French Summary

A-level French will appeal to students looking to broaden their existing knowledge of languages, bringing out their best and helping them on their journey to further studies and the world of work. But it is much more than that! Learning a language is an insight into culture, behaviour, people, customs and festivals, a voyage of discovery and a breaking down of barriers. It also develops key skills which nearly every employer looks for, such as verbal and written communication, analysing, independent research skills, predicting, evaluating, and organising. 

You will study technological and social change, looking at the multicultural nature of French and Francophone societies. You will study French, Canadian, Swiss, Central African artistic culture, including a focus on French cultural pride and heritage. You will learn about aspects of the diverse political landscape of the French speaking world and explore the influence of the past on present-day communities. Throughout your studies, you will learn the language in the context of Francophone countries and issues and influences which have shaped them. You will also study texts and film and will have the opportunity to carry out independent research on an area of their choice.  

Entry Requirements

GCSE grade 6 or higher in French

Course Duration

AS level: 1 Year 

A-Level: 2 years full-time 

The A-Level qualification is linear. Students will sit their exams at the end of a two-year course. AS-Level is fully co-teachable with A-Level so we can tailor our approach to suit students who opt for the one-year course. 

Specification

AQA (B)

How you will study

You will develop your grammar and knowledge of language in all 4 skills by immersing yourself in the language, using news articles, authentic texts, videos and passages in French. You will research, discuss and develop your opinions on the topics we study in small groups as well as developing in-depth knowledge on your chosen topic for your independent research project in Y13 

Component breakdown

  1. Social issues and trends 
  2. Political and artistic culture 
  3. Grammar 
  4. Works: Literary texts and films

Paper 1: Listening, reading and writing. Written exam lasting 2 hours 30 minutes based on all core content topics and grammar.  

Paper 2: Writing. A 2-hour written exam on one film and one text from the list set in the specification.  

Paper 3: Speaking. Oral exam lasting 21-23 minutes (including 5 minutes preparation time).  

A language can lead you to thousands of jobs and opportunities: 

  • Airlines
  • Business Services
  • Central Government
  • Construction
  • Creative and Media
  • Engineering
  • Event Management
  • Financial Services
  • Hair and Beauty
  • Health, Medicine and Social Care
  • Hotel and Catering Management
  • Land-based and Environmental Work
  • Law
  • Local Government
  • Manufacturing
  • Marketing
  • Military
  • Public Services
  • Retail
  • Teaching
  • Technology and Computer Gaming
  • Translation and Interpreting
  • Travel and Tourism
  • Voluntary and Charitable Sector

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