MODERN FOREIGN LANGUAGES

Our vision: To see the value in learning and speaking foreign languages; to develop an appreciation of cultures other than our own; to enjoy challenging ourselves to be the best linguist we can be; to engender a curiosity about the beauty of language.

The following principles underpin this vision:

• Develop social and communication skills to allow students to practice the speaking of the language.

• To master the vocabulary and grammar required to accelerate speaking, writing, reading and listening skills.

• To experience and learn about the culture of Spanish speaking countries.

Department Staff and Responsibilities

Miss E O’Donovan– T&L Coordinator MFL
Mr G Calwell – Assistant head teacher, MFL teacher
Mr L Cozens – MFL teacher
Ms N Wilson-Baylay – MFL teacher
Ms J Perez – MFL teacher

Key Stage 3 students have Spanish twice weekly whilst Key Stage 4 students have it three times per week. At GCSE, we study the Edexcel syllabus.

KS3 purpose

For students to be able to:

1. Understand and respond to spoken and written language from a variety of authentic sources.

2. Speak with increasing confidence, fluency and spontaneity, finding ways of communicating what they want to say, including through discussion and asking questions, and continually improving the accuracy of their pronunciation and intonation.

3. Write at varying length, for different purposes and audiences, using the variety of grammatical structures that they have learnt.

4. Discover and develop an appreciation of a range of writing in the language studied.

KS3 Scheme of work outline

Year 7: phonics, greetings, numbers, ages, family, pets, colours and opinions, where I live and Spanish countries,

Year 8: phonics, free time and opinions, weather, where I live, where I lived and where I want to live, my house and description, what you do at home and holidays in present, past and future tense.

Year 9: phonics, holidays past tense, holidays present tense, holidays future tense, my free time, my city and my town, festivals and traditions and La Tomatina.

KS4 purpose

1. In years 10 and 11 students learn EDEXCEL exam board where they practise the four skills that are necessary for their GCSE exams: speaking, listening, writing and reading.

2. Each lesson contains opportunities to practise the speaking of the language, revisit high-frequency vocabulary and practise paying close attention to the meaning and form of grammar structures.

3. Our learners will be able to make connections between sounds, words and sentences and they are exposed to, and as they produce ever more complex text.

4. Our students at the end of the course will have been provided with the foundations of language learning to encourage and foster an interest in learning further language and equipping students with skills to work or study abroad. Students will have a deep cultural understanding and appreciation of the world around them.

KS4 Scheme of work outline

Key Information

The course is divided into five themes. Each theme has topics and sub-topics. All themes/topics are assessed via listening, speaking, reading, and writing.

There are two tiers: Foundation (grades 1-5) and Higher (grades 4-9). You must take all papers at the same tier.

First assessment under the new specification begins in 2026.

Themes & Topics

These are the five main themes in the Edexcel specification, with the kinds of topics covered.

Identity and Culture

Who am I? (personal descriptions: family, friends, personality)

Daily life: routines, customs, technology/social media, food & drink, shopping etc.

Cultural life: holidays, festivals, music, film, reading, free-time and sports.

Local Area, Holiday & Travel

Holidays (preferences, experiences, destinations) a

Travel & tourist transactions: e.g. accommodation, directions, dealing with problems, eating out.

Town, region & country: places to see, what your area is like, comparing with Spanish-speaking places. Weather etc.

School

What school is like: types of school, school day, subjects, rules, pressures.

School activities: trips, exchanges, events.

Future Aspirations, Study & Work

Using languages beyond the classroom

Ambitions, further study, volunteering, training

Work: careers, job preferences etc.

International & Global Dimension

Bringing the world together: events, global communication, culture, campaigns.

Environmental issues and sustainability; natural resources etc.

Skills & Assessment Structure

Students are assessed on the four language skills: Listening, Speaking, Reading, Writing. Each contributes 25% of the GCSE total.

Here’s the structure under the older/current spec (before the 2026 version), but many features are maintained/updated in the new version:

Grammar & Vocabulary

Students learn a wide range of grammar: tenses (present, past, future, and others), comparative/superlative, modal verbs, conditional, use of “ser vs estar”, prepositions, etc. The specification lays out required grammar structures.

Vocabulary is organised under the topics/themes above—students must know words and phrases relating to all the topics. There is also a vocabulary list provided by Pearson.

Homework

Students access homework in Languagenut and Sentencebuilder. Homework is set weekly.

For more information visit:

https://qualifications.pearson.com/en/qualifications/edexcel-gcses/spanish-2024.html

https://www.bbc.co.uk/bitesize/examspecs/zwbhb7h

To find out more about the activities of the MFL department, please visit the department’s Instagram page: @Bedfordmfl

Subject Intent and Learning Journey:

The following link outlines what students will learn at each stage of their journey at Bedford in MFL. This includes the key knowledge, skills and concepts they will encounter through their exciting and aspirational journey in MFL.

MFL Curriculum Intent and Learning Journey