Spanish
The new Spanish curriculum at BPS uses the termly Topics in each year group as engaging contexts for learning. The Topics are given a Hispanic twist to provide children with a deeper insight into Hispanic culture.
Our aim is for children to learn Spanish vocabulary through these exciting contexts. We also encourage a high level of language skills by practising the same grammar in both languages.
We achieve this in different ways, such as role role-plays, presentations, games, writing in different genres and reading both fiction and non-fiction texts.
Spanish topic work is taught through art, geography, history and ICT. This helps embed technical vocabulary in these curriculum areas in both Spanish and English.
To ensure our children are prepared for secondary school, we make sure we incorporate sophisticated grammar and core language skills necessary to exist in a Spanish speaking country or to pass future exams.
We asses all children against the Common European Framework (CEFR) in Y6. Children are given a grade from various assessments carried out in all 4 skills: speaking, reading, listening and writing.
Children are immersed in Spanish language throughout the day in their class and around the school. Our bilingual Teaching Assistants (TAs) speak to the children in Spanish, except when explaining English or Maths work.
Children respond in Spanish wherever possible and are expected to ask questions in Spanish. All teachers speak Spanish as much as possible around the school - especially for organisational language in the classroom.
A number of our teachers are fluent Spanish speakers and all other class teachers take Spanish lessons to help them use Spanish in school.