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Published January 15, 2025

Is A Level Spanish Hard?

By Imogen Beech
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Is A Level Spanish hard?

Studying a language at A Level can be incredibly enriching. But if you’re currently picking your A Level options, you’re probably wondering about the difficulty level.

So, is A Level Spanish hard?

Well, it’s not exactly a walk in the park. But with determination, hard work and the right support, there’s no reason why you can’t ace it. Here’s all you need to know.

Psst! Finding an A Level Spanish tutor is a great way to help you handle the jump up from GCSE to A Level and reach your full potential in the exams.

What is A Level Spanish like?

A Level Spanish is a course that will see you building on the language skills you’ve already developed at GCSE.

You’ll broaden your vocabulary significantly and will learn to use advanced grammatical structures.

However, as well as continuing your studies of the Spanish language, you’ll also need to develop an understanding of Spanish culture, literature and society.

You’ll explore a range of contemporary social issues, artistic culture in the Hispanic world and even aspects of political life. Plus, a significant part of the course will see you studying Spanish literary texts and/or films, analysing them critically and presenting your own arguments and opinions on them.

With this in mind, studying Spanish at A Level can be a fantastic way to not just enhance your linguistic proficiency, but also to learn about and immerse yourself in a different culture.

Is Spanish A Level hard?

Yes, Spanish A Level is a big jump up from GCSE.

You’ll need to build on the foundational skills you already have to develop a high level of linguistic proficiency.

This not only means extending your vocabulary and using advanced grammatical structures. It also means being able to think critically about Hispanic culture and society – presenting your arguments coherently in Spanish.

So, there’s a lot to think about!

That said, pass rates for A Level Spanish are actually slightly higher than average – and there tends to be a higher proportion of top grades too.

In 2024, a whopping 37% of students got a grade A or above in A Level Spanish (according to FFT Education Datalab) – compared to just 27.8% across all subjects.

This suggests that, with hard work, determination and the right support, there’s every opportunity to do well.

Here’s how grades were distributed in 2024, compared to the average across all subjects.

Grade E or aboveGrade C or aboveGrade A or aboveGrade A*
Spanish98.8%84.7%37%10.9%
All subjects97.2%76.4%27.8%9.3%

Head over to our dedicated guide to learn more about what a pass is at A Level.

How hard is Spanish A Level?

It’s impossible to say for sure exactly how hard you’d find A Level Spanish.

After all, every student is different. So, it’ll depend on lots of different factors, like your strengths, weaknesses, learning style and work ethic.

That said, there are some aspects of the course that students tend to find particularly difficult.

Linguistic proficiency

A Level Spanish requires a big jump up in linguistic proficiency from GCSE.

You’ll need a much broader vocabulary and to become comfortable using advanced grammatical structures. Plus, you’ll need to demonstrate your skills across listening, reading, speaking and writing. 

Quantity of learning

As well as sharpening your linguistic skills, you’ll also need to immerse yourself in Spanish culture.

You’ll cover a diverse range of topics – from Spanish literature and films to contemporary social issues and multiculturalism in Hispanic society. Together with the linguistic aspects of the course, this can be a lot to manage.

Analytical skills

As a Spanish A Level student, you’ll need to develop strong analytical skills.

You’ll be asked to write critically about the concepts, issues and features of Spanish texts and films, analysing things like the concepts and issues they cover, as well as features like form.

Essay writing skills

Strong writing skills are essential when it comes to acing the Spanish A Level exams. 

And we don’t just mean the ability to write well in Spanish. We also mean the ability to structure a coherent argument in essay form, presenting and defending your arguments clearly and showing that you understand other points of view.

Independent study

You’ll need to be able to commit to a significant amount of independent study to succeed in A Level Spanish.

Not only does cementing your language skills require a big time commitment outside the classroom but, depending on your exam board, you may also need to carry out your own independent research project which you’ll discuss in your speaking exam.

