Spanish curriculum
This page is designed for Spanish subject leaders to:
- View the Kapow Primary Spanish curriculum in one convenient place.
- Discover the rationale behind Kapow Primary’s Spanish curriculum.
- Find relevant information to support leading Spanish.
The Curriculum and Assessment Review final report has been released. We’re reviewing the recommendations and planning for future updates.
For more information, see our Curriculum updates and FAQs pages.
Spanish scheme of work
Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v2.0
1. Intent
This section outlines the overall Spanish curriculum plan, including its structure, sequencing and the specific knowledge and skills pupils are expected to acquire.
Curriculum aims
Kapow Primary’s Spanish scheme of work aims to inspire pupils to become curious, confident and enthusiastic language learners with a broad understanding of the Spanish language and culture – in other words, to think and communicate like linguists. The intention is for pupils to develop the skills to listen, speak, read and write in Spanish, while building the confidence to express themselves and explore new ways of thinking through language learning.
The scheme is designed to build pupils’ understanding of how learning another language connects people, cultures and communities worldwide. The aim is to encourage pupils to become open-minded, active citizens who can appreciate diversity and engage meaningfully with the wider world.
Additionally, the scheme supports teachers in developing their subject knowledge and skills, enabling them to deliver engaging, well-informed lessons with confidence. The curriculum is designed to be both accessible and ambitious, ensuring that all pupils are supported to participate fully and achieve their potential.
Statutory and non-statutory guidance
National curriculum
Kapow Primary’s standard, mixed-age and condensed schemes of work fulfil the statutory requirements for Spanish outlined in the National curriculum (2014).
Ofsted research review
Kapow Primary’s standard, mixed-age and condensed Spanish schemes are based on principles outlined in Ofsted’s Languages research review.
New research and developments
The Spanish standard, mixed-age and condensed schemes of work are continually evaluated and refined through regular curriculum reviews, internal audits and feedback from subscribing schools.
Updates are informed by the latest subject-specific research, changes to National curriculum guidance and developments in pedagogy. This ensures the curriculum remains current, effective and relevant.
Broad and balanced curriculum
The strands
The knowledge strands of phonics, vocabulary and grammar, often referred to as the three pillars of progression, are discussed in detail in the knowledge section of this page.
There are also two complementary skills strands:
- Language comprehension.
- Language production.
Additionally, pupils develop cultural awareness throughout the Spanish curriculum.
Phonics
Kapow Primary's Spanish scheme features a comprehensive phonics program that ensures the explicit teaching of critical phonemes, with a focus on both pronunciation and the sound-spelling relationship.
Vocabulary
The scheme systematically introduces the most commonly used words within familiar sentence structures and patterns. It also provides opportunities for pupils to revisit previously learned vocabulary in different contexts.
Grammar
The scheme is underpinned by a carefully structured progression of key grammatical concepts.
Language comprehension (listening and reading)
This strand develops pupils’ ability to understand spoken and written Spanish from a range of sources.
Language production (speaking and writing)
This strand supports pupils in using Spanish to express themselves with increasing fluency and accuracy.
Progression
Progression
The Spanish: Progression of skills, knowledge and vocabulary document provides an overview of the language skills and knowledge covered in each phase and strand.
It explains how Spanish skills and knowledge are developed to support pupils in reaching the key stage outcomes as outlined in the National curriculum.
New learning is weighted toward the start of each key stage, allowing ample opportunity for it to be revisited and practised in later years. As a result, knowledge accumulation may look heavier in some year groups than others.
Spiral curriculum
Kapow Primary’s Spanish scheme has been designed as a spiral curriculum with the following key principles in mind:
- Cyclical – pupils revisit key knowledge and skills in different contexts, as well as familiar themes such as ‘All about me’, ‘Daily life’, and ‘Spain and other Spanish-speaking countries’.
- Increasing depth – each time a vocabulary and grammatical structures are revisited, they are covered with greater complexity.
