Languages

“To have another language is to possess a second soul.”

Charlemagne

Aims

At Lady Barn, we are committed to creating rich language opportunities through a broad and ambitious Languages provision. Embracing our children’s natural love of communication, we aim to develop confidence in their skills and to instil in them a lifelong enjoyment of language. We believe that language learning nurtures a child’s curiosity, cultural awareness, empathy and tolerance. 

Approach

As soon as children start Reception, they begin Spanish lessons, learning through song and play. In Years 1 to 3, weekly Mandarin lessons give them understanding and appreciation of a non-European language. Lessons are built around songs, games and plenty of opportunities to practise and interact. Our young ‘language detectives’ also enjoy exploring the Chinese written language. Many choose to continue learning Mandarin beyond Year 3, through our co-curricular provision.

The older children in Years 4 to 6 then learn French in their weekly language lessons and work towards the pinnacle of their language learning: an overseas residential trip to the Pas de Calais region of France. They visit places of historical and cultural interest and have ample opportunities to practise their conversational skills. After returning from France, our children are given a Spanish taster course to further enhance their skills before leaving for secondary school.

As experienced and skilled language learners, our Year 5 children learn through an innovative and efficient approach called CLIL (Content and Language Integrated Learning), where another subject such as Science is taught through the target language. Using purposeful language in relevant contexts, our children become creative learners and critical thinkers.