French, A Level

Students should ensure that they meet the entry requirements for the courses they are applying for (available on subject pages) as well as the overall entry requirements (5 grades at level 4 or above but must include English and Maths).

Students need to choose a minimum of three subjects to study. Please note that all of our BTEC courses are single BTEC's and equivalent to 1 A Level, you will need to choose two further subjects if choosing a BTEC course.

Please ensure you have put contact details for yourself and a parent should we need to contact you.

The more languages you learn the bigger and more interesting your world becomes. We hope you will gain a sense of the excitement of the world we live in and learn the skills to get to know it personally. We will be studying French grammar to enable you to communicate clearly and you will spend an additional hour a week in conversation lessons with the French assistant to practice, develop ideas and discuss. As well as developing fluency in French we will be discovering France and French-speaking countries and people through their culture and society. In Year 2 we explore their politics and social issues. This provides an excellent insight into these countries and those who live there. In addition, students undertake a personal research project to pursue an interest of their own. In Year 1 students study a French film and in Year 2 study a French novel. Students will be able to take part in the KS5 French trip to Nice on the south coast of France where we experience many aspects of French culture and meet pen pals from our partner school.

The AQA course topics are:

Social Issues and Trends

• The changing nature of family
• The 'cyber-society'
• The place of voluntary work
• Positive features of a diverse society
• Life for the marginalised
• How criminals are treated

Political and artistic Culture

• A culture proud of its heritage

• Contemporary francophone music
• Cinema: the 7th art form
• Teenagers, the right to vote and political commitment
• Demonstrations, strikes - who holds the power?
• Politics and immigration

In addition, students will study a film (currently Un long dimanche de fiançailles de Jean-Pierre Jeunet) and a novel (currently L’étranger par Albert Camus) and learn to analyse them in written French.

Students will prepare an Independent Research Project on a subject that interests them and which relates to a country or countries where the language is spoken. They will research, analyse and present their project orally.

We use the online Kerboodle course and additional online resources. Lessons will be interactive, and students will need to share their ideas in class in French. There will be discussion, exploration of France and French-speaking countries today as well as grammar and language study and written work.

Paper 1 - Listening, reading and writing: Written exam: 2 hours 30 minutes 100 marks 50% of A-level

Paper 2 - Written exam: 2 hours 80 marks in total 20% of A-level

Paper 3 - Oral exam: 21–23 minutes (including 5 minutes preparation time) 60 marks in total 30% of A-level

• Grade 6 or above in GCSE French

You need to be predicted and achieve all the grades listed above in order to undertake this subject.

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.

There are many degree courses in languages, but you could also choose to combine French with a new language or a subject from a different area such as politics, linguistics, engineering or music.

A level French, as one of 3 A levels, is an asset when applying to university to study many other subjects, for example, medicine, law or literature.