Helping with GCSE Spanish,
even if you don't speak it.
Vocabulary is the part of GCSE Spanish that rewards steady, daily practice, and it's the part you can support without knowing a word of Spanish yourself. Here's what your child is up against, what helps, and where Sapling fits in.
What your child is being asked to learn.
A set word list
The current AQA GCSE Spanish course comes with a published vocabulary list. AQA describes it as 1,200 Foundation words plus 500 more for Higher, alongside set phrases. Questions are written mostly from that list, so knowing it well pays off in every paper.
Two tiers
Students sit either Foundation or Higher, usually decided with their teacher during the course. Higher includes all the Foundation words. If the tier isn't settled yet, the words shared by both are the safe place to start.
Four skills, one vocabulary
Listening, speaking, reading and writing are each tested. All four lean on the same words, so a word your child can only recognise on a page isn't yet ready for the listening or speaking exam.
Five things that work, app or no app.
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Help them make it daily, not heroic
Ten minutes a day does far more than an hour on Sunday. A fixed slot (after dinner, on the bus) makes the habit easier than willpower does.
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Ask for the Spanish, not the English
Recognising la biblioteca is easy. Being asked "what's library in Spanish?" is what the exam really tests. You can do this with the free lists below, no Spanish needed.
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Follow the class topic
AQA splits vocabulary into nine topics. Asking which one they're on at school, then practising those words at home, reinforces what's being taught.
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Count backwards from the exam
Knowing roughly how many words a week are needed turns a vague "revise Spanish" into something achievable, and stops it all landing in the final month.
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Ask what's secure, not how long they spent
Time spent isn't the same as words learned. "How many can you produce without looking?" is a better question than "did you do your Spanish?"
Our free GCSE Spanish vocabulary lists are organised by AQA topic and tier, with translations and example sentences. They're free to read and print, with no sign-up.
A daily vocabulary plan they can follow on their own.
Planned around the exam
Your child sets their tier, exam date and how many minutes a day they can manage. Sapling works out how many new words a day gets them there, then lays out each day's session, with an end in sight.
Practice beyond flashcards
They type missing words into sentences, take dictation, and say words aloud from memory, so vocabulary is ready for the listening and speaking papers as well as reading.
Progress you can check
A coverage screen shows how many words are secure, still being learned, or not started, by topic. There's no parent login: ask your child to show you the screen on their phone. It takes seconds.
Sapling covers vocabulary. It works alongside lessons, grammar practice and past papers, not instead of them.
The practical bits.
How much does it cost?
Sapling is free to download and try. Full access is an optional subscription: a GCSE Year Pass at £19.99 a year, or Finish-line access at £6.99 a month for students starting closer to the exam. Both unlock the same things. Subscriptions renew automatically until cancelled in App Store settings.
Can siblings share one subscription?
Yes. Sapling's subscriptions support Apple Family Sharing, so one purchase can cover up to five other members of your Family Sharing group, each on their own iPhone with their own progress.
Does my child need an account or email?
No. There's no sign-up, email or password. Learning progress is stored on the iPhone itself.
Can I see my child's progress from my phone?
Not remotely. Progress stays on your child's iPhone, so the easiest check is to ask them to open the coverage screen and show you. It shows words secure, learning and not started, by topic.
Does it record my child's voice?
No. Speaking practice uses speech recognition to check a word said aloud, but Sapling does not record or store their voice. The full details are in our privacy policy.
Which exam board and devices does it cover?
Sapling is built for the current AQA GCSE Spanish specification, Foundation and Higher. It's an iPhone app, needing iOS 17 or later. It is an independent tool, not made or endorsed by AQA.
How much time a day does it take?
Your child chooses. Sapling paces new words to fit the minutes they set and their exam date, and each session has a clear end, so it doesn't become open-ended screen time.
Is it worth starting before Year 10?
It can be. A student who doesn't yet know their tier or exam date can start with the words shared by both tiers, and build a short daily habit early.
Let them try the first lesson free.
No account needed to start. If it helps, the Year Pass covers the whole GCSE year for £19.99.
Download on theApp Store