Spanish GCSE trip to Madrid

Over the February Remedy (half term break), 11 Sixth Form GCSE Spanish pupils spent four days in Madrid with the aim of improving their spoken Spanish and gaining an authentic understanding of life in Spain today.

The pupils stayed at a cosy hostel in the heart of the city, where they tried to address everyone in the local language. The central location also made it very convenient for them to take a leisurely stroll to most places listed in the trip’s itinerary. They benefited from walking to the nearby supermarkets and corner shops to buy food and metro tickets, which they attempted to do in Spanish.

The group had a busy schedule of daily activities. On two days, they enjoyed two hours of Spanish lessons on GCSE and A Level material at a long-established Spanish language school not far from their accommodation. They also made the most of the afternoon and evening activities, which included a guided walking tour of Madrid’s popular sights, a visit to the Santiago Bernabéu (Real Madrid FC’s stadium), a relaxing walk to El Retiro (the city’s most iconic park), an evening of bowling, and visits to three of Madrid’s most famous museums ─ Museo Reina Sofía, Museo Thyssen-Bornemisza and Museo del Prado.

Overall, the group’s engagement with the trip’s activities was excellent, which together with the sunny days and the authentic food at the San Miguel Market and at the oldest restaurant in town (Botín), made the trip a very pleasant experience.

– Abimaer Arias Guillén, Spanish Language Assistant