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A-Level French

Studying a language in the Sixth Form requires a solid grounding in vocabulary, grammar and structure at GCSE level, as well as the motivation and determination to work hard and, above all, the curiosity to find out about culture!

We will be following the AQA French AS and A Level specifications using a variety of books and resources to spark our students’ interest, and we encourage them to borrow materials (novels, plays, DVDs) or use web-sites to facilitate their independent learning.

Our Sixth-Form students work with our French assistants to develop their speaking skills in compulsory weekly sessions, both at AS and A-Level.  

YEAR 12

At least a Grade 7 in GCSE French is required by students wishing to study A-Level French. Work continues post-GCSE with the four skills of Listening, Speaking, Reading and Writing at a higher level.  Additionally, the ability to translate and summarise will form part of the exam, and the film La Haine is studied. 

Work in terms of vocabulary, grammar and structure also continues in the following two broad topic areas:

  1. Aspects of French-speaking society: current trends
  2. Artistic culture in the French-speaking world

AS

Paper 1: Listening, Reading & Writing

Paper 2: Writing

Paper 3: Speaking

Listening, Reading, Summary & Translation into English

45% of AS

1hr 45mins

May

Translation into French and Essay on the Film

25% of AS

1hr 30mins

May

2 Stimulus Cards from 2 sub-themes

30% of AS

12-14mins

April or May

External Examiner
 
Students will confirm whether they will be sitting AS or continuing to A-Level in the first half of Year 12.

YEAR 13

Language work continues at a higher level than at AS  across all skills practised in Year 12 and additionally focuses on the following topic areas:

  1. Aspects of French-speaking society: current issues
  2. Aspects of political life in the French-speaking world

Furthermore, students will take an in-depth look at L´étranger by Albert Camus and select a topic of their liking for their Individual Research Project, in the oral examination. 

A-Level

Paper 1: Listening, Reading, and Writing

Paper 2: Writing

 Paper 3: Speaking

Listening, Reading, Summary, Translation into German and Translation into English

50% of A-Level

2hrs 30

June

1 Essay each on the Literature and the Film

20% of A-Level

2hrs

June

1 Stimulus Card from 1 sub-theme & Individual Research Project (IRP)

30% of A-Level

16-18mins

April or May

External Examiner

Enrichment

Students have the opportunity to spend four days in Paris to discover the main cultural land-marks of the French capital city.

This is a cultural trip, visiting, amongst others, the Tour Montparnasse and the Arc de Triomphe, as well as a variety of museums, such as the Musée de Montmartre, the Cinémathèque Française or the Philharmonie de Paris.

We attend French conferences or film study days in London when appropriate and possible, and all students take part in the UK Linguistics Olympiad (UKLO).

We also run a French and German film club at lunchtime, aimed at Year 11-13 students, in which we show current French/German films in the target language, with English subtitles, and the MFL Society, where topics of interest related to language, literature or culture are discussed.

Further detail can be accessed via:  http://www.aqa.org.uk/subjects/languages/as-and-a-level