French
Students study a range of topics which develop the four skills of listening, speaking, reading and writing in French and also develop their translation skills. Each unit of work plans for progression of the skills. Learning about francophone culture is also embedded at each key stage.
Key Stage 3 (Years 7, 8 & 9)
Students are helped to develop a range of techniques of learning and dictionary skills so that they can build up their own vocabulary as efficiently and as independently as possible.
In Years 7, 8 and 9 students study the following topics:
Years 7 & 8: Self & family, School, Hobbies & Sports, Town, Holidays, Free-time activities, Food, Clothes, Shopping
Year 9: Media, Internet & mobile phone usage, Jobs & future plans, Health & fitness, Holidays. Students will also revisit a number of topics via the study of a French film and a francophone country.
Key Stage 4 GCSE (Years 10 & 11) Edexcel
Students study 8 topics under the following broad headings:
- School
- Identity and Culture
- Local area, holiday and travel
- Future aspirations, study and work
- International and global dimension
They are assessed at the end of the two-year course via exams in Speaking (25%), Listening (25%), Reading & Translation (25%), Writing & Translation (25%).
Key Stage 5 A Level (Years 12 & 13) AQA
Students study the following topics:
- Aspects of French speaking society: Current Trends
- Artistic culture in the French-speaking world
- Aspects of French-speaking society: current issues
- Aspects of political life in the French speaking world
- One literary text and one film, or two literary texts
Students also follow a grammar programme and complete an Individual Research Project which is assessed as part of the speaking exam. The A-level course is an excellent preparation for those of our students who go on to study French at university.
Trips & Extra Curricular Opportunities:
Year 7 & 8 French club
Year 8 trip to Paris
Year 9 Language Leaders
KS4 French trip to Normandy
Bastille Day celebrations
European Day of Languages activities
MFL Inter-house activities
To report any student absences