Modern Foreign Languages

Subject Intent

Our vision for our students is that they develop the skills and confidence to consider themselves as “global citizens”. We want our students to understand other countries and cultures so that they are open to new experiences. With our KS3 curriculum, we will take our students through a journey to discover who they are as individuals, as members of their local community and finally how they can integrate in a world characterised by international links and intercultural connections. At KS4 our students will build upon the vocabulary and grammatical structures learnt in KS3, developing linguistic skills that are crucial for employment, as proficiency in a foreign language enhances career opportunities.

Key Stage 3 Overview

Year 7

I am a unique individual

Mercury, Saturn, Neptune, Jupiter & Mars Classes: 2 hours a week

Autumn Term		Spring Term		Summer Term
Half Term 1	Half Term 2	Half Term 3	Half Term 4	Half Term 5	Half Term 6
Module 1: The Basics  Unit Contents & Assessments Unit 1 – Greetings & Introductions Unit 2 – Letter names and sounds Speaking Assessment Unit 3 – Saying our age Listening & Reading Assessment Unit 4 – Birthdays Grammar & Writing Assessment		Module 2: Family & Friends  Unit Contents & Assessment Unit 1 – Family members Unit 2 – Personality description Speaking assessment Unit 3 – Physical description Listening & Reading Assessment Unit 4 – Pets		Module 3: Free Time  Unit Contents & Assessment Unit 1 – Free time activities Speaking Assessment Unit 2 – Free time & Weather Grammar & Writing Assessment  Unit 3 – Food Listening & Reading Assessment Unit 4 -Shopping

Venus & Earth classes: 1 hour a week

Autumn Term		Spring Term		Summer Term
Half Term 1	Half Term 2	Half Term 3	Half Term 4	Half Term 5	Half Term 6
Module 1: The Basics  Unit Contents & Assessments Unit 1 - Greetings Unit 2 – Letter names & sounds Speaking Assessment Unit 3 – Age Listening & Reading Assessment		Module 1: The Basics  Unit Contents & Assessment Unit 4 – Birthdays Grammar & Writing Assessment	Module 2: Family & Friends Unit Contents & Assessment Unit 1 – Family members Unit 2 – Personality description Speaking Assessment	Module 2: Family & Friends Unit Contents & Assessment Unit 3 – Physical Description L&R Assessment Unit 4 – Animals Grammar & Writing Assessment

 

Year 8

I am a member of my local community

Mercury, Saturn, Neptune, Jupiter & Mars Classes: 2 hours a week

Autumn Term		Spring Term		Summer Term
Half Term 1	Half Term 2	Half Term 3	Half Term 4	Half Term 5	Half Term 6
Module 4: Education & Work  Unit Contents & Assessments Unit 1 – Subjects Unit 2 – Timetable Writing & Grammar Assessment Unit 3 – Uniform & rules Listening & Reading Assessment Unit 4 – Jobs Speaking Assessment		Module 5: Where I live  Unit Contents & Assessment Unit 1 – Location & Landscape Unit 2 – My town Speaking Assessment Unit 3 – My street Listening & Reading Assessment Unit 4 -My house Writing & Grammar Assessment		Module 6: Healthy Lifestyle Unit Contents & Assessment Unit 1 – Body parts Unit 2 – At the doctor’s Speaking Assessment Unit 3 – Healthy lifestyle Listening & Reading Assessment Unit 4 – Future Intentions Writing & Grammar Assessment

Venus & Earth classes: 1 hour a week

Autumn Term		Spring Term		Summer Term
Half Term 1	Half Term 2	Half Term 3	Half Term 4	Half Term 5	Half Term 6
Module 3: Free Time  Unit Contents & Assessments Unit 1 – Free Time activities Speaking Assessment Unit 2 – Free time and weather Writing and Grammar Assessment		Module 3: Free Time  Unit Contents & Assessment Unit 3 – Food Listening & Reading Assessment	Module 4: Education & Work  Unit Contents & Assessment Unit 1 – School subjects Writing & Grammar Assessment	Module 4: Education & Work  Unit Contents & Assessment Unit 2 – Uniform & Rules Listening & Reading Assessment Unit 3 – Jobs Speaking Assessment

 

Year 9

I am a global citizen

Mercury, Saturn, Neptune, Jupiter & Mars Classes: 2 hours a week

Autumn Term		Spring Term		Summer Term
Half Term 1	Half Term 2	Half Term 3	Half Term 4	Half Term 5	Half Term 6
Module 7: Technology & Media  Unit Contents & Assessments Unit 1 – Technology Speaking assessment Unit 2 – Apps & social media Listening & Reading Assessment Unit 3 – Celebrities & Influencers Grammar & Writing Assessment		Module 8: Travel & Tourism Unit Contents & Assessment Unit 1 – Holiday destinations Speaking Assessment Unit 2 – Past holidays Unit 3 – In the hotel Listening & Reading Assessment Unit 4 – Planning a holiday Grammar & Writing Assessment		Module 9: Customs & Festivals Unit Contents & Assessment Unit 1 – Traditional foods Speaking Assessment Unit 2 – Spanish festivals Listening & Writing Assessment Unit 3 – Celebrations Grammar & Writing Assessment Unit 4 – A special day in the past

Venus & Earth classes: 1 hour a week

Autumn Term		Spring Term		Summer Term
Half Term 1	Half Term 2	Half Term 3	Half Term 4	Half Term 5	Half Term 6
Module 5: Where I live  Unit Contents & Assessments Unit 1 – Location & Landscape Speaking Assessment  Unit 2 – My town Listening & Reading Assessment		Module 5: Where I live   Unit Contents & Assessment Unit 3 – My house Writing & Grammar Assessment	Module 6: Customs & Festivals  Unit Contents & Assessment Unit 1 – Traditional foods Speaking Assessment	Module 6: Customs & Festivals Unit Contents & Assessment Unit 2 – Spanish festivals Listening & Writing Assessment Unit 3 – Celebrations

Careers / Transferable skills:

In every lesson, students are encouraged to develop highly transferable skills valued by employers, including oral and written communication, problem-solving, critical thinking, and creativity. Teachers regularly highlight the advantages of language proficiency, emphasizing how it can enhance employability and open opportunities to work all around the world. Alongside this, students also engage in career-focused activities throughout the year—such as workshops and live webinars—that allow them to explore professions directly connected to languages.

