A Level Spanish builds on the knowledge, understanding and skills gained at GCSE. There is a focus on the language itself, as well as society and culture in Spanish speaking countries. Students learn about the politics, art and social features of the Spanish speaking world. Students also study a Spanish book and a film, becoming critics in the target language. The independent research project in Year 13 allows students to focus on a particular area of interest and then explore that topic using authentic materials. Students will study: modern and traditional values, cyberspace, equal rights, immigration, racism, integration, modern day idols, Spanish regional identity, cultural heritage, today’s youth, tomorrow’s citizens, monarchies and dictatorships and popular movements. Over the two years, students will study one Spanish text and one Spanish film.

Assessment

Paper 1- 50% 

• Listening, reading and writing  
  
• Comprehension questions dealing with the spoken and written word; translations 
  

Paper 2 – 20% 

• Writing  
  
• Essays about the book and film studied 
  

Paper 3 - 30%  

• Speaking  
  
• Conversation for around 16 minutes about a theme from the course and the research project 
  

Skills Developed and Career Prospects

Language learning fosters a range of transferable skills, including communication, critical thinking and creativity. By the end of the course, students should be able to speak in Spanish with confidence. They will be able to read magazines, newspapers, blogs and literature, drawing out key points and inferring messages.

A Level Spanish is an excellent partner to many subjects and can often be combined with a wide range of disciplines at university. Language competence is highly regarded by employers and could make a CV stand out during a selection process. In our global world, the ability to understand and communicate with others is a vital skill in Business, the Service Industry, Journalism, Research and Education.