Why do we learn Spanish?
Spanish is spoken by at least an estimated 350 million people around the world and is currently the 4th most commonly spoken language worldwide. As the Hispanic population rapidly increases, and with superb geographical positioning, learning Spanish opens up many exciting travel and work opportunities to continents such as Central and South America. Languages are valued everywhere: on your CV, when you travel, when you aspire for further studies. The particularity of languages is that both rigour and creativity are combined. By choosing to study a language, you will develop a very high standard of key skills and characteristics such as organisation, team work, confidence, independence, creativity, adaptability, resilience and open mindedness.
Head of Department
Ms C Simonnet-Balchin (maternity leave)
Our approach
Working up the courage to say just one phrase can be nerve racking but really builds confidence and resilience. We believe that all students benefit from exposure to a Modern Foreign Language. The acquisition of a new language is in itself highly valued, but importantly it also provides insight into other cultures. Language learning promotes curiosity and greater awareness in our students, making for more open-minded citizens who can better reflect on their own first language and the country they live in. Practically, in lessons we learn a range of transferable skills alongside the language itself.
Courageous
In the MFL classroom we consistently emphasise that it is OK to make mistakes and aim to increase resilience. This open environment allows students to grow in confidence and be their best self. Speaking out in front of the class is encouraged but we acknowledge that it can be intimidating and requires students to be brave. We also provide learners with opportunities to practise on mini-whiteboards; allowing for mistakes to be easily corrected. With skilled linguists in the department, we endeavour to challenge our students by using the target language effectively. It is also one of our department aims to encourage students to use the target language with each other through engaging pair and group work. Both elements of using the target language ensure that students are hearing authentic language each time they are in, and also outside the MFL classroom.
Compassionate
Alongside the structures and grammar, each topic contains references to Francophone and Hispanic culture from year 7 to 13. By learning about language and other cultures, we hope students will also increase their awareness of the world around them. In A Level lessons, for example, we encourage academic discussion and independent research on the history, literature, cinema, economics and social issues. We believe any opportunity to interpret the ever-changing world in which we live promotes adaptability and will help students to be successful in both their career and personal choices. Our curriculum demonstrates that with the correct planning and scaffolding, it is perfectly possible to tackle thought provoking questions at KS3 such as colonisation in Latin America or laïcité in France.
Community
Every short term, the whole school community will be invited to participate in our MFL competition. We want students to get stuck in and also have fun with languages outside of the classroom. Each competition crosses over into a different domain or subject (art, cooking, humanities, creative writing, etc.) to reinforce the cross-curricular nature of language study and cater for all our students’ interests and skill sets. For European Day of Languages, the whole school will get involved to celebrate the wealth of languages spoken at our school. Native speakers are supported by the department in gaining a qualification in their home language and are encouraged to share their knowledge with classmates. For example, through the languages club which provides opportunities for students to show independence and leadership.
Empowering Excellence
To improve student fluency and accuracy, we wish to focus on embedding structures and chunks of language rather than list after list of topical vocabulary. Students will practise and drill a set of new structures at length with increased attention to phonics and pronunciation so that they have the knowledge and confidence to communicate in the language they are learning. The curriculum plans for opportunities to routinely recycle and revisit these key structures within different contexts and topics. We are committed to monitoring student work to ensure excellent progress. We use the new Education Perfect platform, mastery quizzes and exit tickets as lesson to lesson data to inform our teaching. We provide effective fast feedback and students will be allocated time within lessons to reflect on the learning points that apply to them, before redrafting a section of their work. Our curriculum maps and careful planning as a department enables students right from Year 7 to make rapid progress towards their GCSE. We strive to maintain our exceptional high outcomes and are proud of our students’ success.