Time management

Spanish A Level involves juggling a lot of plates. You’ll need to divide your time appropriately between practising your language skills, refreshing your knowledge of Spanish culture and learning your chosen texts or films inside out.

Plus, you’ll need to make sure you’re prepared for all the different elements you’ll be assessed on – listening, reading, speaking and writing. This all requires excellent time management skills!

A Level Spanish student

About the Spanish A Level course

So, now you know what skills you’ll need to succeed in this subject. But what exactly does the Spanish A Level course look like? 

Here’s what you can expect at a glance.

A Level Spanish syllabus

The Spanish A Level syllabus will look slightly different depending on your school or college and its chosen exam board.

However, to give you an idea, here are the A Level Spanish topics covered by the exam board AQA.

  • Social issues and trends
    • Aspects of Hispanic society
    • Multiculturalism in Hispanic society
  • Political and artistic culture
    • Artistic culture in the Hispanic world
    • Aspects of political life in the Hispanic world
  • Grammar
    • Nouns
    • Articles
    • Adjectives
    • Numerals
    • Adverbs
    • Quantifiers/intensifiers
    • Pronouns
    • Verbs
    • Prepositions
    • Conjunctions
    • Negation
    • Questions
    • Commands
    • Word order
    • Other constructions
    • Discourse markers
    • Fillers
  • Works
    • Literary texts and films
  • Individual research project

A Level Spanish assessment objectives

Every exam board has to assess A Level Spanish students on the following assessment objectives (AOs).

  • AO1: Understand and respond:
    • in speech to spoken language including face-to-face interaction
    • in writing to spoken language drawn from a variety of sources.
  • AO2: Understand and respond:
    • in speech to written language drawn from a variety of sources
    • in writing to written language drawn from a variety of sources.
  • AO3: Manipulate the language accurately, in spoken and written forms, using a range of lexis and structure.
  • AO4: Show knowledge and understanding of, and respond critically and analytically to, different aspects of the culture and society of countries/communities where the language is spoken.

A Level Spanish exam papers

Each exam board will work a bit differently. 

However, regardless of which exam board you’re with, you’ll be assessed on a range of different aspects, including reading, writing, listening and speaking.

For instance, AQA will examine you via three papers.

  • Paper 1: Listening, reading and writing (50% of A Level)
  • Paper 2: Writing (20% of A Level)
  • Paper 3: Speaking (30% of A Level)

Is Spanish a good A Level to have?

Yes! Spanish can be a fantastic A Level to have.

Although The Guardian reports that languages are falling out of favour among A Level students, Spanish is the most popular A Level language in schools across England (according to the British Council).

Perhaps this shouldn’t come as a surprise.

After all, Spanish is the the second most spoken language globally.

This means it can be hugely useful for international travel and business.

Plus, studying the language can help you to develop a host of useful skills – including critical thinking, analytical skills and communication.

With all this in mind, A Level Spanish is highly regarded by both universities and employers – potentially opening up doors to all sorts of different careers, such as tourism, education, diplomacy and international business.

Ultimately, for the right student, Spanish can be an engaging and enriching A Level that will stand you in good stead throughout your life.

A Level Spanish class

A Level Spanish revision guide

Spanish can be a challenging subject. But with the right approach to revision, there’s no reason you can’t ace it.

Here’s a concise A Level Spanish revision guide with our top tips and tricks.

1. Know what to expect

First things first, it’s important to know exactly what to expect in your A Level Spanish exams.

This way, you can make sure to cover every element in your preparation. 

Plus, you can lower your exam stress knowing that there won’t be any unexpected surprises on the big day.

Each exam board will work a bit differently. 

However, regardless of which exam board you’re with, you’ll be assessed on a range of different aspects, including reading, writing, listening and speaking.

2. Start early

It’s never too early to start your A Level Spanish revision. In fact, the earlier you start the better!

Don’t forget, you’ll have a lot of different elements to learn and practise – including various topics and texts, as well as speaking, reading, writing and listening.

