Pupils at Abbey Primary School benefit from a carefully sequenced and ambitious curriculum developed in conjuction with the Spanish department at Glenthorne High School. The curriculum is designed to build a firm foundation in phonics and grammar and to develop curiosity about the culture and heritage of the Spanish speaking world. Teaching starts in Y4 and aims to provide an enjoyable language learning experience that will build linguistic confidence for future language learning.

Our spiralling curriculum leads to both clear progression and reinforcement of key concepts. Through games, songs, conversation and planned retrieval, lessons embed knowledge. Misconceptions are addressed through planned questioning and AFL. The specialist teacher is secondary trained and a Spanish native speaker. Woven through the curriculum are cultural insights that strengthen intercultural understanding and stimulate an appreciation for the rich linguistic diversity of our school. Pupils explore Spanish-speaking countries, traditions, and historical contexts, fostering a deeper understanding of global perspectives.

SEND pupils benefit from the revisiting of key concepts over the course of study. Adaptive, research informed teaching removes barriers while maintaining high expectations. Lessons are carefully structured with small step sequencing, clear pronunciation modelling, visual supports, and regular retrieval to reduce cognitive load and build confidence over time. Scaffolded sentence frames, word banks, chunked instructions, and flexible outcomes enable pupils to demonstrate understanding without diluting core content. Speaking and listening are prioritised through partner talk, choral repetition, and structured collaborative activities that offer low risk rehearsal, supported by multisensory strategies such as gesture, rhythm, and visual prompts to aid retention.

In 2024-25 the end of Y6 over 85% of pupils reached the expected standard in Spanish.