Year 7
| Autumn 1 | Autumn 2 |
|---|---|
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Theme of Term MODULE 1: MY LIFE |
Theme of Term MODULE 2: MY FREE TIME |
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Unit 1: What is your name? • Introducing yourself in Spanish. Unit 2: What type of person are you? • Describing your character in Spanish. • Using adjectives that end in –o/-a. Unit 3: Do you have siblings? • Talking about brothers and sister. Unit 4: When is your birthday? • Numbers up to 31 • Learning the months of the year in Spanish. Unit 5: Do you have pet? • Learning how to talk about pets. • Making adjectives agree with nouns. • Learning colours in Spanish. Unit 6: Como soy • Writing about yourself. • Describe your character and physical appearance. |
Unit 1: What do you like to do? • Saying what you like to do. • Giving opinions using ‘gustar’ + the infinitive. Unit 2: Do you sing Karaoke? • Saying what you do in your spare time. • Using –ar verbs in the present tense. REVISION ASSESSMENTS AND FEEDBACK Unit 3: What do you do when it rains? • Using ‘cuando’ (when) • Talking about the weather. Unit 4: What sports do you do? • Saying what sports you do. • Using the verbs ‘hacer’ (to do) and ‘jugar’ (to play). Unit 5: Are you a fan? • Talking about other people’s favourite things. • Understanding more challenging texts. Unit 6: What do you do in your free time? • Talking about free time activities. REVISION MODULES 1 & 2 |
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Skills taught: • Writing: how to add variety to written work. |
Skills taught: • Reading: how to understand more challenging texts using near cognates, near cognates, context and prediction. • Speaking: How to use and respond to question words. |
| Spring 1 | Spring 2 |
|---|---|
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Theme of Term MODULE 3: MY SCHOOL |
Theme of Term MODULE 4: MY FAMILY AND FRIENDS |
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Unit 1: What do you study? • Saying what subjects you study. • Using –ar verbs to say what ‘we’ do. Unit 2: Do you like science? • Giving opinions about school subjects. • Using me gusta/n • Using the definite articles (le, la, los, las). Unit 3: What is in your school? • Describing your school. • Using the correct for ‘a’, ‘some’ and ‘the’. Unit 4: During break time. • Talking about what you do during break. • Using –er and –ir verbs. Unit 5: Do you like your school? • Learning about different school subjects in Spanish and giving your opinion. Unit 6: What is your school like? • Learning to use different adjectives to describe teachers. • Talking about what you do in school. REVISION OF MODULES 1, 2 & 3 |
REVISION ASSESSMENTS & FEEDBACK Unit 1: How many people are there in your family? • Describing your family. • Using possessive adjectives. Unit 2: What colour are your eyes? • Describing your hair and eye colour. • Using the verbs ‘ser’ and ‘tener’. Unit 3: What do they look like? • Saying what other people look like. • Using verbs in the third person. Unit 4: What is your house or flat like? • Describing where you live. • Using the verb ‘estar’ (to be). Unit 5: The carnival with family. • Learning about the carnival in Cadiz. • Looking up new Spanish words in the dictionary. Unit 6: Self-portrait • Creating a video about yourself • Planning and giving a presentation. |
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Skills taught: • Writing longer texts. • How to check your work for accuracy. |
| Summer 1 | Summer 2 |
|---|---|
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Theme of Term MODULE 5: MY CITY |
Theme of Term MODULE 5: MY CITY |
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Unit 5: The carnival with family. • Learning about the carnival in Cadiz. • Looking up new Spanish words in the dictionary. Unit 6: Self-portrait • Creating a video about yourself • Planning and giving a presentation. REVISION Unit 1: What is there in your city? • Describing your town or village. • Using ‘a’, ‘some’ and ‘many’ in Spanish. Unit 2: What do you do in your city? • Telling the time • Using the verb ‘ir’ (to go) Unit 3: In the café • Ordering in the café. • Using the verb ‘querer’ (to want) |
