Spanish Students Flagged for Award

Year 10 Spanish pupils have gained the British Airways Language Flags Award following work and tests completed last academic year.

Last year, those pupils taking Spanish in Year 9 were entered for the British Airways Language Flags Award.

This is a mainly spoken test which British Airways have developed and used for their own cabin crew and ground staff in order to communicate better in the native language of passengers on their flights. It became so successful, that the scheme was then introduced into local schools as a vocational course, and this soon went nationwide.

The test involves students being asked to answer in Spanish questions tourists in Spain are likely to ask. Conversation topics included car hire, restaurants, check in and giving directions.

There is also a listening element of four short speeches for comprehension, and a final public announcement section, which is taken from British Airways' own material which they use when on their flights.

The students who passed their test last year and gained a certificate and a badge to wear on their blazer showing the Spanish flag included:

Jordan Grant, Paul Molloy, Jack Dagnall, Martin Moseley, Michael Allcock, Melissa Robinson, Nichole Crooks, Natasha Bannister and  Nicole Russell.

All British Airways staff who are competent in a foreign language also wear a flag-badge of the country where the language is spoken to indicate that native speakers may communicate with them in their own language. The qualification is a good first step towards a career in the travel and tourist industry, such as work in hospitality, tour guides and foreign holiday representatives, cabin crew or airline ground staff.