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Spanish - KS5

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A-level students at SJB study Spanish to become citizens of the world, equipped with transferable and communication skills, as well as an open-mindedness to other cultures.

Our A-Level Spanish curriculum is designed to ignite a passion for language and cultural exploration through an in-depth study of Spain and Latin American societies. We foster this enthusiasm through interactive learning, collaborative pair work, exposure to authentic materials, and independent research, all while cultivating communication, literacy, resilience, and problem-solving capabilities. 

Year 12 and Year 13 A-Level Spanish

  • Qualification: A-Level from 2016
  • Exam Board: Edexcel
  • Exam Assessment: 3 papers: Paper 1 Listening, Reading & Translation (40%); Paper 2 Writing & Translation (30%); Paper 3 Speaking (30%)
  • Grades - A* - E

A-level Spanish Specification from 2016 

Curriculum Map for MFL

Subject specific entry requirements:
  • Grade 6 in GCSE Spanish
  • Grade 5 or above in English Literature and/or Language
What kinds of work will you do in class and at home?

Students will practise the core skills of listening, speaking, reading and writing in every lesson.

Research may be set as homework.

Every lesson students will be given vocabulary to learn.

Students will be given grammar exercises to practise in every lesson.

Reading and listening will be of authentic material (as they are in the exam) and students will be expected to read books and watch films in the target language as well; to help prepare them for the external exams.

What skills are required of students?

Students must be highly motivated and interested in the subject. They should also be able to undertake independent study outside of the classroom and be willing to try and speak in the target language at every available opportunity.

A-Level Modern Foreign Languages are some of the most challenging, therefore students must be willing to practise grammar, reading and listening skills every day, as well as learning vocabulary.

They should also be willing to take part in compulsory conversation classes with native speakers once a week.

What types of university course or apprenticeship will be helped by this A-level?

An A-Level in a modern foreign language could lead towards international courses and any related courses connected with English and MFL. In an increasingly global economy, proficiency in a foreign language is a highly marketable job skill.

Spanish is integral to or complementary with a huge number of careers including; international business, computing, travel and tourism, public administration, law, banking, medicine, accountancy, journalism, education and social work.

A sound working knowledge of one or more modern European languages has become a major differentiator when it comes to recruitment.

The study of other European languages and literature develops cultural awareness and sensitivity, improves one’s ability to communicate and promotes greater appreciation of European business environments

Course Overview:

During the two year A-level course you will study the following topics:

Theme 1 is set in the context of Spain only.

  • El cambio en la estructura familiar.
  • La evolución de las actitudes hacia el matrimonio, las relaciones y las familias.
  • El mundo laboral.
  • La vida laboral en España y las actitudes hacia el trabajo; las oportunidades de trabajo para los jóvenes; la igualdad de género.
  • El impacto turístico en España.
  • El impacto económico; las oportunidades que ofrece el turismo; el impacto socio-ambiental.

Theme 2 is set in the context of Spanish-speaking countries and communities.

  • La música y los medios de comunicación.
  • Los cambios y las tendencias; el impacto de la música en la cultura contemporánea.
  • La televisión y las telenovelas: los medios de comunicación escritos y en internet; el impacto en la sociedad y la política.
  • Los festivales, las fiestas, las costumbres y las tradiciones.

Theme 3 is set in the context of Spain only.

  • La inmigración históricamente y contemporáneamente.
  • Los orígenes de la inmigración; los musulmanes en Al-Ándalus; la influencia de los inmigrantes del norte de África y América Latina.
  • La integración y el multiculturalismo.

Theme 4 is set in the context of Spain only.

  • La dictadura franquista.
  • La Guerra Civil y el ascenso de Franco, la vida cotidiana bajo el franquismo: la opresión política, la censura, las divisiones en la sociedad.
  • El paso de la dictadura a la democracia.
  • El papel del Rey Juan Carlos en la transición; el Gobierno de Suárez; el impacto de la dictadura en la sociedad actual.
Paper 1: Listening, reading and translation (*Paper code: 9SP0/01)

Written examination: 1 hour and 50 minutes - 40% of the qualification, 64 marks

This paper draws on vocabulary and structures across all four Themes.

Assessment overview Students are not permitted access to a dictionary during the examination.

The examination is made up of:

Section A: Listening (24 marks) A listening assessment based on a recording, featuring male and female Spanish speakers. Students will respond to comprehension questions based on a variety of contexts and sources.

Section B: Reading (24 marks) A reading assessment based on a variety of text-types and genres where students will have to respond to comprehension questions.

Section C: Translation into English (16 marks) An unseen passage to be translated from Spanish to English.

Paper 2: Written response to works and translation (*Paper code: 9SP0/02)

Written examination: 2 hours and 40 minutes - 30% of the qualification, 48 marks

This paper draws on the study of two discrete Spanish works: either two literary texts, or one literary text and one film. The literary texts listed include a range of classic and contemporary novels, a series of short stories and plays. All of the films are feature length.

This paper includes a translation exercise and two essays on either two literary texts, or one literary text and one film (students must not answer questions on two films). Students are not permitted access to a dictionary or any documentation relating to the works during the examination.

Section A: Translation (16 marks) Students translate an unseen passage from English into Spanish.

Section B: Written response to works (literary texts) (16 marks) Students must write an extended response on either one or two of the literary texts listed in Appendix 3.

Students select one question from a choice of two for each of their chosen literary text(s). If a student answers questions on two literary texts then they do not complete section C. 

Section C: Written response to works (films) (16 marks) Students who answer only one question from a literary text in Section B must now write an extended response on one of the films listed in Appendix 3.

Students select one question from a choice of two for their chosen film. 

Paper 3: Speaking (*Paper code: 9SP0/03)

Internally conducted and externally assessed - 30% of the qualification 48 marks

Total assessment time: between 21 and 23 minutes, which includes a single period of 5 minutes’ formal preparation time.

Assessment overview - Students complete two tasks.

Task 1 (Discussion on a theme) 20 marks - Students discuss one theme from the specification based on a stimulus containing two different statements.

Task 2 (presentation and discussion on independent research) 28 marks - Students present a summary of the key findings of the written sources they have used for their research and answer questions on this. They then have a wider discussion on their research.

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