We always recommend you start your A Level Spanish revision at the start of your second year of study (A Level Spanish is a two-year course).

That way, you can pace yourself and spread your learning out over the course of the year – rather than panicking when your exams are around the corner.

3. Commit to learning A Level Spanish vocabulary and phrases

On the subject of starting early, broadening your range of vocab is key to succeeding in A Level Spanish.

Sometimes, misunderstanding a key piece of vocab can even be an obstacle to success in whole sections of papers.

Ulimately, the more vocabulary and phrases you have under your belt, the better.

There’s no official A Level Spanish vocabulary list where you can learn everything on it and know that nothing else will come up.

Rather, your best bet is to keep your own list and add to it every time you come across a new word or phrase – whether that’s in class, in past papers or in ‘unofficial’ vocab lists online.

Of course, you’ll never learn every word in the Spanish language – that would take years! 

But by starting early, you can broaden your vocab as much as possible and make sure you have all bases covered in relation to the topics that could come up in your A Level Spanish exam papers.

4. Hone your A Level Spanish grammar

Wrapping your head around Spanish grammar and knowing how to use it is key to Spanish A Level success.

Not only is your ability to manipulate the language accurately an assessment objective in itself, but it’s also crucial to your understanding and responses in every paper.

Go over all your grammar notes to make sure you fully understand everything you’ve covered in class.

And make sure you regularly put what you’ve learned into practice, to keep it fresh in your mind.

There are lots of A Level Spanish resources you can go to to get further explanations and practise with grammar revision – including:

5. Practise your A Level Spanish speaking

A significant proportion of your A Level Spanish grade will come down to your speaking exam.

But it can be hard to get speaking practice!

As well as studying, make sure to spend as much time as possible actually speaking the language. You could form a study group to chat in Spanish with your peers. Or have a go chatting to a friend or relative who’s studied the language in the past.

Better yet, see if you can find a native speaker to speak with.

We have a whole host of approved A Level Spanish tutors who are also native speakers to choose from on our platform.

Why not book in a few sessions to get that valuable practice under your belt? Which brings us onto…

6. Ask for A Level Spanish help

Although your college or sixth form will prepare you for the A Level Spanish exams, nothing beats one-to-one attention.

An A Level Spanish tutor is an experienced professional who’ll know how to help you fulfil your potential.

Many are native speakers, and you can find tutors who are trained teachers and examiners too!

Your tutor will create tailored lesson plans that take into account your strengths, weaknesses and learning style – and give you valuable speaking and listening practice.

In this way, they’ll help to prepare you fully for the exams and will be able to guide you to the best marks possible. 

In fact, 90% of Tutorful students improve by at least one grade!

Online A Level Spanish tutor
Register and receive £25 credit towards your first lesson.

Browse expert, vetted tutors, message free, and book instantly.

7. Make use of Spanish A Level past papers

A Level Spanish past papers are an invaluable tool to help you prepare for your exams.

Not only will they familiarise you with the types of questions you might come across in the real thing. 

But when you answer them under timed conditions, they’re also an opportunity to practise managing your time and dealing with exam pressure – which can boost your confidence and reduce exam fear when the big day rolls around.

Just bear in mind that marking your own essay answers can be a challenge.

That’s why we’d always recommend getting a teacher or tutor to mark your practice papers for you. This will give you a real understanding of the areas you need to work on most before the real thing.

8. Immerse yourself in the culture

Remember that Spanish is a living language. That means you don’t just have to study it out of a textbook! 

Instead, you can immerse yourself in the language and culture in all sorts of different ways.

For instance, you could…

  • Read a Spanish newspaper
  • Listen to the Spanish news
  • Listen to Spanish music
  • Watch Spanish TV programmes or films

While this shouldn’t replace your formal revision, it can be a great way to supplement it. 

You’ll gain a broader understanding of Spanish culture and society – as well as picking up new vocab and phrases. You’ll even solidify your understanding of Spanish grammar in the process!

