Spanish is an invaluable international language, with over 550 million native speakers in 20 countries, including over 50 million in the USA. Scientists have found that fluency in more than one language improves your memory, enhances your intelligence, delays the onset of Alzheimer’s, and makes you much more marketable. The Hispanic world, especially, has a dazzlingly diverse cultural heritage. Whether you choose to read García Márquez’s incomparable magic realism, Lorca’s ground-breaking theatre, Borges’s short stories or Neruda’s poetry, there is a wealth of literature to explore. Hispanic painters – Velázquez, Goya, Picasso, Dalí, Miró, Kahlo, and filmmakers – Buñuel, Almodóvar, Guillermo del Toro, Alejandro González Iñárritu among others – all add to the attraction of learning this largely phonetic, relatively straightforward and most useful of languages. Spanish is taught as an optional subject from the Lower Shell (Year 10). The CAIE IGCSE Spanish syllabus aims to offer insights into the culture of countries where Spanish is spoken. The examination tests all four skills (listening comprehension, reading comprehension, speaking and writing), and they are weighted evenly, all being worth 25% of the total mark. The qualification is graded from 9 down to 1. The Edexcel A Level syllabus covers the following main themes: the evolution of Spanish society; political and artistic culture in the Hispanic world; immigration through the ages; Franco’s dictatorship and the transition to democracy. The four language skills are tested traditionally, including translations into and out of the target language. The speaking exam involves the preparation of an independent research project. There is also the opportunity to study texts and films and write about them in Spanish.
Offers of places will be sent out in December. Some candidates will be placed on a waiting list, and these candidates will be contacted if they are going to be offered a place. The offer of a place is conditional on a candidate achieving a minimum of eight (I)GCSE passes at A / 7 grade, of which at least four are at A* / 8-9 in the subjects to be studied at A Level. Grade 8 or 9 in Spanish (I)GCSE is required. We will consider applicants predicted on grade 7 or above and review the candidate’s individual merits and potential during the application process.
Candidates wishing to study Spanish in the Sixth Form should, ideally, be on track to achieve an 8 or 9 at the IGCSE level, to cope effectively with the course's grammatical content. The main qualities required are, however, commitment and enthusiasm. The examination paper for new entrants is based on GCSE-type material, with which candidates should already be familiar; as such, no specific preparation is required. The test consists of three sections. The first is focused on grammar and requires a candidate to translate sentences, involving a variety of tenses and basic-level subjunctive and GCSE-level vocabulary, from English into Spanish. The second section is an essay of approximately 150-200 words in Spanish on a topic that a candidate should be able to relate to. The final section is an extension option, inviting a candidate to give a commentary in English on a Spanish literary text. Native or near-native speakers of Spanish are strongly encouraged to do this part of the test; regular candidates can attempt it with the knowledge that what they write will not count against them. Overseas Candidates
About Education Provider
| Region | London |
| Local Authority | Westminster |
| Ofsted Rating | |
| Gender Type | Co-Educational |
| ISI Report | View Report |
| Boarding Fee | £49,518 |
| Sixth Form Fee | £34,299 - £37,485; |
| Address | Little Dean's Yard, London, SW1P 3PF |
Spanish is an invaluable international language, with over 550 million native speakers in 20 countries, including over 50 million in the USA. Scientists have found that fluency in more than one language improves your memory, enhances your intelligence, delays the onset of Alzheimer’s, and makes you much more marketable. The Hispanic world, especially, has a dazzlingly diverse cultural heritage. Whether you choose to read García Márquez’s incomparable magic realism, Lorca’s ground-breaking theatre, Borges’s short stories or Neruda’s poetry, there is a wealth of literature to explore. Hispanic painters – Velázquez, Goya, Picasso, Dalí, Miró, Kahlo, and filmmakers – Buñuel, Almodóvar, Guillermo del Toro, Alejandro González Iñárritu among others – all add to the attraction of learning this largely phonetic, relatively straightforward and most useful of languages. Spanish is taught as an optional subject from the Lower Shell (Year 10). The CAIE IGCSE Spanish syllabus aims to offer insights into the culture of countries where Spanish is spoken. The examination tests all four skills (listening comprehension, reading comprehension, speaking and writing), and they are weighted evenly, all being worth 25% of the total mark. The qualification is graded from 9 down to 1. The Edexcel A Level syllabus covers the following main themes: the evolution of Spanish society; political and artistic culture in the Hispanic world; immigration through the ages; Franco’s dictatorship and the transition to democracy. The four language skills are tested traditionally, including translations into and out of the target language. The speaking exam involves the preparation of an independent research project. There is also the opportunity to study texts and films and write about them in Spanish.
Offers of places will be sent out in December. Some candidates will be placed on a waiting list, and these candidates will be contacted if they are going to be offered a place. The offer of a place is conditional on a candidate achieving a minimum of eight (I)GCSE passes at A / 7 grade, of which at least four are at A* / 8-9 in the subjects to be studied at A Level. Grade 8 or 9 in Spanish (I)GCSE is required. We will consider applicants predicted on grade 7 or above and review the candidate’s individual merits and potential during the application process.
Candidates wishing to study Spanish in the Sixth Form should, ideally, be on track to achieve an 8 or 9 at the IGCSE level, to cope effectively with the course's grammatical content. The main qualities required are, however, commitment and enthusiasm. The examination paper for new entrants is based on GCSE-type material, with which candidates should already be familiar; as such, no specific preparation is required. The test consists of three sections. The first is focused on grammar and requires a candidate to translate sentences, involving a variety of tenses and basic-level subjunctive and GCSE-level vocabulary, from English into Spanish. The second section is an essay of approximately 150-200 words in Spanish on a topic that a candidate should be able to relate to. The final section is an extension option, inviting a candidate to give a commentary in English on a Spanish literary text. Native or near-native speakers of Spanish are strongly encouraged to do this part of the test; regular candidates can attempt it with the knowledge that what they write will not count against them. Overseas Candidates