School not offering Spanish GCSE because it's too hard

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DS has really enjoyed French in Yr 7 and was looking forward to doing Spanish in Yr 9. However, the school have announced they won't be offering it as the new GCSE exam is too difficult and they wouldn't be able to get the children to the required standard in two years.

Anyone else's school doing this?
Are the school being reasonable or is it a cop out?

New GCSE is very like the old O level. Even down to the picture card to tell a story. I personally prefer it to the remembering required for the old one which my year 12 sat. My year 10 knows it's harder but also knows her Spanish will be stronger. It's one of the few changes I like !

It's true that lack of general grammar knowledge isn't a receng thing, but it's still one big thing in the list of difficulties.

Much as I love languages myself, I personally would advise my local secondary to offer only one language. Barely anyone opts for two at GCSE anyway, and the lack of confusion between languages plus the increased curriculum time gained in the one language (as long as it wasn't nabbed for a different subject!) would unquestionably improve results. If you're looking at actual results data rather than broadness of curriculum, it's a no-brainer. You could maybe offer another language as an add-on option for yr 12 and 13 or as a lunch time club.

If DS likes French then encourage him to take French GCSE. If he went on to A-Level French he could still even go on to a Modern Languages degree - with one language at A-Level and one offered at Beginner.

I appreciate it's frustrating when you don't get your pick of subjects, but schools can't cater for every single request.

Eolian - very well put.

We offer 2 for 3 years. But we are huge school

I personally would advise my local secondary to offer only one language

Well, MFL = modern foreign languages. Plural. The problem with only offering one language is you still have to staff it. Only with a potentially smaller field of candidates. I am Spanish with French. I wouldn't consider a job where only French was taught.

Many schools already offering 'A' Level on a twilight basis because of low numbers. University departments are closing. It is a sad state of affairs, particularly post-Brexit.

We have 4 Spanish GCSE classes and 3 French. And one Latin. Just a comp. And 2 Spanish A level and 1 French. Thought that was normal 😳..

We have good GCSE take up but our A level take up is poor. Only usually get people who consider they want to do it as a degree.

mumneedswine you didn't think it was "normal", don't show off.

The obvious answer is you should do as many languages as you can staff and populate with students. You don't get extra credit from taking a moral stance on offering extra languages "just because."

Anyway, schools should start offering Chinese, Arabic and Russian if they want to keep languages relevant and modern.

I did think was normal. Having worked in many state schools. But hey, why not be rude when you can. I'm off to drink more Prossecco with the husband and kids. 🍾🍾

My school (many years ago) offered a "late beginners" course in Spanish - O level in the first year, and A level the second year.

schools should start offering Chinese, Arabic and Russian if they want to keep languages relevant and modern

Teachers? Qualified ones?

WTAF? God forbid exams might actually, you know, be hard and that students really need to work to get a decent grade...

Janeismymiddlename has it.
25% even split across all skills. All exam, no controlled assessments. Return to role play and picture description in speaking. And then grammar, grammar, grammar. You could previously get A with half a brain, good will and a lot of vocal learning. Now you are going to have to genuinely 'get it'.*

Lots of high frequency and spontaneous language, so yes, you have to get it. I wouldn't like to teach a 2 year course with no prior learning, sod the transferable skills, they need to know the language/vocab etc. Spanish verb endings denote the person, like French, but generally the pronoun is ignored.

Spanish is increasingly popular with parents due to holiday destinations, cheap flights blah blag. French is dying out as a choice. My school sees 4 GCSE Spanish groups next year, 2 French (originally one French but the head is being nice) My old school will have one Spanish GCSE group next year, no French. Yes, it's a microshot, but it's representative.

The new GCSE is very similar as someone said to the old AS in terms of content and level. Some of you may remember that I'm re-doing my French A level this year (for shits and giggles) and as a very fluent speaker, it was a challenge! The next paper is tomorrow. Fun, fun.

I've created some papers for my Uear 10 to do as the exam board has provided all of one per tier thus far. I would not want to present them to a child who has not done Spanish up til now. My school offers Fr/Sp equally and I insist that all teachers can offer both to GCSE.

