By Angela Sterling, Founder and CEO of Lingotot, former Head of Languages and specialist French teacher on an ESRC-funded university research project.
Looking for high-quality primary MFL PPA cover that gives your teachers valuable time back while helping children develop a genuine love of languages?
For many headteachers, organising Planning, Preparation and Assessment (PPA) cover is a balancing act. You need reliable provision, meaningful curriculum learning and, ideally, something the children genuinely look forward to.
Modern Foreign Languages (MFL) can be a brilliant solution. But there's an important difference between keeping children entertained with a few French words and delivering carefully planned language teaching that builds knowledge and confidence over time.
At Lingotot, we've been working with primary schools since 2010, combining specialist teaching, a structured curriculum and plenty of fun. This guide explains what to look for in an MFL PPA provider, how to evaluate teaching quality and how specialist language lessons can benefit your whole school.
Considering MFL PPA cover for your school? Explore Lingotot's specialist primary school language teaching.
What is primary MFL PPA cover?
PPA stands for Planning, Preparation and Assessment. Teachers covered by the relevant statutory conditions in England are entitled to PPA time of at least 10% of their timetabled teaching time. During this protected time, schools need to arrange suitable provision for their classes.
One option is to bring in a specialist language teacher who can deliver meaningful curriculum learning while the class teacher concentrates on planning, preparation and assessment. Rather than treating PPA cover as simply filling a gap in the timetable, schools can use it as an opportunity to give children access to specialist teaching they might not otherwise receive. And that's where languages really come into their own!
Why choose specialist MFL teaching for PPA cover?
Teaching primary languages well takes more than knowing the vocabulary. Children need accurate pronunciation, opportunities to practise speaking and listening, carefully planned progression and plenty of encouragement to have a go.
A specialist MFL provider can help schools achieve this through:
- Language expertise: Confident teaching, accurate pronunciation and opportunities for children to hear and use another language.
- Curriculum progression: Lessons that build on previous learning rather than introducing disconnected topics.
- Reduced teacher workload: Specialist planning and delivery that reduces the need for class teachers to prepare language lessons themselves.
- Consistency: A structured programme that supports progression across classes and year groups.
- Greater confidence: Interactive activities that encourage children to communicate without worrying about making mistakes.
There's another advantage, too. When children associate languages with enjoyable experiences, they're more likely to participate enthusiastically. That doesn't mean lessons should be all singing and dancing without educational substance. Quite the opposite! The best language lessons are carefully planned, with the fun helping children learn.
Five questions every headteacher should ask an MFL PPA provider
Not all language provision is created equal. Before choosing a provider, I'd encourage schools to ask these five questions.
1. Does the provider offer a structured primary languages curriculum?
A collection of engaging activities isn't necessarily a curriculum. Children need opportunities to revisit vocabulary, develop pronunciation, understand how language works and gradually become more independent learners. In England, the Key Stage 2 National Curriculum for languages includes listening, speaking, reading, writing and grammatical understanding. A strong programme should therefore demonstrate progression in the three pillars of language learning:
- Phonics: Understanding the relationship between sounds and written language.
- Vocabulary: Learning, remembering and using words meaningfully.
- Grammar: Understanding how words and sentences fit together.
Ask to see curriculum plans across year groups. Can the provider explain what children learn in Year 3, how that develops in Year 4 and what they should be able to achieve by Year 6? At Lingotot, our primary curriculum is structured around progressive language learning, with opportunities for retrieval, practice and assessment.
Our teaching is aligned with the relevant national curriculum frameworks in England, Scotland and Wales.
2. What qualifications and training do the language teachers have?
Being fluent in French or Spanish is valuable, but teaching young children requires additional skills. A good language teacher understands how children acquire language, how to adapt activities for different ages and abilities, and how to maintain engagement while achieving learning objectives. At Lingotot, our teachers complete specialist training through our own teaching qualifications.
Many Lingotot teachers hold QTS (Qualified Teacher Status) and ALL hold the Lingotot Certificate in Teaching Primary Languages, accredited by NCFE, an Ofqual-regulated awarding body.
This structured training helps our teachers understand not only what to teach, but how to teach languages effectively to children.
3. How does the provider measure children's progress?
This is an important question, and one that's sometimes overlooked. If children receive language lessons throughout primary school, schools should be able to understand what they've learnt and how their knowledge is developing.
Look for assessment that considers the four language skills:
- Speaking
- Listening
- Reading
- Writing
At Lingotot, progress monitoring and assessment form part of our school provision.
