Español

"Spanish is fun, interesting, fantástico, the best lesson of the week; it is a beautiful language that is extremely useful, not only in Spanish but in other parts of the world”.

Subject content

Theme: Identity and culture

Who am I?: relationships; when I was younger; what my friends and family are like; what makes a good friend; interests; socialising with friends and family; role models
Daily life: customs and everyday life; food and drink; shopping; social media and technology (use of, advantages and disadvantages)
Cultural life: celebrations and festivals; reading; music; sport; film and television

Theme: Local area, holiday and travel

Holidays: preferences; experiences; and destinations
Travel and tourist transactions: travel and accommodation; asking for help and dealing with problems; directions; eating out; shopping
Town, region and country: weather; places to see; things to do

Theme: School

What school is like: school types; school day; subjects; rules and pressures; celebratingsuccess
School activities: school trips; events; exchanges

Theme: Future aspirations, study and work

Using languages beyond the classroom: forming relationships; travel; employment
Ambitions: further study; volunteering; training
Work: jobs; careers; professions

Theme: International and global dimension

Bringing the world together: sports events; music events; campaigns and good causes
Environmental issues: being 'green'; access to natural resources

How are you Assessed?

Paper 1: Listening - Understanding and responding to different types of spoken language.
Paper 2: Speaking - Role play, photo card and general conversation. Communicating and interacting effectively in speech for a variety of purposes.
Paper 3: Reading - Answers in Spanish and English + translation from Spanish into English. Understanding and responding to different types of written language.
Paper 4: Writing - Two writing tasks + translation English into Spanish. Communicating effectively in writing for a variety of purposes.

Each paper/assessment is worth 25% of the total GCSE.

Students will be assessed on their linguistic knowledge and accuracy, range of constructions, the content of their work as well as their pronunciation, spontaneity and fluency of the spoken word.

Trips, Opportunities, Progression

Every other year we organise a study trip to San Sebastián, where the students attend a language school and immerse themselves in Spanish life staying with host families. In 2025, the cost of this trip will be around £950.

There are many opportunities for internal and external competitions throughout the year. On top of that students studying Spanish are encouraged to participate in the yearly House Languages event. This allows our students to increase in confidence and proficiency in a fun way. There is also plenty support for all our students. The Spanish Department holds weekly MFL clinics and clubs to support different skills and years.

Our students enjoy studying this vibrant language which is spoken by over 460 million native speakers worldwide and our class sizes are good evidence of its popularity and awareness of its importance in the world of work.

Furthermore, it is well known that employers value communication skills very highly. They find people who have learnt languages are articulate, flexible and adaptable.