- Prior knowledge – prior knowledge is utilised so pupils can build upon previous foundations rather than starting again.
The benefits of learning languages
The Spanish curriculum is designed to open pupils’ minds to new ways of thinking, speaking and seeing the world.
Through the study of a new language, pupils begin to explore cultures beyond their own. They encounter diverse traditions, festivals, landscapes and daily routines from across the Spanish-speaking world, developing curiosity, empathy and a sense of global citizenship.
Types of knowledge
Types of knowledge
Knowledge is defined differently depending on the subject in question.
Ofsted’s Languages research review helps to define the following language knowledge strands as ‘pillars of progression’:
- Phonics.
- Vocabulary.
- Grammar.
Phonics
The Kapow Primary Spanish curriculum features a comprehensive phonics program. This ensures the explicit teaching of critical phonemes, with a focus on both pronunciation and the sound-spelling relationship.
Pupil phoneme videos presented by native speakers enhance learning by teaching common Spanish phonemes. The videos introduce pupils to the phonemes and, in the ‘mouth mechanics’ section of the video, provide an in-depth look at the shape of the mouth during the articulation of each sound.
Vocabulary
As recommended by the Ofsted research review, the Kapow Primary Spanish scheme systematically introduces the most commonly used words within familiar sentence structures and patterns. It then provides opportunities for pupils to revisit previously learned vocabulary in different contexts.
This approach allows the children to commit these high-value words to their long-term memory. Many topic words are also introduced to provide a variety of meaningful contexts; however, less attention is given to memorising these.
For example, when a pupil learns how to say ‘I have a…’, ‘I am…’ or ‘I like…’, the most important knowledge is the sentence pattern and the verb, as the nouns can be swapped.
Grammar
Developing grammatical understanding through a carefully planned progression of key structures is the bedrock of the Kapow Primary Spanish scheme.
Grammar is explicitly taught and systematically revisited to ensure that basic structures are committed to memory before more complex ones are introduced.
Wider knowledge and skills
Digital literacy
Digital literacy in Spanish supports pupils in using technology to explore authentic materials and practise language skills through multimedia activities. It encourages them to access, evaluate and create digital content in Spanish, developing confidence as global communicators.
Oracy
Through Kapow Primary’s Spanish curriculum, pupils have opportunities to develop their oracy skills by:
- Developing the physical skills required for speech by utilising their voice, body language, and facial expressions to better communicate in Spanish.
- Explicitly considering the role of syntax in Spanish communication and reflecting on the differences with English to deepen understanding.
- Role-playing as Spanish speakers to practise conversational skills.
- Questioning and responding in Spanish to build communication skills.
- Interpreting the speech of native Spanish speakers, learning to gist and summarise meaning.
- Describing using Spanish vocabulary.
- Listening to native Spanish speakers and each other.
- Collaborating in groups and taking different roles in conversations.
Sustainability
The Kapow Primary Spanish curriculum promotes awareness of environmental issues through meaningful contexts, including climate change and conservation in Spanish-speaking countries.
The scheme encourages pupils to discuss global challenges and develop a sense of shared responsibility for the planet.
Critical thinking
Pupils interpret authentic Spanish texts, conversations and cultural materials, comparing perspectives from different Spanish-speaking countries.
This helps them to question assumptions, draw connections and form reasoned opinions about global and cultural issues.
Personal development in Spanish
SMSC
The scheme supports SMSC (Spiritual, Moral, Social and Cultural) development by encouraging children to:
- Explore different perspectives.
- Reflect on ethical issues.
- Collaborate with others.
- Appreciate cultural diversity through subject-specific content.
British values
Lessons promote British values (democracy, the rule of law, individual liberty, mutual respect and tolerance) by incorporating activities that encourage debate, respect for differing opinions and an understanding of societal structures.
Cultural capital
Kapow Primary’s Spanish curriculum broadens pupils’ experiences by introducing them to the rich diversity of Spanish-speaking countries, their traditions, art, music and daily life.
