AQA GCSE Spanish specification (8698)
Understanding the exam specification is key to doing well in your AQA GCSE Spanish exam. It lays out exactly what you need to learn, how you'll be assessed, and what skills the examiners seek. Whether you're working through the course for the first time or revising for your final exams, the specification helps you stay focused and confident in your preparation.
We've included helpful revision tools to support you in putting the specification into practice. Wherever you're starting from, you'll find everything you need to feel prepared, from the official specification to high-quality resources designed to help you succeed.
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In the next section, you'll find a simplified summary of the official AQA GCSE Spanish specification, along with a breakdown of key topics, assessment structure, and useful study resources. We've also included links to topic-level guides and revision tools to help you put the specification into practice.
Contents
Disclaimer
This page includes a summary of the official AQA GCSE Spanish (8698) specification, provided to support your revision. While we've made every effort to ensure accuracy, Save My Exams is not affiliated with the awarding body.
For the most complete and up-to-date information, we strongly recommend consulting the official AQA specification PDF.
Specification overview
GCSE Spanish helps students develop confident, independent language skills in listening, speaking, reading and writing, enabling effective communication in a variety of real-world contexts. The specification aims to broaden students’ horizons by fostering cultural awareness of the Spanish-speaking world while consolidating grammatical knowledge. It encourages learners to express personal opinions, narrate events, and engage with familiar and unfamiliar topics across a range of everyday situations. With a focus on practical language use, it equips students with valuable linguistic tools for travel, further study, and the workplace.
Subject content breakdown
Theme 1: Identity and culture
- Me, my family and friends: relationships, marriage/partnership
- Technology in everyday life: social media, mobile technology
- Free-time activities: music, cinema, TV, food, sport
- Customs and festivals in Spanish-speaking countries/communities
Theme 2: Local, national, international and global areas of interest
- Home, town, neighbourhood and region
- Social issues: charity/voluntary work, healthy/unhealthy living
- Global issues: environment, poverty, homelessness
- Travel and tourism
Theme 3: Current and future study and employment
- My studies
- Life at school/college
- Education post-16
- Jobs, career choices and ambitions
Grammar Scope
- Foundation Tier: basic tenses (present, preterite, future, imperfect), pronouns, comparatives, common verbs and negatives
- Higher Tier: extended tenses (pluperfect, imperfect subjunctive), more complex pronoun use, passive voice (receptive), and additional structures
Communication Strategies
- Understanding strategies: using context, grammatical clues, cultural knowledge, patterns, cognates
- Production strategies: paraphrasing, simplification, circumlocution, non-verbal cues (especially in speaking tasks)
Vocabulary
- Core and thematic vocabulary for all tiers
- Rubric and instruction comprehension in Spanish
- Extensive coverage of functional language for all contexts
Assessment structure
Paper 1: Listening
- Foundation: 35 mins | Higher: 45 mins (includes 5 mins reading time)
- Section A: questions in English
- Section B: questions in Spanish
- 25% of GCSE
Paper 2: Speaking (Non-exam assessment)
- Foundation: 7–9 mins | Higher: 10–12 mins (plus prep time)
- Role-play (15 marks), Photo card (15 marks), General conversation (30 marks)
- 25% of GCSE
Paper 3: Reading
- Foundation: 45 mins | Higher: 1 hour
- Section A: questions in English
- Section B: questions in Spanish
- Section C: translation from Spanish into English
- 25% of GCSE
Paper 4: Writing
- Foundation (1 hour): 4 tasks (photo description, short passage, translation into Spanish, structured task)
- Higher (1 hr 15 mins): 3 tasks (structured task, extended writing, translation into Spanish)
- 25% of GCSE
Key tips for success
Doing well in your AQA GCSE Spanish isn't just about how much you study, but how you study. Here are a few proven tips to help you stay on track
- Start with a clear plan: Break the subject into topics and create a revision schedule that allows enough time for each. Start early to avoid last-minute stress.
- Focus on understanding, not memorising: Use our revision notes to build a strong foundation in each topic, making sure you actually understand the material.
- Practise regularly: Attempt past papers to familiarise yourself with the exam format and timing. Mark your answers to see how close you are to full marks.
- Be strategic with your revision: Use exam questions by topic to focus on weaker areas, and flashcards to reinforce important facts and terminology.
- Learn from mistakes: Whether it's from mock exams or practice questions, spend time reviewing what went wrong and why. This helps prevent repeat mistakes in the real exam.
- Stay balanced: Don't forget to take regular breaks, eat well, and get enough sleep, a healthy routine makes revision much more effective.
With the right approach and consistent practice, you'll build confidence and improve your chances of exam success.
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