Spanish
We teach Spanish enthusiastically to IGCSE. We extend gifted pupils and encourage them to take exams early. Congratulations to Anouk and Arcadio for their A* in Spanish. Anouk is in Year 10 and Arcadio in Year 9. Both students performed outstandingly in their exams.
Pupils are given the opportunity to travel abroad. We have recently visited Cantabria including the Guggenheim Museum in Bilbao and the vibrant nightlife of Santander.
Currently we have three fluent staff members including a Spanish assistant who is a qualified teacher in Spain. The latter has had a dramatic and excellent impact on the quantity and quality of spoken Spanish particularly at the top end of the school. We have set up links with schools in Spain and South America. We have penpals in Zaragoza and are working towards links with a school in the Galapagos after two pupils from the islands recently studied at the International School.
We embrace old and new technologies in the teaching of Spanish using Yabla! and dynamic kinaesthetic methods in our teaching. Children also subscribe to the Mary Glasgow publications and we encourage film trips including Almodovar for the oldest pupils.
We have frequent international days when we encourage Hispanophone parents to come in. We have made sugar skulls for the Mexican Day of the Dead and danced the Flamenco. We enjoy contests and are participating in a national competition in London. Our play was written by the Spanish Department and features a fast-food witch and pupils bubbling in a cocido – a healthy Spanish stew!
In addition we run Language days where we seek to engage the children through less conventional means. We have made Paella and constructed a Tapas Bar featuring membrillo, manchego, jamon serrano, aceitunas and sangria. The former full blooded and the latter sin alcohol!
We were delighted to win first place in a national Languages Competition in February. Nine year 7 and 8 students travelled to the City of London Freemen’s School to take part in the Love Languages Competition and emerged victorious!
Do watch the short video of the very inventive sketch the children performed in Spanish and French.
Spanish is a dynamic and positive element within the school with excellent results at public examination and massive commitment from both pupils and teachers.
