Sixth Form: Modern European Languages - Spanish

Subject Overview

Studying a Spanish at Advanced level is an excellent choice.  Languages are more important in today’s modern world than they have ever been because we live in a multilingual global society.  Languages have a solid reputation with universities and employers alike.

A level language courses tackle interesting and varied topics, developing a broad range of knowledge alongside your language skills.  You should be interested in current affairs and enjoy working with a language (e.g. learning grammar and new vocabulary/structures on a regular basis). You must also have an interest in communicating your opinions to others as well as justifying and countering arguments across a wide range of themes.

Syllabuses (Course Outline and Structure)

 AS Level


Unit 1

70% of AS
2 hour written examination – reading, listening and grammar exercises and an essay.

Topics covered:

  • Media - TV, advertising, communication technology
  • Popular Culture - cinema, music, fashion/trends
  • Healthy Living - Sport, exercise, health and well-being, holidays
  • Family - relationships within family, friendships, marriage and partnerships

Unit 2

30% of AS
15 minute speaking test (plus preparation time)

A2 Level

AS unit 1+2 make up 50% of A level


Unit 3

35% of A level
2 hours 30 minutes written examination – reading, listening and grammar exercises and an essay.

Topics covered:

  • Environment – pollution, energy, protecting the planet
  • Multicultural Society – immigration, integration, racism
  • Contemporary Social Issues – wealth and poverty, law and order, impact of scientific and technological progress
  • 2 cultural topics chosen by your teachers

Unit 4

15% of A level
15 minutes speaking test (plus preparation time)

Entry Requirements and Prohibited Options

The recommended entry requirements for this course are five GCSEs at grade C or above.  These should include a minimum of Grade B in Spanish.

Activities and Trips

Students are expected to attend regular sessions with a Spanish language assistante / native speaker.
Students are encouraged to subscribe to magazines, to regularly watch Spanish films for independent study and to maintain any penfriend links made during earlier years of study.

There is a trip to Barcelona in order to research the A2 cultural project.  We can also support work experience visits to Spain.

Expected Costs

Please be aware that trip costs can increase / decrease depending on the number of students involved in any academic year.  Participation in trips is not a compulsory part of the course.

As a guideline the trip to Barcelona in Spring 2013 is costing £360 per pupil.

Work Experience visits would be organised by a company that some of our students have used in the past:

We recommend that all students have a good e.g full size bilingual dictionary in Spanish, which costs approximately £20.

Verb tables would also be useful approximately £5.

Complementary Subject Combinations and Enrichment Activities

A language will complement and enhance many other A level courses, whether you are orientated more towards Maths and Science or alternatively English, Business, Law or Art

Subject Resources

Past Papers

Your teachers will use past papers with you throughout the course, either as one-off questions at the end of a topic or towards the end of the course as a whole past paper.  You can see what is expected of you by looking at the specimen materials for each language.

Course References

Useful Links

Links which give access to resources and provide more information about your subject are very useful.

Also look in the relevant folders on the Heart of England L Drive.

Other Information

For further information please contact Mrs S WaltonEmail icon