9. Know your A Level Spanish texts and films inside out

A significant part of the Spanish A Level course will involve studying texts – or a text and a film.

Whichever works your school or college decides to focus on, you’ll need to be able to answer in-depth questions on them in your writing exam. So, it’s important to know them back to front.

This includes being confident answering questions on the concepts and issues covered – as well as features like the form and technique of presentation (such as the effect of narrative voice in a prose text or camera work in a film).

Remember, you’ll need to answer these questions in Spanish.

So, as well as working on your familiarity with the literature and films, be sure to learn any related vocab and key A Level Spanish essay phrases to help you present and defend your arguments clearly.

10. Manage your time

Effective time management is key when it comes to succeeding in this course – both during your revision and in the exam room.

Firstly, make sure to take the time to create an effective revision timetable that gives a fair weighting to all the different papers, topics and skills you’ll need to work on.

And secondly, remember to keep your eye on the clock in the exam room.

In particular, the listening, reading and writing paper for AQA (and equivalent papers for other exam boards) will require you to divide your time appropriately between all the different sections of the exam – listening and responding; reading and responding; and translation into both Spanish and English.

The last thing you want is to rush at the end or even fail to complete the whole paper.

As a general rule, you’ll want to spend the most time on the questions that are worth the most, and vice versa. This will give you the best chance of unlocking all available marks and getting the highest grade possible.

11. Don’t panic!

Last but not least, don’t panic. 

Work through the A Level Spanish exam papers calmly and methodically, and read each question twice to be absolutely certain you’ve understood it properly. The last thing you need is to make any silly mistakes.

Similarly, when it comes to your speaking exam, use the preparation time wisely and stay calm if there’s anything you don’t understand. 

Lean on what you do know to paraphrase when necessary and remember: the examiner is there to see what you can do, not what you can’t!

With hard work and the right support, we believe you can achieve anything!

Find an online A Level Spanish tutor to bring the language to life

A Level Spanish requires hard work, dedication and perseverance if you’re going to access the top grades.

But it’s nothing you can’t handle with the right support behind you!

To make sure you can keep up with the demands of this course, why not find an A Level tutor who’ll have your back every step of the way?

Our Spanish A Level tutors are experts at bringing the language to life. Many are native speakers and some are even qualified teachers and examiners!

From week-by-week plans to practice exams, they’ll give you the one-on-one attention you won’t get at college and tailor their teaching to suit your strengths, weaknesses and learning style – helping you to reach your full potential every time.

Register and receive £25 credit towards your first lesson.

Browse expert, vetted tutors, message free, and book instantly.

FAQs

Is it hard to get an A in Spanish A level?

Yes, it takes hard work and dedication to get an A in Spanish A Level. However,  more students than average get an A in this subject, showing that it is achievable.

In 2024, 37% of students got a grade A or above in A Level Spanish (according to FFT Education Datalab) – compared to just 27.8% across all subjects.

Are languages the hardest A levels?

Languages can be challenging at A Level, but they’re not necessarily the hardest. Rather, the hardest A Levels for you will depend on your unique skillset, learning style and work ethic.

To get a better idea of how hard you might find different A Level subjects, read more of our difficulty guides:

Is A Level Spanish fluent?

No, passing A Level Spanish won’t make you fluent. However, it will give you a good understanding of the language and culture, as well as a great foundation to build on if you decide you want to continue developing your skills further.

Is learning Spanish hard?

Learning a new language is never an easy feat as it takes a lot of hard work and time. That said, Spanish tends to be one of the easier languages for English speakers to pick up.

This is because of lots of different reasons:

  • Both languages use the same alphabet
  • Many English words stem from Latin
  • Most Spanish words are pronounced as they are spelled
  • The sentence structure is similar in Spanish and English

A Spanish tutor can give you valuable speaking and listening practice and help you reach your goals in the language.

Browse our handpicked A Level tutors
Browse expert, vetted tutors, message for free, and book instantly.

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