Mandarin Curriculum 

To learn a language is to have one more window from which to look at the world. –   Chinese Proverb

At Blacko Primary School, we teach Mandarin as our Modern Foreign Language.

Learning a foreign language continues to be a weak feature of education in the UK. Apex Collaborative Trust believes there is a need to do something significantly different to address this. Most countries ensure their citizens learn English from an early age. In an increasingly global community, citizens from this country will compete for jobs with people from other countries who can speak English as well as their native language. China is already a superpower and is likely to become one of the most influential countries. The ability to speak Chinese is likely to become increasingly important over traditional European languages. In the Pendle area, where there is considerable disadvantage, learning Chinese will give our pupils a competitive advantage.

Apex Collaborative Trust has opted to place specialist Chinese teachers in primary schools to start their learning as early as year 3. Their progress will be significant by the time they enter year 7 and, if this can be built on at KS3, will give them much better prospects of achieving well at GCSE level. Research has proven that some pupils who struggle with English or French, are much more successful in learning Chinese. Park High School has strong cultural links with China which have been built upon through funding and a network of support for the development of the subject through SWIRE.

Apex Collaborative Trust offers a relevant, broad, vibrant and ambitious Mandarin Curriculum that uses a wide variety of topics and themes designed to engage, inspire and excite our pupils.

All Key Stage 2 classes are offered a high-quality Mandarin curriculum. It has been designed to progressively develop our pupils’ knowledge and understanding of foreign languages through regularly taught and well-planned weekly lessons. Children will progressively acquire, use and apply a growing bank of vocabulary, language and grammatical knowledge organised around age-appropriate topics and themes, learning to speak, listen, read and write in Mandarin.

The Progression Map outlines what each class in each year group will be taught according to a spiralled model of learning, where prior learning is recycled within new topics. This way of learning encourages creativity, collaboration and substantive knowledge of Chinese culture and language.

This is delivered through half-termly teaching units comprising of 6 lessons with clearly defined objectives based on 3 fundamental pillars combining vocabulary, phonics, and grammar. Pupils’ knowledge will increase step by step so they will understand and produce ever more complex language and extend their writing activities. These tasks are intended to help the children to recall the language taught with increased fluency and ease. In addition, cross-curricular links are carefully planned with and co-led by the Mandarin and other class teachers to allow pupils to identify key vocabulary in different subjects through immersive activities.

Units are progressive within themselves as subsequent lessons within a unit build on the language and knowledge taught in previous lessons and year groups. As pupils progress through the lessons in a unit they will build their knowledge and develop the complexity of the language they use.  Pupils’ learning and progression will be assessed formatively and at summative assessment points throughout the academic year. Metacognitive strategies are explicitly employed within pedagogy to ensure knowledge builds over time and pupils therefore know more and remember more.

Pupils will develop confidence and competence in Mandarin. As their knowledge grows over time, they will be able to access longer texts and will be encouraged to formulate their own, more personalised responses based on a much wider bank of vocabulary, linguistic structures and grammatical knowledge. They will be able to create longer pieces of spoken and written language and will be encouraged to use a variety of conjunctions, adverbs, adjectives, opinions, and justifications. The information will be recorded and will be monitored for impact. Pupils will also be offered self-assessment grids to ensure they are also aware of their own progress.

Inclusion & SEND Across Our Curriculum

Across all areas of the primary curriculum, we are committed to ensuring that every pupil—including those with SEND, those who are disadvantaged, and pupils from all backgrounds and demographics—can access, engage with and succeed in their learning.

Our curriculum is designed to be inclusive by intent and adaptive in practice, ensuring that high expectations are maintained for all learners while removing barriers to participation and progress.

 

High-Quality, Inclusive Teaching in Every Subject

In every subject, pupils with SEND are supported to access learning through carefully planned adaptations that are responsive to individual need. These adaptations are part of high-quality first teaching and are planned by class teachers in collaboration with the SENDCo where appropriate.

Adaptations are informed by the EEF’s ‘Five-a-Day’ principles for SEND, ensuring that teaching strategies are evidence-based and benefit all learners. These may include:

• Flexible grouping and targeted adult support

• Clear modelling and explicit instruction

• Use of visuals, scaffolds and structured resources

• Opportunities for retrieval, overlearning and pre-teaching

• Assistive technology or alternative methods of recording

Such approaches support pupils with SEND while also strengthening learning for disadvantaged pupils and the wider class.

 

Subject-Specific Adaptation and Access

Each curriculum subject is planned with consideration for:

• Cognitive demand and curriculum sequencing

• Language and vocabulary development

• Practical and multisensory learning opportunities

• Alternative ways for pupils to demonstrate understanding

Where needed, teachers implement Ordinarily Available Provision (OAP) within lessons to ensure pupils can participate meaningfully in subject learning alongside their peers.

This ensures that pupils are not removed from learning unnecessarily and that adaptations remain closely aligned to the curriculum’s intended knowledge and skills.

 

Early Identification and Responsive Support

Across all subjects, pupil progress is closely monitored. Where barriers to learning are identified, teachers follow a graduated response (Assess, Plan, Do, Review) to ensure timely and appropriate support.

Subject leaders work alongside the SENDCo to:

• Review curriculum accessibility

• Support teachers with inclusive subject-specific strategies

• Ensure adaptations are effective and proportionate

• Maintain ambitious outcomes for all learners

This reflects the current Ofsted focus on how well schools identify need, adapt curriculum delivery and evaluate impact for pupils with SEND.

 

Partnership with Families

We recognise the importance of working in partnership with parents and carers. Our Inclusion and SEND page provides further information about:

• How subject learning may be adapted

• What support looks like in the classroom

• How progress is communicated

• Where families can access additional advice or support

Through open communication, we ensure that provision across all curriculum areas reflects each child’s strengths, needs and aspirations.

 

Inclusive Curriculum & Ofsted Expectations

Our approach aligns with the latest Ofsted Inspection Framework, which places strong emphasis on:

• Inclusive curriculum design

• The effectiveness of adaptive teaching

• The impact of support for pupils with SEND and those who are disadvantaged

• Leaders’ understanding of how well pupils access and achieve across subjects

We continually review our curriculum and teaching practices to ensure that all pupils are supported to achieve well across every subject area.

 

For further information, please see our SEND and Inclusion Page on our school website.