A LEVEL
Why study Spanish?
With over 400 million speakers across Europe, Africa, Central, South and North America, it’s the world’s second most popular language
As a phonetic language, each letter represents a certain sound. This means, for many people, it’s an easier language to learn. And certainly simpler to understand than English!
It’s fast becoming a hugely important trading language. Economists often point to the four BRIC countries including Brazil as growth engines. This has doubtless contributed to an 800% rise in Spanish being used online over recent years – making it almost so popular as Mandarin and English
If you’re proficient with Spanish at GCSE this will be a very different experience in that you’ll be expected to do a lot more thinking, responding and analysing.Â
You will drastically improve your command of Spanish through weekly speaking, listening, reading, translating and writing challenges.
Independent study is an important contributor to your success on this course.
You’ll be encouraged to read, listen and watch to properly immerse yourself in Spanish art, politics and culture. There are numberless resources online to support your progress through deepening knowledge of both the Spanish language and society.
And as a Xaverian student, you can take advantage of many enrichment opportunities. Recently the Spanish class travelled to Barcelona, having been in Madrid the year before.
At Xaverian you’ll be a member of an inspired and thriving Modern Foreign Languages (MFL) department.
That means you’ll not only get the chance to experience many workshops and trips relating to your Spanish course, but also take advantage of many multilingual opportunities.
While students of Spanish took the train to Birmingham to see La Casa de Bernarda Alba, they and their German peers had the chance to visit London for a production of Der Besuch der alten Dame. And Francophiles enjoyed a French film study day at HOME in Manchester.
We’ll study art and the different ways it is expressed, extending in the process our appreciation of Spanish vocabulary.
You’ll also explore Spain’s sometimes turbulent history. The 1937 bombing of Guernica was an aerial assault on the Basque town of Guernica during the Spanish Civil War. The operation opened the way to Franco’s capture of Bilbao and his victory in northern Spain.
From conflict to culture, flamenco to football, this course will help you think deeply about what it means to be Spanish and how Spain has become one of Europe’s most influential countries.
Once you’ve completed your Spanish degree you’ll likely be fluent in that language.
That means you’ll not only be able to apply for jobs in the UK – but also in the many Spanish-speaking countries across the world.
There is always a big demand for interpreters and translators, and teachers both in Spanish and English as a second language.
Your skills will also be sought in business roles where being bilingual is an important asset. Business and politics roles generally command high salaries.
Finally, it’s important that while you work on your Spanish fluency, and master the art of communication, you also develop other employability skills such as critical thinking, problem solving, and project management.
Study Spanish at university and you’ll likely have the chance to specialise in a number of areas that may include:
A research project and presentation. 5-6 minutes theme-based discussion.
Questions which may include true/false statements, multiple choice, questions and answers and comprehension questions in French, German or Spanish.
Questions based on texts in French, German or Spanish
An unseen passage or passages from French, German or Spanish into English plus an unseen passage or passages from English into French, German or Spanish.
Candidates write an essay of approximately 300 words on each of the two works, one book, one film, they have studied..
Six good passes at GCSE including two at grade 6 or above
Grade 5 from English, Grade 5 from chosen Foreign Language
2 years
Exams and externally moderated assessments
Eduqas
Linear A-level
The MFL Department at Xaverian offers A-level courses in French, German or Spanish. There are currently 135 students following the taught programmes but we also aim to give Xaverian students the opportunity to try new languages or hone their own language skills.
Students applying for A-level courses are encouraged to have a grade 6 at GCSE. Our native speaker programme meant AS & A2 levels were sat in many languages in the 2019 session, including Farsi, Portuguese, Turkish Polish and Dutch. The results were outstanding with 100% achievement rates in all subjects
Thanks to its excellent A Level results, Xaverian College has been chosen by the University of Cambridge as the north west hub of its Widening Participation for Languages Project.
What does that mean for you? Students will get the chance to learn from visiting expert linguists not only in French but many other unusual languages – such as Japanese, or Czech.
It’s all part of an initiative by University of Cambridge to establish language hubs around the country and develop and encourage learning.
Two Xaverian students, Ben Haughton, previously a student at West Hill School and studying A Levels in Biology, Geography and Psychology and Reuben Rowbotham-Keating, previously …
Trinity Laban Conservatoire of Music and Dance visit Xaverian College on an annual basis to run performance masterclasses, spending hours coaching A Level Music and …
Ten outstanding students from Xaverian College have received offers to study at the University of Oxford and the University of Cambridge. Following months of intensive …
Two Xaverian students, Ben Haughton, previously a student at West Hill School and studying A Levels in Biology, Geography and Psychology and Reuben Rowbotham-Keating, previously …
Trinity Laban Conservatoire of Music and Dance visit Xaverian College on an annual basis to run performance masterclasses, spending hours coaching A Level Music and …
Ten outstanding students from Xaverian College have received offers to study at the University of Oxford and the University of Cambridge. Following months of intensive …
