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2 minute read
Spanish
What will I gain from studying this subject? Spanish is a thriving language and its importance on the world stage continues to rise, so much so that in the British Council’s ‘Languages for the Future’ reports, Spanish consistently tops the list as the most important language to the UK. Spanish is the official language of more than twenty countries worldwide and is second only to Chinese in terms of the number of native speakers. The number of students opting for Spanish at GCSE reflects this with more students studying it now than ever before. The rich and stimulating curriculum on offer at Rendcomb College mirrors the vibrant and exciting Spanishspeaking world and our aim is to immerse students in Hispanic culture as well as equip them with the grammatical and linguistic skills they need to flourish at GCSE and beyond.
All pupils are strongly encouraged to study at least one language at GCSE and it is possible to take two languages at GCSE if they have studied them in Year 9.
Languages are a valuable skill for life and at Rendcomb College we are passionate about the benefits that learning another language can bring. It is not only an immensely enjoyable and rewarding experience but with increasing levels of globalisation and the ease of international travel, more of the world is at our finger-tips and foreign language skills are the key to the current marketplace.
Exam Board: AQA Spec Code: 8698 Option Subject
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How will my work be assessed? The four language skills, Listening, Speaking, Reading and Writing, will be assessed with equal weighting, at either Foundation or Higher level. All examinations will be taken at the end of Year 11. The speaking examination will include a photo card, roleplay and general conversation and will be conducted by your own language teacher.
What will I study? Students study all of the following themes on which the assessments are based: • Theme 1: Identity and culture (Me, my family and friends; Technology in everyday life; Free-time activities; Customs and festivals) • Theme 2: Local, national, international and global areas of interest (Home, town, neighbourhood and region; Social issues; Global issues; Travel and tourism) • Theme 3: Current and future study and employment.
Students will have already met many of these topics in Key Stage 3. They will now be extended and developed to increase the range of expression and understanding.
Enrichment Opportunities The Spanish Department is a lively department within the College and pupils achieve consistently high standards in public examinations. We run regular events as well as cultural trips and exchanges and have long established contacts in Spain.
Head of Spanish Mr George Toms tomsg@rendcombcollege.org.uk