We're also particularly proud of our Lingotot Certificate in Primary Languages, which recognises children's achievements at the end of Year 6. Accredited by NCFE, the qualification offers three award levels benchmarked against Entry Levels 1, 2 and 3. It's currently available in French, Spanish, German, Mandarin Chinese, Arabic and English. This gives schools an opportunity to recognise children's language achievements through a structured qualification rather than simply marking the end of their primary language learning.
4. What safeguarding and classroom arrangements are in place?
Whenever an external provider works with children, safeguarding and clear responsibilities are essential.
Schools should establish:
- Appropriate safeguarding and vetting arrangements.
- Who is responsible for supervising pupils during lessons.
- How behaviour and additional needs will be managed.
- What happens if the regular language teacher is absent.
- How the provider communicates concerns or important information to school staff.
These arrangements should be agreed before provision begins and should reflect the school's safeguarding policies and responsibilities. The aim is straightforward: children should enjoy their lessons in a safe, well-organised learning environment, and everyone should understand their role.
5. Can the provision be adapted to your school?
Every school has different priorities, staffing arrangements and timetables. Some schools want weekly French PPA cover. Others need a broader primary languages programme, support with curriculum delivery or opportunities for staff development. Ask whether the provider can accommodate your year groups, timetable and language requirements.
At Lingotot, we work with schools to identify suitable provision, from regular curriculum teaching and PPA cover to language clubs, cultural workshops and enrichment activities.
Can class teachers leave the room during MFL PPA cover?
Yes. Lingotot teachers can deliver language lessons while class teachers take their PPA time, subject to the safeguarding, staffing and supervision arrangements agreed with the school. In fact, we encourage teachers to make full use of their protected PPA time wherever possible.
However, some headteachers prefer their staff to participate in language lessons as a form of continuing professional development (CPD). And we love that too! Observing a specialist language teacher can help classroom staff build confidence in pronunciation, learn new teaching techniques and discover activities they can use themselves.
Both arrangements can be valuable, but they serve different purposes. If a teacher is participating in CPD, that session should not simultaneously be treated as their protected PPA time.
The important thing is deciding what works best for your school.
Meeting National Curriculum and Ofsted expectations for primary languages
For primary schools in England, teaching a language at Key Stage 2 isn't optional. It's a statutory National Curriculum requirement for maintained schools, and pupils should be developing their language knowledge and skills throughout Years 3 to 6. But delivering a successful languages curriculum can be challenging, particularly when teachers aren't confident linguists themselves. That's where Lingotot can help!
Our structured primary languages curriculum is designed to support the National Curriculum, with planned progression in phonics, vocabulary and grammar, alongside opportunities to develop children's speaking, listening, reading and writing skills. And because our primary school teachers complete specialist training accredited by NCFE, schools can feel confident that there's educational expertise behind every lesson.
What about Ofsted?
Ofsted doesn't prescribe a particular language teaching method or require schools to use specialist providers. However, inspectors consider the quality of education across the curriculum, including how effectively schools plan, teach and assess their subjects. Working with Lingotot can help schools demonstrate that their languages provision is carefully planned, progressively taught and supported by appropriate assessment. We can also help schools explain the thinking behind their curriculum, how lessons are delivered and how children's learning develops over time.
We essentially become your Primary Languages Co-ordinator!
Of course, no external provider can guarantee an Ofsted judgement. But having a clear, well-structured languages programme, delivered by trained specialists, can give school leaders greater confidence in the quality of their provision.
How can MFL PPA cover support the primary languages curriculum?
High-quality MFL PPA cover can contribute directly to curriculum objectives when lessons form part of a coherent programme of study. At Lingotot, our lessons are completely screen-free. Instead of watching presentations, children learn through songs, stories, games, movement and meaningful interaction. They practise pronunciation, build vocabulary, use language in different situations and gradually develop their confidence. But there's serious educational thinking behind all that fun…
A teaching methodology informed by university research
Lingotot founder Angela Sterling is a former Head of Languages who worked as the specialist French teacher on an Economic and Social Research Council (ESRC)-funded longitudinal research project.
The study, Learning French from ages 5, 7 and 11: An Investigation into Starting Ages, Rates and Routes of Learning Amongst Early Foreign Language Learners, was led by Professor Florence Myles and Professor Rosamond Mitchell. It investigated how children developed their French language skills when beginning to learn at different ages. Angela was developing Lingotot alongside this research, using insights from the study to help shape Lingotot's teaching methodology and incorporating Lingotot songs and games into lessons delivered as part of the project.
