Spanish

Assessment

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