The scheme ensures pupils gain the knowledge and confidence to communicate across cultures and participate responsibly in an interconnected world.
Inclusion and diversity
Inclusion and diversity
Kapow Primary’s Spanish scheme has been designed to represent a wide range of cultures, communities and perspectives from across the Spanish-speaking world.
- Where appropriate, the historical and cultural influences on the Spanish language and its global presence are explored.
- The scheme’s visual and textual content is inclusive and representative of diverse people and places, challenging stereotypes and outdated views of Spanish-speaking cultures.
- Within sensitive units, questions have been included to support children’s lived experiences and backgrounds.
The Kapow Primary Spanish scheme supports children in appreciating the richness of the Spanish language, the diversity of cultures where it is spoken, and the connections between different communities around the world.
2. Implementation
This section outlines how the Spanish curriculum is taught, including teaching strategies, learning activities and the use of resources. It also includes details on how the curriculum can be adapted to suit your school and cohort.
Timetabling
It is recommended that Kapow Primary Spanish be taught for 45 minutes per week to meet the needs of the National curriculum.
CPD
Kapow Primary supports teachers in delivering the Spanish curriculum effectively through clear and informative CPD videos.
These videos are designed to help teachers feel confident in their role by providing guidance on key concepts, teaching strategies and best practices.
With Kapow Primary’s CPD videos, subject leaders can develop their expertise and, in turn, support their colleagues in delivering high-quality lessons.
Whether helping with subject knowledge, modelling effective teaching techniques or offering practical tips for the classroom, Kapow Primary’s CPD videos ensure that every teacher has access to the support they need.
Preparing for lessons - Before the lesson
Watch
View teacher CPD videos and pupil videos in one place. The videos relate directly to the teaching and learning in the lesson or unit.
For illustrative purposes only – the exact ‘Before the lesson’ sections vary between lessons.
Have ready
Prepare for each lesson using a list of the suggested presentations, materials, items or links.
For illustrative purposes only – the exact ‘Before the lesson’ sections vary between lessons.
Printable resources for each lesson are grouped in this section so they can be located easily. Resources are also clearly stated at the point of use in each lesson plan.
For illustrative purposes only – the exact ‘Before the lesson’ sections vary between lessons.
Teacher knowledge
View teacher knowledge at a glance relevant to the particular lesson. This includes tips on lesson organisation, common misconceptions and additional subject knowledge to help teach tricky concepts with confidence.
For illustrative purposes only – the exact ‘Before the lesson’ sections vary between lessons.
Cautions
This section highlights parts of the lesson that may need careful handling or may be relevant for a particular cohort. Background information and suggested guidance are provided to help navigate lessons with potentially sensitive topics.
For illustrative purposes only – the exact ‘Before the lesson’ sections vary between lessons.
Unit structure
Unit hubs
Spanish unit hubs contain all the necessary lesson links, resources and information relevant to the unit being taught.
Information on the unit hubs corresponds to all the relevant Spanish key documents, such as the Progression of skills and knowledge and Vocabulary progression.
The unit hub also links to useful resources and key documents, suggests units that could build on knowledge or activate prior learning and outlines cross-curricular links.
Unit hubs offer a wealth of useful information including useful updates, major planning considerations, key skills and knowledge and much more.
Lesson structure
Recap and recall
Each Spanish lesson begins with a short activity revisiting prior learning. This helps reinforce key knowledge, activate long-term memory and create connections between past and new learning.
Recap and recall activities are varied to keep the start of the lesson engaging and fun while still supporting active recall.
Attention grabber
A short, engaging activity designed to hook pupils into the new learning in the lesson.
This could be a thought-provoking question, a quick investigation or an interactive discussion to spark curiosity and enthusiasm for the topic.
Main event
The core part of the lesson, where pupils engage in activities that develop their understanding of the learning objective.
This includes a mixture of teacher modelling, guided practice and independent or collaborative tasks tailored to support all pupils.
Wrapping up
A final reflective activity that consolidates learning.
