Laying the Foundations: What Does It Really Mean in Primary Language Teaching?
One of the aims set out in the Key Stage 2 Programme of Study for Languages is that “teaching should lay the foundations for further foreign language teaching at Key Stage 3.”
But what does that actually look like in practice? What kinds of skills, attitudes, and knowledge do pupils need by the end of Year 6 to set them up for success in secondary school?
Let’s define “laying the foundations”
The Cambridge Dictionary defines “foundations” as:
"The structures below the surface of the ground that support a building."
"To lay the foundation of/for: to produce the basic ideas or structures from which something much larger develops."
If we apply that definition to language teaching, then the question becomes:
· What basic ideas or structures do pupils need by the end of Year 6, so that something larger—more complex, more specialised—can be developed at KS3?
We might call these building blocks, and they can be both linguistic and non-linguistic.
The Non-Linguistic foundations
These are often overlooked but arguably just as important as vocabulary or grammar. Pupils need to leave KS2 with:
Open-mindedness – curiosity about other languages and cultures
Confidence – a belief that they can learn and use a foreign language
A positive attitude to making mistakes – understanding that getting things wrong is part of the process
Flexible thinking – recognising that different languages follow different rules, and that different cultures mean different ways of life.
The Linguistic foundations
Of course, there are also key concepts and skills that pupils should develop to support future learning. These include:
Awareness of transferable language concepts such as gender, word order, and adjectival agreement, etc.
An understanding of basic grammar terminology: nouns, verbs, adjectives, determiners, etc.
Exposure to phonics and sound-spelling links to support reading and pronunciation
Early development of the four skills: listening, speaking, reading, and writing
These don’t need to be mastered—but they should be introduced, practised, and revisited so that pupils arrive in Year 7 ready to deepen their understanding.
The Role of Primary Teachers
Laying the foundations doesn't mean racing ahead into content-heavy lessons. Instead, it’s about making sure that:
Pupils feel positive about language learning
They understand how languages work
They have tools and strategies they can build on
They see language as a real, living skill
What I’m seeing on the ground
However, in practice, there are some common challenges that get in the way of laying solid foundations.
One thing I often notice—especially when browsing resources from publishers or educators—is how much content is still opaque to non-specialist teachers.
Some teaching still feels too rooted in pure linguistic skills—as if primary language learning must follow the same path as KS3 right from the start. This "purist" mindset can lead to prioritising grammatical accuracy and vocabulary lists over enjoyment, confidence, and curiosity.
There’s also sometimes a lack of recognition—or even resistance—to the non-specialist approach in primary. Worries about "bad pronunciation" or "not doing it properly" can lead to the perception that if it’s not being delivered by a trained MFL specialist, it doesn’t count. But this misses the point. A confident, enthusiastic class teacher who models curiosity and encourages risk-taking can be far more impactful.
Linked to this is a top-down view that the expertise lies solely in secondary. While collaboration between KS2 and KS3 is crucial, it should be a two-way exchange. Secondary colleagues can support, but they should also listen— because primary teachers are specialists. They are experts in teaching their pupils at the age and stage they’re at. They know how to build confidence, and how to nurture children’s motivation from the earliest stages.
And finally, I’m seeing instances of too much, too quickly. Instead of building solid foundations, there's pressure to rush into extended writing or complex grammar. The result? Pupils may appear to make fast progress—but it’s often superficial and unsustainable.
Primary language teaching isn’t a watered-down version of secondary—it’s a phase with its own purpose and power.
And when we get it right, we hand Year 7 teachers a gift: pupils who are open-minded, motivated, ready to learn—and excited to go further.