Spanish A Level
Thomas Rotherham College (TRC)
Moorgate Road, Rotherham, South Yorkshire, S60 2BE
Available start dates
Available start dates
Course Summary
The A level course is designed to follow on naturally from GCSE with equal emphasis placed on each of the four language skills: reading, listening, speaking and writing. You will develop not only your level of Spanish to an advanced standard, but also your knowledge of the society and culture, past and present, of Spain and other Spanish speaking countries.
Spanish is the second most widely spoken language in the world, with more than 400 million speakers. Therefore, the ability to speak and use it will increase your chances of success in a wide range of areas within the world of work. Spanish students regularly go into highly competitive areas such as law, business, management, consultancy, accountancy, international press agencies, the media, the Foreign Office, the performing arts and many others.
Some students also pursue careers that make special use of their language skills ? in travel and tourism, teaching, translating/interpreting.
Course Details
During the course you will explore a wide range of exciting aspects that will help you develop not only your level of Spanish to an advanced standard but also your knowledge of the society and culture, past and present, of Spain and other Spanish speaking countries.
The course will cover themes such as:
(i) Social issues and trends in the Hispanic world - changes in the family unit, attitudes to marriage and divorce, cyberspace, equal rights, multiculturalism, the influence of celebrities,...
(ii) Political and artistic culture in Spain and other Spanish speaking countries – the Spanish festivals and gastronomy, the cultural heritage of the Hispanic world, the Spanish civil war and dictatorship, the monarchy, other dictatorships in the Hispanic world, …
Additionally, the course also gives you the opportunity to learn more about Spain through the study of the works of Pedro Almodóvar (one film – Volver) and Ramón J Sender (a short novel – Réquiem por un campesino español).
Grammar will be an important part of your Spanish studies throughout the whole A level course and you will be able to understand and use the language in a more confident and successful manner as a result.
Study Visits
We offer a study visit to Spain for both first and second year students. Madrid, Barcelona, Seville and Valencia are amongst the places we have visited over the years. Work with students in our partner schools in Spain is a key part of these visits.
The trips/exchange are not compulsory, but they are strongly recommended for improving communication skills and giving you the opportunity to experience Spanish culture and life.
How will it be delivered and assessed?
Listening, reading, writing, translation and speaking skills will all be assessed through three exam papers.
Paper 1 : Listening, Reading and Translation (50% of A level grade)
Paper 2: Writing (20% of the grade)
Paper 3: Speaking (30% of the grade)
Entry requirements
Grade 6 GCSE Spanish.
Applicants with a grade 5, with a proven aptitude in the language, will require and interview with a language teacher.
Grade 4 English Language.
Your next steps...
This course could lead you onto higher education to study Spanish, Languages or more general higher education courses. With further training, you could go into a job requiring a knowledge of Spanish or Languages such as a Teacher, Translator, Hotel Manager, Foreign Affairs Journalist, or you may wish to use your Spanish to study or work over in Spain, especially in the tourism sector.
For more courses like this, check our courses page.
