The course will give your child the confidence to communicate effectively in Spanish both in writing and speaking, and will allow them to understand complex texts both written and spoken, as well as deepening their understanding of the cultures of Spanish-speaking countries. 

In order to achieve this, students will be taught grammar and sentence structure. Films, music, and authentic texts will be used to develop their cultural knowledge. The GCSE also requires explicit teaching of translation skills. All of these elements will benefit their mastery of English. 

In the GCSE, each of the four skills (reading, writing, listening, speaking) will carry an equal 25% weighting with the grading based on the 9-1 system. The course is linear, which means that students will sit all their exams at the end of year 11, with no coursework. 

We set homework regularly to develop breadth in vocabulary and to develop fluency and spontaneity in reading, writing and speaking. Some homework will require the use of online resources such as Quizlet and Sentence Builders. 

The course is centered around the following three themes:

Theme 1: People and Lifestyle

• Topic 1: Identity and relationships with others 

• Topic 2: Healthy living and lifestyle 

• Topic 3: Education and work 

Theme 2: Popular culture 

• Topic 1: Free-time activities 

• Topic 2: Customs, festivals and celebrations 

• Topic 3: Celebrity culture 

Theme 3: Communication and the world around us

• Topic 1: Travel and tourism, including places of interest 

• Topic 2: Media and technology 

• Topic 3: The environment and where people live

The ability to speak a foreign language is increasingly important in today’s multinational and multilingual society and with nearly 500 million native speakers from 21 countries, Spanish is one of the most useful languages to learn. 

Employers and universities actively seek out people who can speak additional languages and a language GCSE is an EBacc requirement, highly sought after by top universities. It will also help students to communicate with millions more people in the world and students who study a foreign language will have greater opportunities to work abroad or for companies in the UK with international links. Students will also get so much more out of travelling to Spanish-speaking countries if they are able to interact with the local population.

Students will learn about the countries where Spanish is spoken and may have an opportunity to visit Spain. They will learn many skills which are useful in a wide range of future careers, including communication skills, problem solving skills, memorisation strategies, and cultural awareness.