'They know how to get the best out of the children they teach'
The Primary Languages Network is ably led and run by experts in their field. The language teachers who come into schools enthuse and inspire our children through interactive learning and fun games. They know how to get the best out of the children they teach; from Reception right through to Year 6. All our children (and staff) love Spanish and look forward to Tuesdays! The teachers knowledge of how to teach a language and their own learning of a language is done very much in partnership with the network teachers who come into school. Workshops, or staff training, can be delivered on an ad hoc basis or planned in according to your schools need. I cannot recommend The Primary Languages Network highly enough. It is most definitely the choice for Language teaching and learning in the North West
Sue Dymond
Head Teacher
Penketh Primary School
'The VLE has a massive amount of resources that save time and help to deliver high quality language lessons'
Working with Janet and utilising the VLE is hugely beneficial. As someone who is not a language specialist, the VLE has a massive amount of resources that save time and help to deliver high quality language lessons. In Key Stage 2 we have fully embedded language learning in our curriculum, with particular support from the Ready Made French sections that have everything that is possibly needed for the lesson. The support from Janet and the associate teachers is also invaluable, as a recent meeting with Janet has really helped our school on our journey to assessing and tracking languages more formally.
Emma Perkins
KS2 manager
St Barnabas CE Primary.
'I cannot praise the scheme highly enough'
Since joining the Primary Languages Network, I have benefitted immensely. Immediately I was able to use plans and assessments that showed progress throughout KS2. Also, the VLE had invaluable resources and planning that I could use. Will, from Primary Languages, talked me through the VLE and I had a brilliant mentoring session last week. As a result of this, I feel able to draw in the staff at my school to
get involved in Spanish without it being too much of a burden. I cannot
praise the scheme highly enough. Thank you.
Alison Wilkinson
MFL coordinator
Sutton Manor Primary School
'The PLN enables our children to develop a love of Spanish'
'The PLN has enables our children to develop a love of Spanish alongside their undoubted strong progress in this subject. The PLN staff we work with bring an additional set of skills to our team.
John Littler
Head Teacher
Barrow Hall Primary School
' I also should mention rich resources and exciting ideas we get from the primary languages network'
The structure and the format of what’s available on the VLE allow staff with varying levels of subject knowledge to select suitable content for their MFL lessons. There’s a whole range of content types and a variety of plans and ready-made lessons to use in class or clubs. I also should mention the rich resources and exciting ideas we get from the primary languages network.
Barbara Flitcroft
Head Teacher
St Peter's CE
'It truly is a network'
Membership is quite simply fantastic value for money! Also, the name is correct, it truly is a 'network' - the training provided, communications received and network meetings I have attended have all made me feel more confident and supported as an MFL subject leader.
Melanie Hughes
MFL Coordinator
Springwell Park Primary School
'I’m not sure what I would have done without it'
It’s just having the knowledge that if you need any help or support, you can rely on it. Definitely, well worth the money for the year as FL teachers tend to work by themselves, at least in Primary. Great training sessions and good to make contacts. I’m not sure what I would have done without it and REALLY hope to renew
Amparo Dolz
MFL Coordinator
Upton Heath Primary School
'You find inspiration for lessons, for linking different areas of the curriculum to languages and simple activities which can be used in language teaching '
It is a fantastic and dynamic network where everyone puts their ideas forward and everything (ideas, materials, lesson plans) is all available to every member. There are ideas on everything and I always find something I can use. You always get support and never feel like you are on your own. Everyone is friendly and supportive and we all share a common goal - to make foreign languages more exciting and improve our teaching. You find inspiration for lessons, for linking different areas of the curriculum to languages and simple activities which can be used in language teaching as well as in other lessons. The speakers are always
interesting and relevant to language learning and it all helps to improve and
move our schools forward and make our language teaching even better.
Barbara Foerster
MFL Coordinator
Sankey Valley Primary School
'It also helps by providing a benchmark of where our children might be, what they might achieve and what to be proud of for those children who struggle'
Membership of JLN gives me a sense of community and has increased my confidence in sharing the importance of PMFL in our school. The highly professional approach is empowering and it has a very non-judgmental approach to non-expert speakers which is encouraging and fun for those teachers who otherwise feel less than competent. It also helps by providing a benchmark of where our children might be, what they might achieve and what to be proud of for those children who struggle. The CPD sessions reinforce the value of our own skills and then stretch them. It is a relief at times to find other teachers struggling with similar issues, and a joy to find simple solutions from peers on how
to deliver tricky aspects of the target language.
Mim Hodgson
PPA Teacher
St Michaels Primary School
'Came away so inspired by the speakers, lots of great ideas to use in school, opportunity to meet people from all over the region and make good contacts'
The membership resources are second to none. I especially love the seasonal resources and so do our children. The subject leader tools are so helpful too. Everything is there at your fingertips and the website is easy to navigate. I think the blogs and the sound files are very useful too. Went to my first PLN conference in June 15. Came away so inspired by the speakers, lots of great ideas to use in school, opportunity to meet people from all over the region and make good contacts. Great venue.
Debbie McConlough
MFL Coordinator
Hope Primary
'Training gives confidence to staff and leaders'
PLN provides fantastic comprehensive planning and ensures consistency across the school. Training gives confidence to staff and leaders. Allows them to see they can do it.
Clare Bootland
MFL Coordinator
Callands Primary School
'PLN is helping us to build a thorough knowledge and understanding of KS2 and KS1 MFL curriculum and allow KS3 and KS4 teachers to maximise on the prior learning '
The Heath Family has a number of core values which includes all staff committing to working together to develop outstanding practice and the need to ensure high quality progression routes for all learners in all curriculum areas. This includes high quality transition through developing and implementing curricular that allows continuity and promotes progress for all.
Working in a structured collaboration with Primary Languages Network we are creating shared CPD, resources and effective dialogue ,which we hope will support us to make sure that a significant number of our KS4 students leave secondary school with outcomes significantly above national averages.
The VLE and CPD and support from PLN is helping us to build a thorough knowledge and understanding of KS2 and KS1 MFL curriculum and allow KS3 and KS4 teachers to maximise on the prior learning of children at transition. This goes a long way to ensuring that no child experiences ‘wasted years’.
The PLN project is enhanced by involvement of The Heath Teaching School and 2 of our secondary schools, which were both specialist language colleges, and continue to offer outstanding learning leading to excellent outcomes for greater numbers of students who are now opting for the subject.
Heather Mullaney
Executive Principle
The Heath FamilyMAT
'At last Spanish is being used for cross curricular purposes and not just in Spanish Lessons'
This afternoon our year 4 children enjoyed a PE lesson in Spanish. Tom Dore our PE assistant used the Physical Fireworks with Spanish plan from the network. He isn't a Spanish speaker but he made a real effort to use all the commands and to pronounce them. Afterwards he told me how much he had enjoyed it. He is hoping to use the plan for years 5 & 6 later in the week. I am thrilled - at last Spanish is being used for cross curricular purposes and not just in the Spanish lessons