This combination of educational research and practical classroom experience continues to influence how we teach languages today.
What makes Lingotot different from other primary MFL providers?
Lingotot was founded in County Durham in 2010 and now introduces more than 20,000 children to languages every week. We've worked with hundreds of schools and developed a network of specialist language teachers.
Our school provision combines several important elements.
- Specialist teacher training: Our teachers complete NCFE-accredited teaching qualifications, including additional primary languages training for those working in schools.
- Structured curriculum: Lessons support progressive language learning, including phonics, vocabulary, grammar and the four language skills.
- Recognised achievements: Our unique Certificate in Primary Languages provides an opportunity to recognise children's achievements at the end of Year 6.
- Screen-free teaching: Children learn through active participation, songs, games, stories and movement rather than screens.
- Experience and long-standing school partnerships: Lingotot has been working with primary schools since 2010, building relationships that last. One of our longest-standing partnerships is with Catchgate Primary School in County Durham, where we've been delivering language learning since the very beginning! We're particularly proud that Catchgate also features Lingotot on its own Modern Foreign Languages webpage. It's a lovely example of the lasting relationships we aim to build with our schools.
- Flexible school provision: We offer curriculum teaching, MFL PPA cover, language clubs and enrichment opportunities, depending on local availability.
What do headteachers say about Lingotot?
Choosing a specialist language provider is an important decision, so don't just take our word for it!
Here's what Anne Brennan, Deputy Head at Réalt Na Mara School said about choosing Lingotot for their school's Spanish provision:
“One of the reasons that we chose Lingototis that it is a structured programme which can be built on and adapted for school needs and preferences. Our pupils were already enthusiastic about the idea of learning Spanish as many of them holiday in Spain and indeed support Spanish soccer teams. Lingotot and particularly the way the programme is delivered through games and songs has really engaged our pupils.”
Primary MFL PPA cover: a checklist for headteachers
If you're comparing language providers, here's a quick checklist you can use:
- Is the curriculum aligned with the relevant national requirements?
- Is there clear progression across year groups?
- Are the language teachers fluent and appropriately trained?
- How are phonics, vocabulary and grammar taught?
- How is progress assessed and reported?
- Are safeguarding and classroom responsibilities clearly agreed?
- Can teachers take their protected PPA time?
- Can the provision support staff CPD where requested?
- Is there evidence of successful, long-term school partnerships?
- Does the provider offer clear communication and ongoing support?
A good provider should be happy to discuss these questions openly and explain how its provision works in practice.
Frequently asked questions about primary MFL PPA cover
Does MFL PPA cover count towards curriculum teaching?
Yes. Specialist language lessons can contribute to a school's curriculum provision when they are appropriately planned, delivered and aligned with curriculum requirements.
Can Lingotot help our school meet National Curriculum and Ofsted expectations for languages?
Absolutely! Lingotot's primary languages programme is designed to support the National Curriculum in England, including progression in phonics, vocabulary and grammar and development of speaking, listening, reading and writing. Our specialist teachers deliver structured lessons with progress monitoring and assessment, helping schools provide evidence of how their languages curriculum is planned, taught and developed over time.
Although Ofsted doesn't endorse individual providers or guarantee inspection outcomes, working with Lingotot can help schools demonstrate a coherent approach to primary languages teaching.
Do class teachers have to stay in the classroom?
Not necessarily. Lingotot teachers can deliver lessons while class teachers take their PPA time, subject to agreed school arrangements. Teachers can also participate for CPD purposes.
Can schools use MFL PPA cover for French or Spanish?
Yes. French and Spanish are among the languages Lingotot offers. Availability depends on the local teaching team and school requirements.
How do schools know children are making progress?
Look for a provider with structured curriculum progression and assessment. Lingotot monitors children's development across speaking, listening, reading and writing and offers an NCFE-accredited Certificate in Primary Languages.
Can Lingotot provide language teaching outside PPA time?
Absolutely! We also provide curriculum teaching, breakfast, lunchtime and after-school clubs, language workshops and enrichment activities.
Looking for specialist MFL PPA cover for your primary school?
Whether you're reviewing your current provision, planning next year's timetable or looking for a specialist language teacher who can make French or Spanish genuinely exciting, we'd love to hear from you. At Lingotot, we believe children deserve language lessons that are both educationally valuable and enormous fun.
Discover Lingotot's primary school language teaching and MFL PPA cover and get in touch to discuss what would work best for your school.
Lingotot. Where language learning is child's play.