Head of Department: Mr Manuel Capelo mrc@sevenoaksschool.org

The Spanish Department

The Spanish Department is a thriving department within the Modern Languages Faculty. Very large numbers of students study the language to IGCSE and IB, where ab initio, Standard Level, Higher Level and Language A for native speakers courses are on offer.

There are five highly committed and enthusiastic teachers of Spanish as well as two excellent Spanish Assistants for conversation lessons from the University of Zaragoza and Santiago. We are also very fortunate to have two native teachers giving lessons in the Department.

The Spanish Department regularly organises trips to exhibitions in London, meals out in Spanish/Mexican restaurants and cinema and theatre trips. There is also a Spanish music club, ¡Viva España!, which meets once a week, allowing students to learn relevant and contemporary vocabulary through songs on a particular theme. The Department also puts on a play every three or four years – most recently La historia de una escalera was performed to great acclaim. This year we are involved in a production of Bodas de sangre.

We firmly believe in the broader educational value of exchanges and study trips and run a highly successful programme. In Year 10, students can either accompany our long running exchange to Málaga or our study trip to Santiago de Compostela. In the Lower Sixth, we run an exchange with Santiago de Compostela, and a very successful study trip to the beautiful university town of Salamanca.

Year 7
Spanish is not currently offered to students in Year 7.

Year 8
Spanish is offered as a beginners’ course in Year 8. Students learn the basics of vocabulary and grammar with ease, as most have prior studies in French and/or Latin. The emphasis is on speaking Spanish as much as possible in the positive interactive environment of the Spanish classroom. We also have one session per fortnight in the language laboratory.

Year 9
Students are offered Spanish at beginners’ and continuation level in Year 9. There will usually be at least one set of pupils who have no prior knowledge of Spanish. This course forms the basis for the IGCSE course. 

Years 10 & 11
Students of Spanish are prepared for the IGCSE qualification with the CIE examining board. This contains speaking, listening, reading and writing modules. Other resources are also used to complement their learning and to ensure that they reach a very high standard at IGCSE and are well prepared for language learning at IB level.

The Sixth Form
Spanish is offered at Higher, Standard and ab initio Levels in the International Baccalaureate as well as Language A for native speakers. The final exam at each level consists of three elements: an oral, a reading comprehension paper and an essay paper. Students also have to complete a written coursework assessment which is 20% of the final mark. Every student will have access to native teachers either in the formal classroom setting or in weekly conversation lessons with Assistants. The syllabuses are designed to give teachers and students the opportunity to gain a real insight into the culture and society of Spain and the Spanish-speaking world today; as well as providing rigorous instruction in the languages themselves. Teachers are committed to fostering a love of the language and the countries, and many of our students continue their studies of Spanish at university.

Click here to see examination results