Spanish lessons and more, in Solihull
From beginners to advanced, in-person and online.
Hi, I'm Henry! Spanish is my passion, Spain is my second home, and I bring over 20 years of experience with the language and the culture to Solihull and the surrounding areas (and online). From GCSE and A-level tuition to conversation classes and more, I offer a wide range of Spanish and Spain-related services.
Spanish isn't just what I teach. It's how I've lived.
I was born and grew up in Paris, and at the age of 13 I chose to learn Spanish instead of economics. It has shaped my life completely. Twenty years later, after a Spanish degree and many years of living and working in the country, I'm delighted to be teaching and sharing the language and culture I have absorbed.
For the past ten years I've taught languages professionally. I hold the DELTA, an advanced language-teaching qualification, and I've trained staff at companies including VW, BMW, Bosch and Siemens in Germany.
I did my Erasmus at the Universidad de Salamanca, as part of my degree at the University of East Anglia. It was my first taste of living in Spain, and arguably the best six months of my life.
I worked at an English academy in Ávila, a small town about an hour and a half from Madrid. I barely spoke any English outside the classroom, joined a running club, and made friends I stay in touch with to this day.
To fulfil my long-standing passion for Spanish football, I started covering CD Castellón (about an hour from Valencia), then in the third division with an exciting project to return to the top. In 2023 I moved there for a season, living their promotion campaign from the press box, attending press conferences and occasionally translating for players and the manager.
I've since been a regular voice in Spanish media as Castellón look set for promotion to La Liga, appearing on local TV and radio as a pundit. Live, unscripted and entirely in Spanish, which is exactly the confidence I want my students to build.
Now based in the Solihull area, that's what I bring to lessons: real Spanish, real culture, and a genuine love for the country, with academic and exam-specific knowledge underpinning all of it. I can also offer advice on travel and on specific aspects of Spanish culture, as desired.
Five ingredients you need
Endless textbook topics, grammar tables and your favourite green owl's repetition rarely produce confident speakers. After ten years of teaching, I've found you need these five things.
A clear goal
A target grade, a speaking exam next month, or ordering a whole meal in a Spanish restaurant without switching to English. Every course and every lesson has an objective, so I always know what success looks like for you.
Lessons built around you
I use your own interests and experiences, whether that's football, gaming or your last holiday in Málaga. It matters to you, so it sticks, and it's exactly what you need for a speaking exam or a real conversation.
Chunks and function
Instead of "let's learn the past conditional", it's "let's learn to talk about regrets and bad decisions". You learn "si hubiera sabido…, habría…" as a chunk, then make it your own. I focus on what you want to do with Spanish, and the most useful words first.
Habits outside class
One hour a week isn't immersion. Small changes, like switching your phone to Spanish or watching a series with Spanish subtitles, make a big difference.
Authentic materials
I use real Spanish rather than textbooks wherever I can, which means every lesson can be tailored to you. Passionate about cooking? You'll be working through a paella recipe in Spanish.
Knowing the exam inside out
Confidence matters, but so does knowing exactly how each paper works. I prepare students across Solihull for AQA, Edexcel and Eduqas, in person or online.
GCSE Spanish
The GCSE changed in 2024, and the first exams in the new format were sat in summer 2026. The course is now built on a set vocabulary list: 1,200 words at Foundation and 1,700 at Higher, mostly drawn from the 2,000 most common words in Spanish.
Listening
Comprehension questions plus a new dictation task: writing down short sentences you hear, with spelling and accents marked.
Speaking
A new read-aloud task, a role play (now with instructions in English), and a photo card followed by a conversation.
Reading
Comprehension of texts across the set themes, plus a translation into English.
Writing
Short and extended writing tasks, plus a translation into Spanish.
- Learning the exam-board vocabulary list in chunks, not word lists
- Sound–spelling practice for dictation and read-aloud
- Speaking practice so the conversation feels natural, not memorised
- Choosing the right tier (all four papers are sat at the same tier)
A-level Spanish
A big step up from GCSE. Students study Spanish-speaking society, culture and politics, a literary text or film, and carry out their own research project. No dictionaries are allowed in any exam.
Listening, reading & translation
Authentic texts and recordings on the set themes, plus translation into and out of Spanish. The largest part of the A-level.
Essays on works
Analytical essays in Spanish on the set books or films studied, such as La casa de Bernarda Alba or El laberinto del fauno.
Speaking (30%)
A discussion from a stimulus card, then a presentation and discussion of the student's own Individual Research Project.
- Choosing, researching and shaping the Individual Research Project
- Planning and structuring essays on the set texts and films
- Translation technique, both ways
- Handling unpredictable follow-up questions in the speaking exam
Spanish for everyone
Not sitting an exam? One-to-one Spanish lessons in Solihull for adults and younger learners who simply want to speak Spanish with confidence, whether you're starting from scratch or polishing an advanced level.
Complete beginners
Start from zero with the phrases and patterns you'll use most, so you're having simple conversations within weeks, not years.
Conversation classes
Already have some Spanish? Build fluency and confidence through real conversation on topics you choose, with corrections that actually stick.
Younger learners
Fun, confidence-building lessons for primary and KS3 students, giving them a head start before GCSE.
Travel & life in Spain
Holiday coming up, a second home, or a move? Practical Spanish for the situations you'll actually face, from restaurants to estate agents.
Spain, beyond the classroom
Heading to Spain?
Personal trip advice from someone who knows the country: where to stay, where to eat, and what to skip. Already have an itinerary? I'll tell you what I'd change. Advice only; you book everything directly.
£25 for a 15-minute call, with a written itinerary included
Live, unscripted, in Spanish
A few clips from my TV appearances in Spain, as a pundit, interviewer and translator.
Let's get you speaking Spanish
Get in touch
Send me an email with a little about what you're looking for.
Free 10-minute chat
We talk through your level, goals and, for students, year group and exam board, so I can recommend the right lessons.
Book your lessons
Choose single lessons or a block of 10 (with one free), in person or online.
Planning a trip to Spain? Just get in touch and we'll book your £25 trip-advice call directly.
hola@solihullspanish.co.uk
Teaching in Solihull and surrounding areas, and online.