Hello, I am Mr Carroll and I am the Foreign Languages coordinator at Hayfield Lane Primary School

 FOREIGN LANGUAGES AT HAYFIELD LANE

 The role of language learning underpins children’s understanding of the world around them and supports the contextualisation of life on a global level.  Through language learning, children are able to make holistic links and connections between concepts such as community, cultural diversity, and communication. Foreign language learning is a subject that has the potential to extend and enrich the possibilities for developing the depth of learning through all other subject areas.

Why do we need to teach Language (French) skills at Hayfield Lane?

According to the most recent British Council ‘Languages for the Future’ report:

• ‘As the UK embarks on a new era of co-operation with Europe, and with the rest of the world, the extent to which the country can realise the vision of a truly global UK in the long term will depend on our ability to succeed in a competitive international environment, and to understand and connect with people across the world.’  British Council

• Among the skills and capabilities the UK will need, an understanding of other cultures and languages will continue to be important for successful international relationships at all levels.

• Both within and beyond Europe, we will need to reach out beyond English, not only
  to maintain and improve our economic position but to build trust, deepen international influence and cultural relationships, and to keep our country safe.

• French continues to appear within the top 5 most important foreign languages for the future.  This is not just about supplying skills for the future workforce in a range of areas such as UK exports, future international business and trading, outward and inward tourism, diplomatic and security roles, international education roles, but also the public’s language interests, levels of English proficiency in other countries and the prevalence of French on the internet. 

• The need to offer language learning to all pupils ensures that every individual, regardless of background, experience or aspiration, has the opportunity to develop appropriate language skills. Along with a range of other skills, language skills have the power to transform lives – supporting individuals to make new connections and potentially experience new opportunities on a global level. 

INTENT

Through foreign languages, our pupils will be inspired to explore, in the first instance, a different language, country and culture with such curiosity, it leads them to develop a natural fascination about the rest of the world.  Language learning at Hayfield Lane should equip pupils with knowledge about the diverse world in which we live.  As pupils progress through a range of skills based around speaking, listening, reading, writing and grammar, their growing knowledge about the world should help them to deepen their understanding between the concept of languages.