Should you pick Spanish at GCSE?
Choosing your GCSE options is an important decision and if you're thinking about taking Spanish, you're probably wondering if it's the right choice for you. While these exams feel like a huge deal and can set you up for your future academic career, please remember that they're not the be-all and end-all of your life (even if it seems that way)!
Let’s explore the advantages and disadvantages of picking Spanish as one of your GCSE options and I’ll try my best to offer insights beyond the basic advice that you might get from school.
Plaza de Cibeles in Madrid, Spain
Do you have a choice?
For some students, particularly those in higher KS3 sets, Spanish may be a compulsory subject. Though I should mention, while schools can strongly recommend subjects, they cannot force you to do specific subjects apart from the core ones.
One factor that drives schools to encourage GCSEs in MFL is the English Baccalaureate (shortened to EBacc). This is a government initiative that promotes a specific combination of GCSEs: English, maths, science, history or geography and a modern foreign language. So within your typical four options, schools might picking one humanities subject and one modern foreign language, leaving the remaining two slots for independent choice.
The pros (las ventajas!)
Here’s the advantages (las ventajas en Español):
One paper done nice and early: A not so commonly mentioned advantage is the timing of the Spanish speaking exam which is typically held in April. This precedes the main GCSE exam period in May/June for your other subjects, allowing you to complete one of the four equally weighted papers (reading, writing, listening and speaking) earlier.
‘Easy’ phonetics: Spanish is often perceived as having simpler pronunciation compared to other languages like French. Its phonetic system is closer to English, featuring fewer silent letters and more consistent sound-spelling correspondences (referred to as SSCs in the new specifications), which makes Spanish easier to learn. If you’re stuck between Spanish and French, I personally would always recommend Spanish! (but of course go with the one you find easier)
Lots of resources: Spanish is a widely studied GCSE subject and it recently passed French as the most common language GCSE. Therefore, there’s lots of resources available to help you and lots of your friends would probably be studying Spanish as well.
Feasibility of starting from scratch: Even without prior study in Key Stage 3, it is entirely possible to begin Spanish for GCSE, so please don’t be put off by this. You may even consider switching language at this stage, so if you did French in KS3, you can still decide to pick Spanish at KS4 if you want to do so.
Cultural immersion opportunities: Many schools offer MFL trips exclusively for language students, which provide an invaluable opportunity for students to apply their linguistic skills in a Spanish-speaking environment.
The cons (las desventajas)
And with pros there’s always cons, so here are the desventajas (disadvantages) of studying Spanish at GCSE:
The challenge: Modern foreign languages are often seen as one of the hardest GCSEs. Spanish requires you to master four distinct skills and grammar can be particularly complex, with tricky concepts like verb conjugation and the difference between ser and estar. The listening and speaking exams can also be particularly difficult for many students who feel disadvantaged compared to native speakers.
Limited parental support: Unlike other subjects, parents who don't speak Spanish can't easily help with revision or homework. This means you may have to rely more on your teacher or other resources, placing more pressure on you to be independent in your learning.
The rise of AI: With AI, Google Translate and even Apple’s live translation features becoming more advanced, you’ll question the value of studying a foreign language. But actually, learning a language offers a deeper understanding of cultural context, nuance and human connection that no app can replicate, while also providing cognitive and professional benefits.
How fluent will you get?
The reality is, without continued study and regular practice after your GCSEs, much of what you learn will be forgotten before you enter a world where it might have been beneficial. A GCSE in Spanish will equip you with a solid foundation of common vocabulary and grammar, but it will not lead you to be able to communicate with native speakers, particularly without substantial speaking practice. Even at A-Level, while you do make significant progress towards a level of fluency, complete mastery is only achieved through even further immersion and study over a longer period of time.
Still stuck? Talk to older students
If you still can’t decide, go talk to students who have already navigated this decision! Ultimately, the decision to pursue GCSE Spanish should be thought out, like with all your GCSE options. I strongly recommend engaging in discussions with your teachers, past students and parents to gather diverse perspectives. Should you have any further questions regarding GCSE Spanish, please do not hesitate to consult your teacher or reach out to me (Mitul) via email!
I hope this blog post has provided a unique perspective to those wondering ‘should you pick Spanish at GCSE’?
