Our Learning Sequence

At St Thomas Aquinas School we believe that learning a language provides a valuable educational, social and cultural experience for our pupils, including those with special educational needs and or disabilities.  

In EYFS and Key Stage 1 the focus is on building a love of languages, fostering curiosity and deepening their understanding of the world. This is achieved through a focus on speaking and listening.

In Key Stage 2 we aim to build upon their knowledge and experience from Key Stage 1 in the five key areas of learning: speaking, listening, reading, writing and cultural understanding.

Our school follows the Primary Languages Network scheme of work which is delivered by class teachers with the support of the subject lead. Alongside the planning provided, the scheme is supported by accompanying videos, PowerPoints, audio files (spoken by native speakers), links to authentic literature, songs, games, cultural points of reference, seasonal events and cross-curricular links.

At STA our sequence of learning follows a structured progression of:

• listen and connect
• join in
• rehearse
• respond
•  

This approach supports pupils in developing confidence and accuracy in language acquisition. The sequence is applied not only across topics but can also be evident within individual lessons, ensuring consistent opportunities for listening, participation, practice, and meaningful response.