This could involve reviewing the success criteria, discussing key learning or applying knowledge in a different context to assess understanding and encourage deeper thinking.
SEND
Kapow Primary’s Spanish scheme is designed to be fully adaptable for pupils with SEND.
Every lesson includes an adaptive teaching section, providing clear guidance on how activities can be modified to meet the needs of all pupils.
Children learn in a variety of ways. As such, Kapow Primary Spanish lessons include a range of strategies to support and challenge every pupil, such as:
Scaffolding – activities are designed with flexibility in mind, allowing for additional support or challenge where needed.
Multi-sensory approaches – lessons incorporate different elements to engage all learners.
Clear instructions and structured tasks – ensuring clarity and reducing cognitive load for pupils who benefit from additional support.
Opportunities for collaborative and independent learning – allowing pupils to work at their own pace while building confidence and independence.
By embedding adaptive teaching throughout, the scheme ensures that all pupils, regardless of their starting points, can access and succeed in their learning.
In addition, the step-by-step curriculum design supports pupils with SEND, avoiding sudden jumps in complexity at transition points and allowing for steady, manageable progression.
Knowledge retention
Spiral curriculum
Kapow Primary’s Spanish scheme incorporates a spiral curriculum model, ensuring that children revisit and develop their understanding of key themes and concepts as they progress.
This approach allows them to make meaningful connections, reinforce their learning and achieve mastery over time.
- Revisiting key concepts – pupils encounter the same ideas multiple times throughout their education, with each revisit adding more complexity.
- Progressive depth – concepts are not just repeated but expanded upon, helping pupils to make connections and develop a richer understanding over time.
- Knowledge retention – regular exposure to key ideas strengthens memory and prevents knowledge from being forgotten.
- Skill development – pupils refine and apply their skills in different contexts, improving their ability to think critically and solve problems.
- Adaptive learning – by building on prior knowledge, the curriculum meets pupils at their current level and supports all learners, including those who need extra reinforcement and those who are ready for greater challenges.
Knowledge organisers
Kapow Primary’s Knowledge organisers are a structured document designed to support pupils’ learning by clearly outlining the key knowledge, vocabulary and concepts covered in a unit of work.
It serves as a reference tool for both teachers and pupils, helping to consolidate learning and support knowledge retention.
- Essential knowledge at a glance – summarises the most important facts, concepts and skills that pupils need to learn for a particular unit.
- Key vocabulary – provides a list of subject-specific terms with definitions to develop pupils’ language and understanding.
- Clear and visual layout – organised in a way that makes information easy to digest and revisit, often using diagrams, timelines or key images.
- Support for retrieval practice – helps pupils engage in self-assessment, recall activities and revision, reinforcing long-term memory.
- Teacher and pupil-friendly – acts as a quick reference for teachers when planning lessons and an accessible learning aid for pupils to develop independence in their studies.
Recap and recall
- Activates prior knowledge – helps pupils make connections between new and existing learning, reducing cognitive overload.
- Strengthens memory pathways – retrieval practice has been shown to improve retention more effectively than passive review.
- Identifies gaps in understanding – teachers can quickly assess what children remember and address misconceptions before introducing new content.
- Builds confidence – regular recall activities reassure pupils that they can remember key concepts, improving engagement and motivation.
- Promotes spaced learning – revisiting prior learning at regular intervals supports long-term retention, rather than cramming information in a single lesson.
Additional adults
Support for additional adults
Kapow Primary recognises that teaching assistants play a vital role in many classrooms and that in some schools, they may be responsible for delivering lessons.
Accordingly, anyone teaching Kapow Primary’s Spanish lessons can be issued a login. While the scheme is primarily designed for teachers, the clear lesson structure, step-by-step guidance and adaptive teaching strategies ensure that lessons can also be taught by teaching assistants.
Schools without additional adults
Due to budget constraints and varied staffing structures, it is not always possible to have classroom support from additional staff.
