Key Stage 3: Our intent at KS3 is to maximise students’ access to foreign languages and instil an enthusiasm for languages and their associated culture and customs.  Students begin their study of Spanish in Year 8 and use the Mira Express textbook which allows students to learn the past, present and future tenses by the end of the year.  Low- stakes homework tasks are introduced to provide practice and enjoyment of speaking Spanish.  At the end of Year 8, students of Spanish are encouraged to take pride in their work and produce a Best Piece of Work.  This forms a basis for the GCSE course, and should they choose to take their study of Spanish further, students refer to this piece of work in Year 9.

Key Stage 4:  The curriculum delves deeper into ideas that have been introduced in part at KS3, allowing for revision of knowledge before deepening the content.  Increasingly complex vocabulary and grammar are introduced to students and there is a large focus on listening, reading, writing, translation and speaking skills. Students refine their depth of knowledge in each component.  Assessment practices are introduced in Year 9 and students begin their practice of past GCSE questions on particular topic areas. This builds students’ confidence and resilience when faced with unfamiliar language.   Students experience their first mock speaking exam in Year 9, and this practice continues throughout Years 10 and 11.

Key Stage 5:  Our intent at KS5 is to maximise students’ passion for languages with a view to taking their knowledge of Spanish further in the future. Students complete an individual Research Project and this encourages them to think critically, evaluate knowledge that has been presented to them and present their own ideas and analysis of their findings. By the end of Year 13, students have developed the necessary skills to analyse complex and numerous resources and produce a bibliography in Spanish.   We offer foreign languages conferences, visits to London to develop reading and research skills, study of foreign literature and films and the use of native language speakers in lessons.

Year 8 Overview

Students are taught the following topics in Year 8:

• Introductions
• Classroom vocabulary
• Physical description
• School and future plans
• Leisure activities, including the use of past and future tenses
• Best Piece of Work completed at the end of the year

GCSE Overview

Students are taught the following topics in Years 9 to 11:

• Me, my family and friends
• Technology in everyday life
• Free time activities
• Customs and festivals in Spanish-speaking countries
• Home, town, neighbourhood and region
• Social issues
• Global issues
• Life at school and college
• Jobs and future careers

All grammar points are introduced through these topic areas and listening, reading, writing, speaking and translation skills are regularly practised throughout the course.

A-Level Overview

Students are taught the following topics in Years 12 and 13:

• Social issues and trends (this includes work on modern and traditional values, cyberspace, immigration, integration and racism)
• Artistic culture (this includes work on modern day idols, regional identity, cultural heritage, monarchies and dictatorships and popular movements)
• Grammar
• Literary and film study (students study the novel Como agua para chocolate by Laura Esquival and the film Volver)

A 4-day visit to Seville is offered to students in Years 9 and 10.

• Use of Translation in the Classroom to encourage greater spontaneity in written and spoken language.
• Opportunity to take part in small group discussions with language assistants
• Visit abroad