More than 200 million people speak French on five continents. The Francophonie, the international organisation of French speaking countries, comprises 68 states and so an ability to communicate in French is a huge advantage in the international job market. Not only that, French is the language of cooking, fashion, theatre and architecture.

France also remains the number 1 tourist destination for Britons. France’s 6th largest city is said to be London with it’s thriving and growing expatriate economy. Speaking French is above all the pleasure of learning a beautiful, rich, melodious language but one which is also analytical, that structures thought and develops critical thinking which is a valuable skill for discussions and negotiations.

The course in French leads to the GCSE examination. It involves testing the skills of listening, reading, speaking, translating and writing.

There is no coursework.

There are 2 levels of entry, Foundation or Higher and under the new specification, pupils may sit only one level of examination.

The topics studied are:

• Relationships with family and friends

• Charity / volunteer work

• Marriage and partnership

• Healthy / unhealthy living

• Social media

• The environment

• Mobile Technology

• Poverty and homelessness

• Music

• Travel and Tourism

• Cinema and TV

• My studies

• Food and Eating Out

• Life at School • Sport

• Education Post-16

• Home, Town and Region

• Jobs, careers and ambitions.

This course will enable students to

1. Develop their ability to communicate confidently and coherently with native speakers in speech and writing, conveying what they want to say with increasing accuracy
2. Express and develop thoughts and ideas spontaneously and fluently
3. Listen to and understand clearly articulated, standard speech at near normal speed
4. Deepen their knowledge about how language works and enrich their vocabulary to increase their independent use and understanding of extended language in a range of contexts
5. Develop awareness and understanding of the culture and identity of the countries and communities where French is spoken
6. Develop language learning skills both for immediate use and prepare them for further language study in school, higher education or employment

Examination Board: AQA
Specification: GCSE 8658

Mme A. Warne – Head of French