27 26 raring2go.co.uk Raring2go! EDUCATION Raring2go! EDUCATION Learning a language from a young age is more than just acquiring vocabulary and grammar; it shapes the brain, expands empathy, and unlocks a lifetime of opportunity. In an increasingly interconnected world, the ability to communicate across cultures is no longer a luxury, it’s a necessity. Children’s brains are uniquely wired for language acquisition. During the critical period of early development, they absorb sounds and patterns with astonishing ease. Studies show that bilingual or multi-lingual children often outperform their monolingual peers in tasks involving problemsolving, multitasking, and memory. Learning an additional language strengthens the brain’s executive functions, laying a foundation for academic success across the whole curriculum. At St Catherine’s, we aim to encourage all our students to see themselves as pluri-lingual. We are explicitly preparing them for their lives in a diverse world beyond school - a world of global opportunity and relevance. Children naturally find this exciting, and we wish to harness and cement this outward-looking perspective in our students’ ethos. We have vibrant Languages departments across our Prep and Senior schools with active links between both. We celebrate languages and culture across the world with special activities at the beginning of every academic year. Our Sixth Form linguists lead language clubs in the Prep School, creating a wonderful space where Prep and Senior girls come together to share phrases from their own languages, such as Welsh and Ukrainian, and we have welcomed visiting family members to share childhood storybooks and cultural traditions in a variety of languages. Language Monitors help with structured role plays to support learning, special initiatives, and lead in our school entries to external language competitions. It has been inspiring to see the younger students embracing these opportunities and working hard to participate and acquire new knowledge. These ongoing cross-year group exchanges open up conversations about cultural traditions, giving students a deeper appreciation of the rich diversity within our school community. Learning a language early teaches children that communication is more than words, it’s about connection. It shows them that the world is vast and varied, full of voices worth listening to and communities worth belonging to. In a time when division often dominates headlines, raising a generation that can speak - and listen - across boundaries is a powerful act of hope. Sophie Edwards, St Catherine’s Prep School MFL Subject Lead The Power of Early Language Learning Help your child learn to read in 30 days for FREE with Reading Eggs! Created by experts and loved by over 20 million children worldwide, Reading Eggs is designed to develop early essential literacy skills such as phonics, sight words and vocabulary, planting the foundation for a life-long love of reading. Here’s why you’ll love our programs: FREE 30-DAY TRIAL in 30 Days Learn to Read FREE! readingeggs.co.uk/bts21 Scan QR code for 30-Day FREE trial This 30-day free trial offer allows you to add up to 4 children. You will be charged at the end of the trial period unless you cancel before this time. You can cancel any time by selecting the ‘Cancel Subscription’ option located on the ‘Manage My Subscription’ page in your family dashboard. Offer is valid for new UK customers only. Hundreds of fun learning games Exciting rewards keep your child motivated See results from just 15 minutes of play a day! Positive screen time that’s KidSAFE & Ad-free Automated progress reports Log in across multiple devices at the same time, with no restrictions!
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