Mayfield Grammar School, Gravesend
Spanish
“En un lugar de la Mancha, de cuyo nombre no quiero acordarme, no ha much tiempo que vivía un hidalgo de los de lanza en astillero, adarga antigua, rocín flace y galgo corredor.”
Don Quixote de La Mancha
Year 7
The Year 7 Spanish course is based on Unit 1 of the textbook “Zoom 1”. Each chapter introduces new vocabulary and grammar structures for the set topics (basic greetings, family and pets, talking about yourself and others, school).
By the end of the year, all students will begin to recognise and infer language from short listening and reading extracts and begin to expand responses to questions in spoken Spanish or write short paragraphs in Spanish about the set topics. Learners will be able to use the present tense and express likes and dislikes.
Year 8
The Year 8 Spanish course is based on Units 2-3 of the textbook “Zoom 1”. Each chapter revisits vocabulary and structures from Year 7, and we also supplement this with the near-future tense. Learners deepen their knowledge of vocabulary and structures for the Year 8 topics (free-time and daily routine, talking about where you live, food and healthy lifestyle, and introduction to holidays).
By the end of the year, all students will be able to recognise and infer language from longer listening and reading extracts and be able to give spoken presentations and/or extended responses to questions in general conversation and in writing in relation to both Year 7 and Year 8 set topics. Learners will be able to use the present tense with a wider range of verbs, the near-future tense, and the preterite (past) tense.
Year 9
The Year 9 Spanish course is based on the textbook “Edexcel GCSE Spanish Higher”. The topics introduced in Years 7 and 8 are now built on and consolidated, and some new topics are introduced (holidays, travel and tourist transactions, school life)
By the end of the year, students will be able to recognise and produce new vocabulary which is now frequently more complex and less common. Past (both preterite and imperfect), present and future tenses are systematically revisited and applied in a range of contexts. This already equips students with the knowledge and skills required for working towards a high GCSE grade.
GCSE
Year 10: Students follow the Edexcel GCSE (9-1) course and use the Viva! GCSE Higher (9-1) textbook to support their learning. The students build on their strong foundation of topic-specific vocabulary and grammatical structures encountered in Years 7-9. Learners revisit and enhance their knowledge and understanding of the following topics: school, personal relationships, food and health, free-time and leisure, travel and tourism.
By the end of the year, students will be able to recognise familiar vocabulary and decode unknown vocabulary in spoken and written Spanish in a range of task types. Students will be able to respond to a picture prompt in both speaking and writing, engage more meaningfully in general conversation in relation to the set topics by frequently justifying ideas and viewpoints, as well as produce a written response to a four-bullet-point task. Students will now recognise and use four tenses: past, present, future and conditional.
Year 11: Students complete their GCSE course by consolidating and enhancing their knowledge and understanding of the following topics: local area and travel, food, festivals and traditions, world of work and environmental issues.
The nature of these topics allow students to begin using the Spanish language in speaking and writing to weigh up advantages and disadvantages, and to discuss problems and propose solutions, thus equipping students with some of the knowledge and skills required for the study of Spanish at A Level. By the end of the course, learners will be prepared for all four components that form the assessment for GCSE: listening, speaking, reading, writing, each worth 25% of the overall grade.
Sixth Form
We offer a linear two-year course of study (A Level), following the Eduqas Specification detailed below.
Students gain a wide range of language skills during the course through the following topics:
Year 1
- Being a young person in Spanish-speaking society (Families and citizenship, Youth trends and personal identity, Education and employment opportunities).
- Understanding the Spanish-speaking world (Regional culture and heritage in Spain, Spanish-speaking countries and communities, Media, art, film and music in the Spanish-speaking world
Year 2
- Diversity and difference (Migration and integration, Cultural identity and marginalisation, Cultural enrichment and celebrating difference , Discrimination and diversity)
- The two Spains: 1936 onwards (El franquismo, Post-Civil War Spain – historical and political repercussions, Spain – coming to terms with the past).
The course also involves the study of a film (in Year 12) and a literary component (in Year 13). We currently study the film María, llena eres de gracia in Year 12 and the novel Como agua para chocolate in Year 13.
Enrichment Opportunities
Students benefit from a wealth of enrichment opportunities which allow learners to develop their disciplinary knowledge, academic literacy and cultural capital. Mayfield students are encouraged to extend their interest in Spanish by taking part in the following activities and events:
- Trip to the BFI for a foreign film workshop
- Speaking Lessons with Modern Language Assistant
- Spanish Club for Years 7-8
- Spanish Support Club for Years 10-11
- Spanish Cineclub for Years 11-13
- Interschool Spelling Bee
- Anthea Bell Translation Prize
- This is Language Charity Competition (Nutty Tilez)
- Subscription to This is Language for Years 10-13
- Independent language learning using Quizlet
- Independent grammar practice using Spanish Language & Culture (Barbara Kuczun) for Sixth Form.