Kapow Primary’s Spanish lessons are designed with this in mind, providing resources and explanations that allow teachers to deliver high-quality lessons independently without necessarily relying on additional adults.
If additional support is suggested in a lesson, it is clearly marked within the Have ready part of the lesson plan.
Adapting the scheme
Mixed-age
For schools with mixed-age classes, Kapow Primary offers a structured long-term plan that ensures a coherent and progressive Spanish curriculum.
The mixed-age long-term plan avoids content repetition while ensuring all pupils cover the full curriculum.
Condensed
Kapow Primary’s Spanish curriculum is designed to be taught on a half-termly basis.
For schools with limited curriculum time, Kapow Primary offers a condensed Spanish scheme that maintains full National curriculum coverage while streamlining content to focus on the most essential knowledge and skills.
Cross-curricular learning
Kapow Primary’s Spanish scheme supports cross-curricular learning by making clear connections between subjects, helping pupils develop a broader understanding of key concepts and skills.
Cross-curricular links are explicitly highlighted: each unit includes identified cross-curricular connections, detailed in the unit hub and long-term plans. These allow teachers to integrate learning across different subjects.
In addition, each lesson has a Cross-curricular links section that shows the links to the National curriculum in subjects other than Spanish.
Transitioning to Kapow Primary
Schools may have concerns about introducing Kapow Primary’s Spanish scheme if pupils have not been following it from Year 3.
If a different scheme or a school-designed curriculum was used previously, there may also be worries that pupils will struggle to access lessons in later year groups due to gaps in their prior knowledge and skills.
To address this, Kapow Primary’s Spanish: Progression of skills and knowledge document outlines what pupils are expected to know and be able to do at each stage. Teachers can use the document to identify any gaps and adapt lessons as needed.
Additionally, the resource Transitioning to Kapow Primary Spanish suggests units from earlier year groups to help address knowledge gaps. Teachers can use these units to help pupils develop the foundational knowledge and skills they may not have encountered before advancing to the lessons of their current year group.
3. Impact
This section outlines how the curriculum checks what pupils know, understand and are able to do as a result of studying Spanish.
Assessment
Formative
Kapow Primary Spanish lessons include ongoing assessment opportunities, such as questioning, retrieval practice and interactive activities.
These enable teachers to assess understanding in real time and adapt their teaching accordingly.
Summative
Each unit provides an Assessment quiz and Knowledge catcher, which allow teachers to measure pupils’ understanding at key points.
These tools help gauge how well pupils have retained key knowledge and skills over time.
Evidencing progress
Written outcomes
Pupils demonstrate their learning and provide tangible evidence of progress through a variety of activities, including structured written work and creative responses.
Pupil voice
Lessons encourage discussion, reflection and verbal explanations.
This allows teachers to capture pupils’ understanding through questioning, class discussions and recorded responses, supporting a broader view of progress beyond written work.
Assessment spreadsheet
The Assessment spreadsheet helps to help track pupils’ Spanish attainment over time.
This tool allows teachers to track progress against learning objectives and assessment statements, making it easier to monitor development and identify areas for support.
Whole-school development
Teacher confidence
The Kapow Spanish scheme is designed to boost teacher confidence and support whole-school improvement by providing high-quality, accessible resources that empower teachers to deliver engaging and effective lessons.
The scheme supports teacher confidence using:
- Clear lesson plans and subject knowledge support – step-by-step guidance ensures teachers feel well-prepared, even if they are not subject specialists.
- CPD videos – short, expert-led training videos help subject leaders develop their expertise and support their colleagues.
- Adaptive teaching strategies – practical suggestions for differentiation ensure that teachers can confidently meet the needs of all learners.
School improvement
Kapow Primary’s Spanish scheme supports school improvement using:
- Consistent, high-quality teaching – a structured scheme ensures a coherent approach across year groups, supporting curriculum progression.
- Assessment and evidence tracking – built-in assessment materials help teachers monitor progress and demonstrate impact.
