Spanish

Curriculum Intent

At The Eastbourne Academy, learning a foreign language is an integral part of our curriculum intent and vision. We believe that a high-quality language education provides cultural capital and opens doors to other cultures, fostering curiosity and respect. Our language teaching enables students to express themselves in speech and writing, while understanding and responding to authentic sources. By developing confidence and fluency, our students gain the skills needed to communicate for practical purposes and think critically. This not only lays the foundation for learning further languages but equips our students to study and work in other countries, enhancing their future prospects and contributing to the wider economy. By providing our students with a language education, we are helping them to become confident, independent, and well-rounded individuals with a passion for learning, who are equipped to succeed in a global society.

We teach Spanish through KS3 from year 7 to year 9. Spanish is a global language that leads to a wide range of job opportunities. Spanish culture is on the rise and we embrace music, film, and literature in our classes.

Within our team of two, we have a native Spanish speaker and both teach up to KS4. We have a clear understanding of the KS5 courses students may wish to follow in the future so ensure our students are well prepared by the time they leave us. At KS4 students can choose whether they wish to continue Spanish as an open option or EBacc subject.

KS3
Lessons focus on practical topics for visits to Spain, such as ordering a meal, going to the doctor, meeting and greeting, with a strong emphasis on reading, writing, speaking, and listening skills. Pupils use phonics to help with spelling and pronunciation. We also focus on introducing the topics that will be covered in their GCSE class - friends and family, technology, free time, festivals, holidays, lifestyle, jobs, and school. We introduce grammar themes and build on the patterns they learn. All students have access to the course online so can recap topics and vocabulary covered in class.

Our aim is for students to develop the confidence to talk about themselves and their interests in Spanish as they move into KS4.

KS4
The team strongly recommends that students study a language at GCSE, due to the introduction of the EBacc. This will also help with their university application and widen their career opportunities. Students prepare for the AQA GCSE syllabus which assesses four skills; reading, writing, speaking and listening. The course continues to embrace Spanish culture and explore the culture of other Spanish-speaking countries, especially literature and festivals. We encourage the students to listen to music, watch films and TV programmes and clips alongside their formal studies. On leaving us they will have developed the confidence to communicate in Spanish and an understanding of Spanish life and culture.

Enrichment

We have run trips to Barcelona pre-pandemic and intend to offer further trips abroad going forward. We have visited the theatre to watch a flamenco show and held a flamenco workshop in school, which we hope to make an annual event. We have also visited a Spanish tapas restaurant, allowing students to order food and drink in Spanish and taste a variety of typical dishes.