At Plat Douet, multilingualism is at the heart of our school community. We celebrate every child’s unique identity and encourage them to be proud of who they are. Many of our children and staff speak English alongside their home language(s). Some children are learning English while continuing to develop their first language. Children who are new to English receive targeted support, both in and out of the classroom.

We see first languages as a valuable asset and actively encourage children to maintain pride in their home languages as they learn English. Our curriculum promotes language learning through teaching French and Spanish, helping children grow their skills in multiple languages. We work closely with parents to support home language development and English learning. Support for parents is available Embracing Languages.

Our dedicated ML and Young Interpreters teams collaborate with staff and pupils to ensure a whole-school approach to language support. The curriculum is carefully designed to give every child the opportunity to develop strong language skills and cultural understanding. Our staff have the expertise to help children learn, grow and confidently use language across subjects.

Douet Dinkies, Nursery & Reception

In Early Years, children learn English quickly through rich, language-filled classroom and play-based environments—both indoors and outdoors. Language learning is guided by adults and inspired by the children themselves. New arrivals are paired with a ‘class buddy’ or adult to support their initial time at school. Across all subjects, oracy and cooperative learning strategies encourage talking and ensure every child’s voice is heard. Lessons are carefully planned to develop language skills, with staff highlighting key vocabulary and modelling clear language expectations. Parents are invited to observe their children’s learning during Parent Sharing sessions held throughout the year.

Year 1 - Year 6

New arrivals benefit from a ‘class buddy,’ often from our Young Interpreters team. Language development is supported through carefully planned lessons that focus on vocabulary and communication skills across all subjects. Technology is used to enhance and enrich language learning. The ML Lead and ML Teaching Assistant work together to plan for one-to-one or small group support for children who are new to English (Band A learner) or in the early stages of English language acquisition (Band B learner). Parents have opportunities to observe their child’s progress during Parent Sharing sessions throughout the school year.

Celebrating Multilingualism at Plat Douet

We have several special initiatives that celebrate language diversity across our school:

• Language of the Week: Each week, classes complete the register in a different language.
• ML Class Display: All classrooms feature a display showing where children come from and/or which language(s) they speak.
• Visual Timetable: All classrooms display a visual timetable to combine the same word and image for each subject.
• Translated Signs: Signs around the school are displayed in several key languages.
• Cultural Celebrations: Classes celebrate special days from around the world throughout the year.
• Community Events: Whole-school celebrations bring our community together to embrace different cultures and languages.

ML success stories

“When I first joined I was nervous, I wanted to be with my Mum. I felt better in the first few days. I feel like my English has got better and better, my English is better than my Mum’s now! I use English at school and at home so this has really helped. I speak Romanian too, my Romanian is a tiny bit worse than my English but only a little bit.”

“My first day at school, I felt nervous and worried. Then I felt calm and relaxed with my teacher, adults and friends. I speak English and Brazilian Portuguese. I think my Portuguese is better, I was born in Brazil. My English has got better and I like chatting to my friends”.

“I started at Plat Douet, then I moved to Poland and then I came back! Every day in class I learn new words. At home I speak Polish and at school I speak both. I think my English is better than my Polish now”.