- Alignment with Ofsted expectations – the scheme supports personal development, broadens pupils’ horizons and ensures a knowledge-rich curriculum, helping schools meet inspection criteria.
By reducing workload, building teacher expertise and ensuring high teaching standards, Kapow Primary contributes to a confident teaching staff and a well-structured, effective curriculum that supports whole-school improvement.
Support with inspections
A well-structured and progressive curriculum
- Clear learning sequences ensure knowledge builds over time.
- Lessons are aligned with the National curriculum.
Evidence of pupil progress
- Assessment materials (e.g. Unit quizzes, Knowledge catchers and the Assessment spreadsheet) can be used to provide information about pupil progress.
- Written outcomes and pupil voice show engagement, understanding and the ability to recall knowledge.
Support for subject leadership
- Key documents and CPD videos help subject leaders confidently discuss the curriculum.
- Knowledge organisers and lesson plans provide details of what has been taught and learned.
- The Adaptive teaching section in each lesson provides an opportunity to discuss inclusivity and demonstrate how all learners are supported.
A broad and balanced curriculum
- The scheme broadens pupils’ horizons, develops critical thinking and promotes British values, contributing to Ofsted’s personal development and well-being criteria.
- Lessons integrate real-world connections and cultural capital, showcasing a rich learning experience.
CPD
- Equips subject leaders to articulate intent, implementation and impact – CPD videos provide clear explanations and subject knowledge to help leaders confidently discuss the curriculum with inspectors.
- Builds teacher confidence and consistency – ongoing training ensures all staff understand the curriculum structure and feel prepared to deliver high-quality Spanish lessons across the school.
Kapow Primary Spanish scheme FAQs
Unable to find the answer you are looking for?
Try these useful links
The National curriculum specifies that children should be able to ‘broaden their vocabulary and develop their ability to understand new words that are introduced into familiar written material, including through using a dictionary.’
Kapow Primary’s Spanish scheme introduces dictionary skills in Year 3 and is subsequently used throughout Key stage 2.
School edition dictionaries are recommended, ideally with enough copies for pupils to share one between two. Online translating apps can serve as an alternative, where appropriate; however, their use should be restricted to looking up single words and short phrases only.
Kapow Primary’s Spanish scheme has been developed with the understanding that many teachers lack confidence in delivering the full language curriculum.
Accordingly, each unit of lessons includes multiple teacher videos to develop subject knowledge and support ongoing CPD. Lessons include sections to explain key grammar and language points to the teacher before the lesson, together with key vocabulary and a pronunciation sound guide.
In addition, there is also a comprehensive series of phoneme videos to build teachers’ and pupils’ speaking confidence.
Lastly, lesson presentations include sound files, supporting teachers who are less confident with their own pronunciation to deliver the lesson and support the pupils’ learning.
Kapow Primary’s Spanish scheme is organised into units. Within each unit, lessons must be taught in order as they build upon one another. Although the topic focus of each unit is different, phonics knowledge, key vocabulary, grammar concepts and skills are gradually developed throughout the course of a year.
Kapow Primary’s Spanish: Condensed long-term plan covers the essential elements of the National curriculum, alongside key skills and knowledge. It ensures a balance of language comprehension and language production activities, as well as addressing important phonics, grammar and vocabulary knowledge.
While the condensed curriculum provides coverage under time constraints, the Spanish: Long-term plan is the preferred option for a more extensive exploration of the subject.
It is recommended to use the standard long-term plan, or alternatively, seek additional opportunities throughout the school year or via cross-curricular activities to enhance and expand on the language introduced in the condensed scheme.
The National curriculum does not specify the amount of time to be spent on languages in primary schools. Every setting has its own policy for language delivery, including length and number of lessons per week.
Kapow Primary’s Spanish lessons are designed to be delivered in various ways, with lesson content of approximately 45 minutes. Additionally, suggested tasks and activities can be added to the lesson or during the week to revisit vocabulary, to explore authentic stories and songs and deepen cultural understanding.
