German (KS2 Years 3–6)

At Kimberley Primary School, the teaching of German in Key Stage 2 aims to foster a love of languages, curiosity about the wider world and confidence in communication.  This is primarily focused in KS2 but children are exposed to the language right from EYFS onwards through answering the register, signage and some common vocabulary. 

In line with the National Curriculum for Languages, we provide a high-quality language education that inspires pupils to understand and respond to spoken and written German, speak with increasing confidence, and write at word, phrase and simple sentence level.

Through the Primary Languages Scheme, enhanced by themed days, cultural celebrations and practical language-rich experiences, pupils develop both linguistic knowledge and cultural understanding. We want children to see language learning as meaningful, relevant and enjoyable, helping them to understand that communication extends beyond their immediate community and that languages open doors to future opportunities.

German teaching supports our school values of being:

• Gracious – by showing respect for different cultures, traditions and ways of life.
• Resilient – by encouraging children to take risks in speaking, practise pronunciation and learn from mistakes with confidence.
• Empathetic – by helping pupils understand perspectives, customs and experiences beyond their own.
• Ambitious – by inspiring children to challenge themselves, develop new skills and recognise the value of languages in future education and careers.
• Thoughtful and Tolerant – by promoting open-mindedness, appreciation of diversity and positive global citizenship.

German also plays an important role in developing strong Oracy skills, enabling pupils to listen carefully, respond appropriately, ask questions and express themselves clearly with increasing confidence. Through collaborative speaking and listening activities, children build communication skills that support learning across the curriculum.

As a Rights Respecting School, our languages curriculum supports children’s understanding of their place in a global community. Pupils learn to value diversity, respect different identities and cultures, and recognise that all children have the right to be heard, understood and included. Language learning strengthens children’s awareness of mutual respect, equality and international understanding.

German was introduced as the primary language of the school in the academic  year 2024-2025 and is currently in year 2 of a four-year roll out programme. German is planned to be taught progressively from Year 3 to Year 6 using the Primary Languages Scheme, which provides clear progression in vocabulary, grammar, pronunciation and intercultural understanding. Lessons are carefully sequenced to revisit and build upon prior learning, ensuring knowledge is retained and applied confidently.

Pupils are taught to:

• listen attentively to spoken German and respond appropriately
• engage in conversations; ask and answer questions
• speak in sentences using familiar vocabulary, phrases and basic language structures
• develop accurate pronunciation and intonation
• read carefully and show understanding of words, phrases and simple texts
• broaden vocabulary and use dictionaries where appropriate
• write words, phrases and simple sentences from memory
• understand basic grammar, including feminine, masculine and neuter forms, simple sentence structure and key grammatical patterns

Learning is enriched through:

• themed cultural days and celebration events
• practical speaking and listening opportunities
• songs, rhymes, games and storytelling
• role play and real-life conversational contexts
• cross-curricular links where language is applied meaningfully
• exploration of German-speaking countries, traditions and customs

Teachers place strong emphasis on spoken language and pupil participation, ensuring that every child has opportunities to rehearse, perform and communicate orally. This strengthens both language acquisition and wider Oracy development.

Lessons are inclusive, engaging and designed to build confidence so that all pupils can succeed. Mistakes are seen as part of learning, helping children to become resilient and willing communicators.

Through high-quality teaching and meaningful experiences, our German curriculum equips pupils with the foundations for future language learning and helps them grow into respectful, confident and globally aware learners.

As part of our pupils seeing the meaningfulness of learning a language, we are excited to have established a link with Paderborn School (in Germany) and have exchanged letters with them. 

Pupils also perform song in German annually in our KS2 Carol Service each December.

Useful websites.