Year

It's more than just the course.
So the HOD is a spanning speaker, what if they end up off ill or on maternity. Then what happens to the exam classes with the main subject specialist off?

Clearly for logistical reasons the head has decided they cannot be in a position to offer Spanish. Why can't it just be accepted that if there was a way to do it, he'd be offering it.

MaQueen

I agree with you to a certain extent, but those taking the new spec haven't been taught at this level as obviously it's all new.
There are people who have worked hard to gain their GCSE only to find that it's got much harder in the time they have been prepared for it.
It's fine for the present y7/8 as they'll be prepared at the new level.

Well said Jane. Not managed to read all posts but I completely echo Jan's sentiments as an MFL Teacher of 12 years with Spanish as my strongest language and French and German as my subsidiaries. Spanish may be grammatically easier in some ways but the new spec is very challenging and difficult to cover in 2 years, despite the talents of the teacher. We have introduced Options from Year 8 now in order to deal with the increased content for the new style GCSE'S.

My dd is at a ss school and they have to choose options in y8 for y9.
They continue with ks3 in y9 though and start GCSE's in y10 like other schools.
Mine drops humanities next year, Y9, in favour of languages where she'll take German, French and Italian the latter studied outside school.
I think schools should do this anyway, disregarding the content or increased workload, children who know what they want to do should be able to specialise before Y10.

Anyway, schools should start offering Chinese, Arabic and Russian if they want to keep languages relevant and modern.

What nonsense. Firstly, why are those languages more relevant? Relevant to what proportion of native English-speaking UK kids? Secondly, what is so 'modern' about Chinese or Arabic? Unless by modern you mean fashionable at the moment in private schools.

As mentioned, most kids find MFL hard. Add a different alphabet into the mix (along with all sorts of very unfamiliar language structures and conventions) and I should think it is well-nigh impossible to get any but the very ablest to a reasonable standard by yr 11. And remember, the vast, vast majority of people only ever use their languages for holidays. Hence the relative usefulness of French and Spanish. Oh and I'm not sure if this is still the case, but there certainly were pretty much no qualified teachers of Chinese in the UK.

I'm teaching myself Japanese atm (for fun). It's fascinating and enjoyable for me. But it's very very difficult (even though I'm an MFL teacher).

I am Spanish with French. I wouldn't consider a job where only French was taught.

I am (was) French with German. I have worked in schools where no German was taught, as few schools offer German any more. I would happily have worked in a school which offered only French only German.

As SMT in a school which requires good results to justify the fees, we spend a significant amount of time looking for examining boards and subjects which are likely to give the best results.

We will continue to offer French as many of our students holiday / ski in France and as such speak it to a high level and boost our MFL average. We're looking to move to Mandarin because it's fashionable. Latin has lost its prestige although tends to be an 'easier' GCSE assuming you have the right teaching staff.

Huh, fashionable languages!

When I was choosing O Levels, it was all about German. Business! Europe! Latin was binned as it was a "dead language". I have never used my A Level German and certainly have never had an opportunity to discuss Der Verlorene Ehre der Katharina Blum with anyone.

Then it was all Japanese. Technology! It's all about the Far East!

Then it was Mandarin. China is the way forward!

Then it was Russian. Such markets!

Then it was Latin again. Sorts the St Wheats from the Bash St Chaffs.

Then Spanish. Soooo useful.

Now it's Portuguese. Brazil's the next big market!

I've told dd to stick to French.

I always thought it was a relatively easy language to learn.

I'm teaching myself Japanese atm (for fun). It's fascinating and enjoyable for me. But it's very very difficult (even though I'm an MFL teacher).

DH worked in Japan for a year and had intensive Japanese lessons before he went. After a week his tutor abandoned all hope of teaching him to read and write Japanese, she concentrated solely on speaking. Any time he needed to read something (like an office memo), he just asked someone to read it aloud. Not ideal, but when you've a limited time and are working whith three different alphabets, you do what you can.