Unit 4: What are you going to do? • Saying what you are going to do at the weekend. • Using the near future tense. REVISION ASSESSMENTS & FEEDBACK Unit 5: Do you like your city? • Understanding people describing their town. • Listening for detail Unit 6: My life in Habana • Writing a blog about your town and activities • Using two tenses together REVISION OF MODULES 1, 2, 3, 4 & 5 |
All Year 7 subjects Next Year 7 Subject - Physical Education
Year 8
| Autumn 1 | Autumn 2 |
|---|---|
| MODULE 1: MY HOLIDAYS | MODULE 2: ALL ABOUT MY LIFE |
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Unit 1: Holidays • Talking about a past holiday. • Using the preterit form of the verb ‘ir’ (to go). Unit 2: What did you do? • Saying what you did on holiday. • Using the preterit of regular –ar verbs. Unit 3: The last day • Describing the last day of your holiday. • Using the preterit of – er and –ir verbs. Unit 4: How was your holiday? • Saying what your holiday was like. • Using the preterit the verb ‘ser’ (to be). Unit 5: Last summer • Giving a presentation about your holiday. • Learning how to make your sentences interesting. Unit 6: Holidays! • Describing an amazing holiday. • Using the present and preterit tenses together. |
Unit 1: My life, my phone • Saying what you use your phone for. • Revising the present tense. Unit 2: What type of music do you life? • Talking about your music preferences. • Giving a range of opinions. Unit 3: I like comedies • Talking about television • Using the comparative. Unit 4: What did you do yesterday? • Talking about what you did yesterday. • Using the preterit and present tenses, Unit 5: My guide • Understanding a TV guide • Using authentic texts |
| Spring 1 | Spring 2 |
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| MODULE 3: TUCK IN! | MODULE 4: WHAT SHALL WE DO? |
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Unit 1: What do you like to eat? • Saying what foods you like. • Using a wider range of opinions. Unit 2: What do you have for breakfast? • Talking about mealtimes. • Using negatives Unit 3: In the restaurant • Ordering a meal • Using usted/ustedes (formal ‘you’ in Spanish) Unit 4: What are you going to buy? • Discussing what food to buy for a party. • Using the near future tense. Unit 5: Party! • Giving an account of a party. • Using three tenses together. Unit 6: What do you think? • Developing strategies for speaking in Spanish • Responding to questions. |
REVISION OF MODULES 1,2 & 3. Unit 1: Would you like to go to the cinema? • Making arrangements to go out. • Using ‘me gustaría’ (I would like to) + infinitive. Unit 2: I am sorry, I am not able to. • Making excuses • Using the verbs ‘querer’ (to want) and ‘poder’ (to be able to) Unit 3: How do you get ready? • Discussing getting ready to go out. • Using reflexive verbs. |
| Summer 1 | Summer 2 |
|---|---|
| MODULE 5: OPERATION HOLIDAY! | My home |
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Unit 4: What are you going to wear? • Talking about clothing. • Using ‘these’ and ‘this’ Unit 5: Match • Talking about sporting events • Using three tenses. Unit 6: Fancy dress dance • Describing a fancy dress outfit • Dictionary skills REVISION Unit 1: Which house do you prefer: • Describing a holiday home. • Discovering more about the comparative. |
Unit 2: What are you able to do in....? • Describing holiday activities. • Using the superlative EXAMS AND FEEDBACK Unit 3: Where is it? • Asking for directions. • Using the imperative. Unit 4: Summer camps • Talking about summer camps. • Learning more about using three tenses. Unit 5: Destinations! • Describing a world trip. • Tackling challenging listening |
All Year 8 subjects Next Year 8 Subject - Physical Education
Year 9
| Autumn 1 | Autumn 2 |
|---|---|
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Theme: Local area, holiday and travel MODULE 1 – Disconnect! |
Theme: School MODULE 1 contd – Disconnect! |
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Starting point: • Discussing holidays and weather. • Revising the present and preterite tenses. Unit 1: What do you do in summer? • Saying what you do in summer. • Using the present tense. • Listening to identify the person of the verb. Unit 2: How do you prefer to spend the holidays? • Talking about holiday preferences. • Using verbs of opinion to refer to different people. • Understanding percentages. RECAP ON GUSTAR & PRESENT TENSE Unit 3: Destination Barcelona! • Saying what you did on holiday. • Using the preterite tense. • Using different structures to give opinions. RECAP ON REGULAR AND IRREGULAR PRETERITE TENSE. |
