Building Bright Futures through Language at Alice Smith

By Joanna Asse Drouet, Primary Head of Languages

At Alice Smith, language learning is so much more than vocabulary and grammar—it's about sparking curiosity, building cultural understanding, and empowering our students to become confident, global citizens. This year has been a truly exciting one for our Primary Languages Department, full of joyful moments, proud achievements, and meaningful milestones.

As Term 3 draws to a close, we’re celebrating a host of memorable events, including our lively Year 3 Languages Fashion Shows and the ever-popular Year 4 Spelling Bees. Students from Years 3 to 9 also took part in the Education Perfect World Championships, competing alongside over 1,800 schools from around the globe. We’re thrilled to share that Alice Smith finished 3rd in the world! A huge well done to all our participants, we couldn’t be prouder of your energy, effort and enthusiasm.

Looking ahead to the new academic year, we’re excited to launch a refreshed approach to language learning in our Early Years. Children in Pre-School and Reception will rotate each term through Bahasa Malaysia, Mandarin and French, offering them a playful and wide-ranging introduction to language and culture. This early exposure is designed to nurture a love of languages while laying the foundation for empathy, cultural awareness and joyful learning right from the start.

We’re also piloting a new language pathway for native Mandarin speakers in Year 1. These students will have the option to either strengthen their home language with an Advanced Mandarin class or explore a new language by choosing French or Bahasa Malaysia. This flexible model allows students to shape their learning journey—whether by deepening their roots or branching out into new linguistic landscapes.

Another point of pride this year has been the continued growth of our Home Languages Programme, powered by the incredible energy of our parent volunteers. Through Home Languages EPAs (Exploration Pathway Activities), students have stayed connected to their cultural heritage with sessions in Mandarin, Spanish, French, Norwegian and German. These classes are about so much more than language, they're about identity, confidence, and belonging.

We’re delighted to be adding Hindi and Dutch to the programme next term, thanks to new parent volunteers joining our vibrant community. We are so grateful for every family who has shared their time, care and creativity. Together, we’re cultivating connection, courage and curiosity in every corner of our school.

At Alice Smith, language opens doors—to understanding, to confidence, and to the wider world. We can’t wait to see where it takes us next.

Y3 Languages Fashion Show

German Home Language EPA