Spanish

To learn a language is to have one more window from which to look at the world - Chinese Proverb

At Higher Openshaw Community School, we want our pupils to develop a love of languages and an understanding of the wider world. Learning Spanish helps children build confidence in communication, explore different cultures and develop skills that will support their future learning.

Spanish is taught throughout Key Stage 2 by specialist teachers from Junior Jam and supported by the class teacher. Lessons are delivered by fluent and native Spanish speakers, providing pupils with authentic language experiences, accurate pronunciation and a deeper understanding of Spanish language and culture. We have chosen to work with Junior Jam because their curriculum is carefully sequenced, knowledge-rich and fully aligned to the National Curriculum, supporting our ambition to provide pupils with a high-quality language education that builds progressively over time.

Lessons are supported by class teachers, helping pupils to engage fully with learning and make connections with their wider curriculum experiences. The curriculum has been selected and adapted to complement our whole-school approach to teaching and learning, ensuring that pupils regularly revisit prior knowledge, build secure foundations and develop confidence through repeated practice and application.

Through the Junior Jam Spanish curriculum, pupils:

• Develop confidence in listening, speaking, reading and writing in Spanish.

• Build and revisit a growing bank of vocabulary, phrases and grammatical structures.

• Learn through carefully sequenced units that build on prior knowledge and skills.

• Regularly recap and retrieve previous learning, helping knowledge move into long-term memory.

• Explore the cultures and traditions of Spanish-speaking countries, developing curiosity, respect and global awareness.

• Prepare for continued language learning at Key Stage 3.

Our approach to teaching and learning is reflected in Spanish lessons through regular opportunities to revisit and recall prior learning. New knowledge is carefully connected to what pupils already know, enabling them to develop fluency, confidence and a deeper understanding of the language over time. Vocabulary is explicitly taught and regularly revisited, ensuring pupils can remember and apply their learning successfully.

Junior Jam's curriculum provides:

• Clear progression from Year 3 to Year 6, ensuring knowledge and skills build over time.

• Curriculum planning and resources aligned to the National Curriculum.

• Assessment opportunities that support teachers in understanding what pupils know, remember and can do

• High-quality learning experiences that promote communication, cultural understanding and long-term retention of knowledge.

The quality of provision is monitored through our school quality assurance processes, with senior leaders and subject leaders working alongside Junior Jam to ensure that teaching, learning and curriculum delivery meet the high expectations of Higher Openshaw Community School.

By the end of Key Stage 2, pupils will have the confidence and knowledge to understand and communicate in Spanish, appreciate different cultures and continue their language-learning journey successfully at secondary school.