A Level Spanish

Spanish

Step into the fascinating Hispanic world and explore its art, music, society, current affairs, politics, history, cinema and literature – all whilst developing your language skills across reading, writing, speaking and listening.

Why St Mary’s

Inspired by subject-specialist teachers, who are passionate about Spanish language and culture, you will learn in a creative environment, with access to all the technology and resources you need to enrich your language skills.

Our weekly drop-in lunchtime surgeries offer additional 1:1 support – perhaps in looking again at a topic or structure you have not yet understood. As you progress to becoming a more independent learner, you can be reassured that should you need it, support is on-hand for supplementary work and practise.

Our enriched learning opportunities can include:

  • Performances and exhibitions at Cambridge theatres, cinemas and museums
  • Debating competition in Cambridge
  • Spanish film club
  • Trips and an opportunity for work experience abroad
  • Stephen Spender Prize for poetry in translation

Enabling your transition from GCSE

You will be supported through a transition phase, in which we look again at grammar and topics from the IGCSE Spanish course. From this you will gradually build up your range and complexity of grammar whilst exploring topic areas in more depth.

Our smaller classes will ensure you receive individual support and attention, and you will be challenged to go further than perhaps you thought possible, in order to fulfil your potential. We also encourage getting things wrong sometimes ... as often this ultimately leads to a better understanding!

Course overview

A Level content

  • Unit 1 Listening, reading and writing - This unit covers four broad topic areas:
  1. Aspects of Hispanic society
  2. Artistic culture in the Hispanic world
  3. Multiculturalism in Hispanic society
  4. Aspects of political life in Hispanic society
  • Unit 2 Writing - This unit covers a set text and a set film or two set texts from the specified list and also translation of an English passage into Spanish.
  • Unit 3 Speaking - This unit covers an individual research project and one sub-theme from aspects of Hispanic society, artistic culture in the Hispanic world, multiculturalism in Hispanic society and aspects of political life in Hispanic society.

AS Level content

  • Unit 1 Listening, reading and writing - This unit covers two broad topic areas:
  1. Aspects of Hispanic society
  2. Artistic culture in the Hispanic world
  • Unit 2 Writing - This unit covers a set text or film from the specified list and also translation of an English passage into Spanish.
  • Unit 3 Speaking - This unit covers one sub-theme from aspects of Hispanic society and one sub-theme from artistic culture in the Hispanic world.

Assessment

A Level assessment

  • Unit 1 Listening, reading and writing
    • Listening assessment
    • Reading assessment
    • Translation into English: a passage of minimum 100 words
    • Translation into Spanish: a passage of minimum 100 words (10 marks)
  • Unit 2 Writing
    • The assessment involves either one question in Spanish on a set text from a choice of two questions and one question in Spanish on a set film from a choice of two questions or two questions in Spanish on set texts from a choice of two questions on each text.
  • Unit 3 Speaking
    • Discussion of a sub-theme with the discussion based on a stimulus card (5-6 minutes). The student studies the card for 5 minutes at the start of the test.
    • Presentation (2 minutes) and discussion (9-10 minutes) of individual research project (35 marks).

AS Level assessment

  • Unit 1 Listening, reading and writing
    • Listening assessment
    • Reading assessment
    • Translation of a Spanish passage of a minimum of 70 words into English
  • Unit 2 Writing
    • Translation of a passage of a minimum of 70 words from English into Spanish
    • One essay question in Spanish on either a set text from a choice of two questions or on a set film from a choice of two questions
  • Unit 3 Speaking
    • The asssessment lasts 12-14 minutes and involves discussion of two sub-themes based on a stimulus card for each sub-theme

Visit our Sixth Form

At a glance
  • Syllabus: AQA A Level 7692
  • Costa Rica trip
  • Independent research project
  • Small class sizes

Entry requirements

GCSE grades (or equivalent)

  • Subject 1: Spanish: 6+
You will enjoy this course if you...
  • Have good attention to detail
  • Like thinking analytically
  • Are keen to discuss topical issues
  • Are interested in Hispanic language and culture

What our teachers say...

"At St Mary’s, we are all passionate about communication and culture. Each member of the Spanish department has their own specific area of interest, such as gastronomy, music, dance, politics, sport and art. I personally decided to teach Spanish because I love to know what is happening around me in different countries! I find it frustrating to not be able to listen in to conversations, or read books and newspapers, or understand directions, in an unfamiliar language. The great thing about speaking Spanish is that it is helpful in so many different countries around the world.”

If you talk to a man in a language he understands, that goes to his head. If you talk to him in his own language, that goes to his heart.Nelson Mandela

Language opens up communication and understanding between different countries – and from that comes collaboration. From facilitating international research, business projects or policies, the future relies on us working across borders to build a better world.

By understanding different cultures, we can build better international relations, built on mutual respect.

Former St Mary's students have gone on to leading universities to study Spanish alongside history and other foreign languages, including German, Catalan and Russian. A Level Spanish also covers a rich cultural history and therefore connects this subject with arts-based and history degrees.

Spanish is the second most widely-spoken language in the world with over 400 million speakers, therefore it opens up numerous academic and career opportunities, plus it is a great skill to have if you would like to travel and work abroad.

Graduates in Spanish enter diverse careers including: translation, education, tourism, marketing, business and diplomacy.

Leaver destinations

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Our results

Achieve the results you need to fulfil your dreams.

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