Spanish
Curriculum Intent
At Sunbury Manor our vision for all learners of Spanish is that they gain a greater understanding of the world including tolerance, curiosity and celebration of other cultures, not just those from the Spanish speaking countries. This links with the wider school ethos of nurturing well rounded individuals.
We aim equip our students with confidence and desire to explore the Spanish language and to be able to communicate with millions of people globally. Spanish is the second most widely spoken language in the world and it is useful both for leisure and business reasons, whilst also enhancing and building on many skills that are transferable across other school subjects. In particular, it is well known that learning a second language not only supports English development but also improves listening and presenting skills, among others. In addition, students who succeed in Spanish are more employable and have better chances of gaining entry to university.
Students at Sunbury Manor study Spanish twice a week in KS3 and 3 times a week in KS4. In lessons we use a variety of games, IT resources and interactive projects, authentic material from Spanish speaking countries and cultural experiences. These bring our lessons to life and make the learning of the four key skills (listening, reading, speaking, writing) fun, engaging and accessible. Spanish, like any other language, is a combination of topic vocabulary and grammar. We introduce progressively more challenging grammar concepts as the students progress through the school and do this through relevant topic areas such as food, fashion, school, holidays and future careers. In key stage 4 we develop this further and examine themes in more depth, debating such things as the environment and issues that affect young people.
When students discover that they can communicate in another language outside the classroom, they go from strength to strength and are motivated to learn more. This is why we strive to provide as many real life and enrichment opportunities to put what they have learnt into practice. This includes experiences such as ‘Apprentice’ style workshops, food tasting and university days among others. We host Spanish students for 3 weeks in the autumn term, giving the Sunbury Manor community the chance to not only practise their language but to forge long lasting international friendships. The highlight of the year is our residential trip to Spain, most recently to a water sports activity centre, where the students are fully immersed in a completely Spanish environment.
In the department we are fortunate to have 4 large, modern classrooms in the newest building in the school, all equipped with the latest smart screen technology. In turn, we have 4 well-qualified, enthusiastic and dedicated Spanish specialists who go the extra mile for the students every day.
Curriculum Overview
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Autumn 1 |
Autumn 2 |
Spring 1 |
Spring 2 |
Summer 1 |
Summer 2 |
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Y7
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Introductions about yourself |
Family
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Where we live |
House |
School |
School |
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Y8
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Food Future tense |
Market stalls and food |
Countries and Towns |
Comparing places Comparative |
Clothes and fashions |
Clothes and fashions |
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Y9
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Sports and pastimes Past tense |
TV preferences |
Holidays |
Holidays |
Preferences in school |
Jobs and future |
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Y10
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Identity and culture Imperfect tense
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Free time preferences Conditional tense Future tense (new version) |
Home and local area |
Food and recipes Passive voice |
School and future studies |
Exam technique and Oral preparation |
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Y11
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Holidays Jobs Pluperfect
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Environment Global issues Subjunctive |
Travel and tourism Future intentions |
Work experience Perfect Revision |
Revision |
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Key Stage 4 Specification
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Subject Leader: |
Mr M Lorde |
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Contact: |
mlorde@sunburymanor.surrey.sch.uk losorio@sunburymanor.surrey.sch.uk |
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Exam Specification: |
Edexcel GCSE Spanish 1SP0 |
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QN Code: |
601/8710/4 |
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Summary of course content You will cover a variety of topic areas including your life, home and local environment, school life and the world of work, youth culture, free time and holidays. You will also be given the opportunity to improve your written and spoken communication skills as well as deepening your understanding of the Spanish culture and language. Lessons will include the opportunity to listen to contemporary Spanish language, music, undergo web research and use ICT to create multimedia presentations. |
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Assessment There are four exams taken at the end of the course – Listening, Speaking, Reading and Writing - for which students can be entered at either Higher or Foundation level depending on the results of their practice assessments prior to the summer exams. The length of the exams (at Higher level) are:-
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What type of activities take place in lessons? Lessons will involve activities designed to allow students to practise all four skills of Listening, Speaking, Reading and Writing, whether working as a class, by themselves or in groups. Use will also be made of the interactive whiteboard, videos, various computer programmes and internet in order to introduce and consolidate vocabulary and grammar points. Additionally, the students will have allocated time to work with the Spanish assistant to improve speaking skills, as well as taking parts in debates and acting scenes. Time will also be devoted to exam paper practice in order to hone students’ exam technique and assess whether students are still on track for their predicted grade. In addition, there will be time given to learn and practice the new technique of translation and there will be an emphasis on spontaneous speech (rather than scripted) in all speaking tasks. Students will require use of a dictionary for reading and listening exercises at home. Textbooks will be provided. |
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What type of homework tasks will be set? Students will be expected to complete both ‘learning’ and ‘producing’ homeworks. Often they will be expected to learn words and consolidate their work from class. On other occasions they will be asked to put together the ideas, phrases and grammar from recent lesson in an extended text. |
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How will it help me in the future? Learning a foreign language is becoming an increasingly sought after skill. You do not need to be fluent in a language in order for it to help you in your career, so even if you do not continue after GCSE, you will be recognised (and paid!) accordingly. Learning a foreign language encompasses a whole range of skills which are essential for your future. Linguists learn how to communicate effectively both in their writing and speaking. You also train to listen for key details and to read using different techniques such as skim reading, reading for detail and reading for inference. All of these skills make you more employable and show a potential employer you have broad horizons. In the shorter term, languages are seen as a strong academic subject to study and are well thought of by colleges and universities. Showing that you have studied languages can give a wider choice of courses that are open to you. |
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How will this course build on what I have studied in Year 9? You will come across some familiar topic areas but the depth in which you cover them and the way in which you are taught will be very different. There will be an emphasis on using authentic materials such as TV programmes, songs and films to help you understand that learning Spanish is not just about learning a language but also about exploring a culture. |
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