society and provides an opening to other cultures.
Our languages education fosters children’s curiosity and deepens their understanding of the world. The teaching enables children to express their ideas and thoughts in another language and to understand and respond to speakers, both in speech and in writing. It also provides opportunities for them to communicate for practical purposes, learn new ways of thinking and read a wide range of literature in the original language. Language teaching provides the foundation for learning further languages, equipping children to study and work in other countries.
Children have weekly lessons in a range of languages throughout Key Stage 2 and opportunities to explore a love of languages in Key Stage 1 and the Early Years. Areas covered include: greetings, numbers, colours, house and home, in town, food and drink, the classroom, clothes and hobbies.
Each month the whole school are introduced to the ‘Language of the Month’, the children are encouraged to speak the language daily through simple greetings and actions. We cover a range of languages from Mandarin to Makaton and provide opportunities for visitors to come and share such as Warwick Boys School.
It is intended that when children leave Heathcote Primary, they will have a natural curiosity and confidence to explore, other countries, cultures and languages, accepting that, in a multi-lingual society it is a valuable skill to be able to communicate effectively with others in another language.