Unit 4: How was it? • Describing where you stayed. • Using the imperfect tense. • Working out the meaning of new words. Unit 5: I would like to reserve... • Booking accommodation and dealing with problems. • Using verbs with usted. • Using questions to form answers. EXAMS AND FEEDBACK Unit 6: My disastrous holidays. • Giving an account of a holiday in the past. • Using three tenses together. • Identifying positive and negative opinions. MODULE 1 REVISION Starting point 1: My life in school. • Giving opinions about school subjects. • Describing school facilities. Starting point 2: School life. • Describing school uniform and the school day. • Using adjectives. |
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Skills taught: Grammar skills Exam skills |
| Spring 1 | Spring 2 |
|---|---|
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Theme: School MODULE 2 – My life in school |
Theme: Identity and culture MODULE 3: My people |
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Unit 1: How are your studies? • Talking about school subjects and teachers. • Using comparatives and superlatives. • Justifying opinions and using a range of opinions. Unit 2: My new school • Describing your school • Using negatives • Comparing then and now. Unit 3: It is prohibited • Talking about school rules and problems. • Using phrases followed by the infinitive. • Tackling harder listening exercises. Unit 4: Destination Zaragoza! • Talking about plans for a school exchange. • Using the near future. • Asking and answering questions. Unit 5: My clubs and my achievements. • Talking about activities and achievements. • Using object pronouns. • Saying how long you have been doing something. RECAP ON NEAR FUTURE TENSE |
REVISION AND EXAMS MODULE 1 & 2 REVISION Starting point: My people • Talking about socialising and family. • Using verbs in the present tense. RECAP ON PRESENT, PAST & FUTURE TENSES. Starting point 2: My people • Describing people • Using adjectival agreement. |
| Summer 1 | Summer 2 |
|---|---|
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Theme: Identity and culture MODULE 3 CONT.. |
Theme: Identity and Culture MODULE 3 CONT.. |
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Unit: 1 My favourite applications. • Talking about social networks. • Using para with infinitives. • Extending responses by referring to others. GRAMMAR – PRESENT CONTINUOUS TENSE Unit 2: What are you doing? • Making arrangement • Recap on using the present continuous tense. • Improvising dialogues. Unit 3: Reading is a pleasure. • Talking about reading preferences. • Using a range of connectives. • Recognising similar ideas expressed differently. Unit 4: Portraits • Describing people • Using ‘ser’ and ‘estar’. • Understanding more detailed descriptions. |
Unit 5: Relations • Talking about friends and family. • Using a range of relationship verbs. • Referring to the present and the past. EXAMS AND FEEDBACK MODULE 3 REVISION – CLOSING THE GAP MODULES 1, 2 & 3 REVISION – CLOSING THE GAP |
All Year 9 subjects Next Year 9 Subject - Physical Education
Year 10
| Autumn 1 | Autumn 2 |
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| Theme: Identity and culture Module 4: Interests and Influences | Theme: Identity and culture MODULE 4: INTERESTS AND INFLUENCES |
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Starting Point 1: free time activities • Talking about free time activities. • Using stem-changing verbs Starting point 2: TV and films • Talking about TV programmes and films. • Using adjectives of nationality. Unit 1: What do you tend to do? • Talking about what you usually do. • Using ‘soler’ (to tend to) + the infinitive. • Identifying correct statements about a text. Unit 2: Sports fan! • Talking about sports • Using the imperfect tense to say what you used to do. • Listening for different tenses. Unit 3: Trending topics • Talking about what is trending. • Using the perfect tense. • Using words which have more than one meaning. RECAP ON PRESENT PERFECT TENSE |