Key Stage 4 Overview

AQA GCSE Spanish (8692)

The specification covers three distinct themes. These themes apply to all four question papers. Students are expected to understand and provide information and opinions about these themes relating to their own experiences and those of other people, including people in countries/ communities where Spanish is spoken.

Theme 1: People & Lifestyle

Topic 1: Heathy Living

Topic 2: Education & Work

Topic 3: Identity & Relationships

Theme 2: Popular Culture

Topic 1: Free Time Activities

Topic 2: Customs & Festivals & Celebrations

Topic 3: Celebrity Culture

Theme 3: Communication & the World around us

Topic 1; Media & Technology

Topic 2: Environment & where I live

Topic 3: Travel & Tourism

 

Year 10

Autumn Term		Spring Term		Summer Term
Half Term 1	Half Term 2	Half Term 3	Half Term 4	Half Term 5	Half Term 6
Health Unit 1: Diet Unit 2: Healthy & Unhealthy habits Unit 3: Lifestyle & future intentions	Town & Environment Unit 1: Where I live Unit 2: Future living Unit 3: Environmental issues	Customs & Festivals Unit 1: Festivals Unit 2: Celebrations Unit 3: A special day in the past	Media & Technology Unit 1: Technology Unit 2: Social media Unit 3: Technology in society	Education & Work Unit 1: School life Unit 2: My studies	Education & Work Unit 3: Future plans Unit 4: World of work

 

Year 11

Autumn Term		Spring Term		Summer Term
Half Term 1	Half Term 2	Half Term 3	Half Term 4	Half Term 5	Half Term 6
Education & Work Unit 1: School life Unit 2: My studies Unit 3: Future plans Unit 4: World of work	Travel & Tourism Unit 1 – Holiday Preferences Unit 2 -My last holidays Unit 3 – Future holiday plans	Identity & Relationships Unit 1 – Personal description Unit 2 – Friendships and relationships Unit 3 – Identity Unit 4 – Favourite celebrities	Free Time Unit 1 – Sports & Free Time activities Unit 2 – Arranging to go out Unit 3 – Talking about a day that went wrong	Revision

 

Additional Curriculum Information

Assessment Impact

At KS3, students are formally assessed once a term across listening, reading, speaking, writing, and grammar. After each assessment, they receive personalised feedback—both written and verbal—along with opportunities to refine their work and overcome any misconceptions. At the end of every module, students reflect on their progress, celebrating their strengths while identifying areas for improvement and setting clear targets for the term ahead. In addition, regular vocabulary tests in lessons allow them to demonstrate their learning from homework and build a strong foundation for future success.

At KS4, students practise exam-style listening, reading, speaking, and writing tasks in every lesson. Teachers use formative assessment strategies to monitor progress and provide timely feedback, ensuring that students make consistent and sustained improvements. To prepare them thoroughly for their final GCSE exams, students sit mock exams in all four skills during both Year 10 and Year 11. After each assessment, those at risk of underachieving are identified and supported through targeted intervention.

SEND and Most Able Students 

We have high aspirations for all of our students. Regardless of ability, we always aim to challenge our students while scaffolding and producing relevant resources to meet their needs.

Following the school policy, most able students are added to the Most Able and Talented list for our curriculum area. In lessons, students will be specifically encouraged to extend their writing and speaking activities and develop a more sophisticated vocabulary.

We have put the following strategies in place to ensure that we cater for all of our students:

• specific seating plans
• differentiated resources and outcomes
• reading and recording information about individual students to inform planning
• frequent differentiated vocabulary tests and retrieval practices
• scaffolding for writing tasks
• access to intervention

Homework

At KS3, students are encouraged to take responsibility for their learning by revising vocabulary at home, which is then checked through short tests in the following lesson. In preparation for assessments, they complete a range of revision activities, such as translation and comprehension tasks, to strengthen their understanding.

At KS4, students continue to build strong study habits through regular vocabulary tests that reinforce independent learning. They also practise GCSE-style reading and translation questions to refine their exam technique and boost confidence. Alongside this, students are expected to complete independent revision throughout the year, helping them to prepare thoroughly for success in their final exams. 

Beyond the curriculum

Enrichment in MFL is delivered through a range of exciting opportunities. Students take part in national and regional initiatives such as the European Day of Languages, National Linguistics Day, the GCHQ Christmas Challenge, and the North East Festival of Languages. In addition, they are invited to join the MFL Club, where they can discover the languages and cultures of countries around the world through fun, interactive, and engaging activities.

Literacy & Subject Specific Vocabulary

In every MFL lesson, key words and structures are introduced, practised, and revisited to strengthen long-term learning. A strong emphasis is placed on accurate spelling, punctuation, and grammar, with students given the chance to develop their literacy skills by making SPaG corrections after each assessed piece of writing. Students also regularly read aloud in class, helping them to build confidence, improve comprehension, and refine their pronunciation. Students are taught to develop key reading strategies—such as scanning, using context to interpret unfamiliar vocabulary, and applying their knowledge of root words and cognates—to help them confidently understand a wide range of texts.