Courses
We offer a broad and balanced curriculum, for key stage 3 (Years 7-9), key stage 4 (Years 10 and 11) and key stage 5 (Years 12 and 13 - Sixth Form). Click the appropriate button below to find the details for each subject offered in each key stage.
Further details of our curriculum are available on the curriculum page.
Overview
French
Introduction
Students study aspects of contemporary French society such as music and cinema, culture, political life and heritage, as well as French speaking countries in greater depth than at GCSE. Students use French to persuade, justify opinions, develop arguments and present viewpoints in speech and in writing. This demonstrates a capacity for critical thinking, and to make useful links between different aspects of the subject.
Students learn to understand and apply grammatical structures and a range of tenses and use a much wider vocabulary. They also learn to transfer meaning from English into French and vice versa.
Qualification
A-level
Awarding body
AQA
Course leader
Ms M Tiernan
Assessment
- Examination: 100%
- 50% paper 1 (listening, reading and writing): written exam, 2 hours 30 minutes (100 marks).
- 20% paper 2 written exam: 2 hours (80 marks).
- 30% paper 3 oral exam: 21–23 minutes including 5 minutes preparation time (60 marks in total).
- Non-examined assessment: 0%
Curriculum
Course content
The course covers some very interesting topics, e.g. social issues and trends, cinema, music, multiculturalism, political and artistic culture as well as cyber-society.
In the first year students will study a French film and in the second year they will study a book
Topics
Year 12 - The changing nature of family (La famille en voie de changement)
- The 'cyber-society' (La 'cyber-société')
- The place of voluntary work (Le rôle du bénévolat)
- A culture proud of its heritage (Une culture fière de son patrimoine)
- Contemporary francophone music (La musique francophone contemporaine)
- Cinema: the 7th art form (Cinéma : le septième art)
Year 13 - Positive features of a diverse society (Les aspects positifs d'une société diverse)
- Life for the marginalised (Quelle vie pour les marginalisés?)
- How criminals are treated (Comment on traite les criminels)
- Teenagers, the right to vote and political commitment (Les ados, le droit de vote et l'engagement politique)
- Demonstrations, strikes – who holds the power? (manifestations, grèves – à qui le pouvoir?)
- Politics and immigration (La politique et l'immigration)
Skills and requirements
Entry requirements
Grade 6 in GCSE French
Beyond the classroom
All students have additional lessons with the French assistant.
Past activities have included:
- Trip to Nice, France (planned for 2025).
- Visits to university.
- Links with Oxford and Cambridge Universities.
- National competitions.
- Cinema trips.
Future pathways
Students with language skills are in great demand – the ability to communicate with new customers, clients and the wider world is a huge advantage in business and other contexts. These skills can be used in almost any career, as well as the traditional paths of interpreting, translating and teaching. There are also many opportunities to work for the civil and diplomatic services.
