Location: Spain
Trinity College London has worked with the Andalucía Education Department on various language initiatives. This one, active since 2009, delivers plurilingual language skills to school leavers and those going on to further education.
Improving Andalucían English language skills
Guided by EU policies, the Andalucía Education Department (Spain’s largest state education system) evaluated new ways to promote foreign language learning and develop plurilingual competence in learners and teachers.
An agreement was signed, and our Integrated Skills in English (ISE) exam, which focuses on the interplay between speaking, listening, reading and writing, was chosen as the ideal foundation from which to develop a new curriculum.
Training, support and exam centre registration
In its initial form, this agreement used Trinity ISE exams as an external evaluation to assess the integrated learning of English. It included specific, tailored teacher training and support programmes.
In 2011, a further agreement allowed any state secondary school to become a Trinity Registered Exam Centre (REC). Further specific teacher training was provided. In 2013, primary schools were added to this, as was the option to register Andalucía Teacher Support Centres as Trinity RECs for the evaluation and accreditation of teachers’ language ability.
This initiative was renewed for four more years in 2023.
CEFR levels improved, 250+ centres registered
The initial aim of this partnership was to take Common European Framework of Reference for Languages (CEFR) levels in the region from A2 to B1.
Now students are taking their ISE level of choice from A2 to C2 with many reaching B2-level and beyond.
Trinity College London remains grateful to the education authorities and teachers in Andalucía for their efforts and enthusiasm. In over a decade of collaboration, 250+ state schools have become Trinity RECs that can provide language certification calibrated to international standards.
“This was more than just an evaluation exercise — with Trinity’s involvement we have been able to improve greatly language skills at school-leaving age.”
José Francisco Molina Rubio
Head of the International Educational Programmes Service