Unit 4: Live • Discussing different types of entertainment. • Using ‘algunos’, ‘ciertas’, ‘otros’, ‘muchos’, ‘desmasiado’, ‘todos’. • Adapting a model dialogue to fit different situations. Unit 5: Models to follow • Talking about who inspires you. • Using a range of past tenses. • Talking about dates. EXAMS AND FEEDBACK CULTURE: SPANISH SPEAKERS’ ROLE MODELS MODULE 4 REVISION MODULES 1, 2, 3 & 4 REVISION – CLOSING THE GAPS Unit 5: Describing community projects • using 3 tenses together • describing community projects |
| Spring 1 | Spring 2 |
|---|---|
| Theme 2 Local area, holiday & travel, identity and culture MODULE 5: CITIES | Theme: Identity and culture MODULE 5 CONT.. |
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Starting point 1: • Talking about places in a town. • Asking for and understanding direction. Starting point 2: • Talking about shops • Shopping for souvenirs Unit 1: What is your area like? • Describing the features of a region. • Using ‘se puede’ and ‘se pueden’. • Asking and responding to questions. Unit 2: What are we doing tomorrow? • Planning what to do. • Using the future tense. • Understanding the geography of Spain. Unit 3: Shopping • Shopping for clothes and presents. • Using demonstrative adjectives. • Explaining preferences. RECAP ON THE FUTURE TENSE |
REVISION OF MODULES 4 & 5 Unit 4: The pros and cons of the city • Talking about problems in a town. • Using the conditional tense. • Using synonyms and antonyms. Unit 5: Destination Arequipa • Describing a visit in the past. • Using different tenses together. • Recognising and using idioms. MODULE 5 REVISION MODULES 1, 2, 3, 4 & 5 REVISION – CLOSING THE GAP |
| Summer 1 | Summer 2 |
|---|---|
| Theme: Identity and culture MODULE 6: CUSTOMS | Theme: Identity and culture MODULE 6 CONT... |
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Starting point 1: • Describing mealtimes • Talking about daily routines. Starting point 2: • Talking about illnesses and injuries. • Asking for help in the pharmacy. Unit 1: Flavours of the world • Talking about typical foods. • Using the passive. • Spotting words which indicate increase/decrease. Unit 2: Party! • Comparing different festivals. • Avoiding the passive • Paying attention to question words. Unit 3: A special day • Describing a special day. • Using reflexive verbs in the preterite • Inferring meaning in literary texts. |
Unit: 4: Tuck in! • Ordering in a restaurant • Using absolute superlatives • Spotting irregular verb patterns in the preterite. EXAMS AND FEEDBACK Unit 5: Music festival • Talking about a music festival • Using expressions followed by the infinitive • Adding interest when narrating a story MODULE 6 REVISION MODULES 1, 2, 3, 4, 5 & 6 REVISION – CLOSING THE GAP MODULES 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, & 6 REVISION – CLOSING THE GAP |
All Year 10 subjects Next Year 10 Subject - Physical Education
Year 11
| Autumn 1 | Autumn 2 |
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Theme: Future aspirations, study and work MODULE 7: WORK |
Theme: Future aspirations, work and study MODULE 8: TOWARDS A BETTER WORLD |
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Starting point: • Talking about different jobs • Discussing job preferences Unit 1: What do you do to earn money? • Talking about how you earn money • Using ‘soler’ in the imperfect tense • Using verbs in different forms Unit 2: Work experience • Talking about work experiences • Using the preterite tense and imperfect tenses together • Using alternatives to ‘and’ Unit 3: Why learn languages? • Talking about the importance of learning languages • Using the present tense and the present continuous • Using ‘saber’ and ‘conocer’ Unit 4: Applying for a job • Applying for a summer job • Using indirect object pronouns • Writing a formal letter Unit 5: Gap year • Discussing gap years • Revising the conditional • Using the 24 hour clock |
Unit 6: El futuro • Discussing plans for the future • Using the subjunctive • Using different ways to express future plans MODULE 7 REVISION EXAMS Staring point 1: • Describing types of houses • Talking about past events Starting point 2: • Talking about healthy eating • Discussing diet-related problems Unit 1: Think globally • Considering global issues • Using the present subjunctive • Listening for high numbers Unit 2: Take local action • Talking about local actions • Using the subjunctive in commands • Presenting a written argument |
| Spring 1 | Spring 2 |
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| Theme: International and global dimensions / Revision | Revision |
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Unit 3: To live to the full • Discussing healthy lifestyles • Understanding different tenses • Giving extended reasons Unit 4: Sports unite us! • Talking about international sporting events • Using the pluperfect tense • Explaining your point of view Unit 5: Sign up! • Talking about natural disasters • Using the imperfect continuous • Using grammar knowledge in translation. MODULE 8 REVISION MODULE 1 REVISION MODULE 2 REVISION |
EXAMS AND FEEDBACK EXAMS AND FEEDBACK MODULE 3 REVISION/EXAM SKILLS – CLOSING THE GAP MODULE 4 REVISION/EXAM SKILLS – CLOSING THE GAP MODULE 5 REVISION/EXAM REVISION – CLOSING THE GAP MODULE 6 REVISION/EXAM SKILLS – CLOSING THE GAP |
| Summer 1 | Summer 2 |
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| Revision | Revision |
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EXAMS AND FEEDBACK EXAMS AND FEEDBACK MODULE 3 REVISION/EXAM SKILLS – CLOSING THE GAP MODULE 4 REVISION/EXAM SKILLS – CLOSING THE GAP MODULE 5 REVISION/EXAM REVISION – CLOSING THE GAP MODULE 6 REVISION/EXAM SKILLS – CLOSING THE GAP |
REVISION OF ALL MODULES AND THEMES EXAM SKILLS CLOSING THE GAP |
All Year 11 subjects Next Year 11 Subject - Physical Education
Year 12
| Autumn 1 | Autumn 2 |
|---|---|
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The evolution of Spanish society Topics 1 & 2 |
Changes in Spanish Society Topic 2 & 3 |
REVISION ASSESSMENTS |
Film Study – Volver
Unit 3: The impact of tourism in Spain
REVISION ASSESSMENTS |
| Spring 1 | Spring 2 |
|---|---|
| Culture in the Spanish speaking world | Culture in the Spanish speaking world |
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Film Study – Volver Unit 4: Music
REVISION ASSESSMENTS |
Film Study – Volver Unit 5: Mass Media
REVISION ASSESSMENT |
| Summer 1 | Summer 2 |
|---|---|
| Culture in the Spanish speaking world | Theme 1 & 2: The evolution of Spanish society & Culture in the Spanish speaking world |
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Film Study – Volver Unit 6: The role of customs and traditions
REVISION ASSESSMENT |
REVISION THEME 1 REVISION THEME 2 REVISION VOLVER MOCKS FEEDBACK |
All Year 12 subjects Next Year 12 Subject - Physical Education
Year 13
| Autumn 1 | Autumn 2 |
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IMMIGRATION AND THE SPANISH MULTICULTURAL SOCIETY |
IMMIGRATION AND THE SPANISH MULTICULTURAL SOCIETY |
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Topic 7 – the positive impact of immigration on Spanish society
Topic 8 – The challenges of immigration and of integration in Spain
REVISION ASSESSMENTS Literature book study – La Casa de Bernarda Alba |
Literature book study – La Casa de Bernarda Alba ASSESSMENTS Topic 9 – the public reaction to immigration and its social impact
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| Spring 1 | Spring 2 |
|---|---|
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RESEARCH PROJECT & PRESENTATION THE CIVIL WAR AND THE RISE OF FRANCO |
THE CIVIL WAR AND THE RISE OF FRANCO |
Topic 10 – the Spanish Civil war and the rise of Franco
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Topic 11 – The francoist dictatorship
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| Summer 1 | Summer 2 |
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| THE CIVIL WAR AND THE RISE OF FRANCO | REVISION OF THEMES: IMMIGRATION AND THE SPANISH MULTICULTURAL SOCIETY & THE CIVIL WAR AND THE RISE OF FRANCO |
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Topic 12 – The step from dictatorship to democracy
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REVISION OF THEMES
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All Year 13 subjects Next Year 13 Subject - Physical Education