French

A Level French combines refining your proficiency in the French language with deepening your understanding of French culture and current affairs. An ability to communicate in French and English puts you in the lead on the international job market. A knowledge of French opens the doors of French companies in France and other French-speaking countries. French is the language of culture in literature, fashion, architecture and visual arts and learning French can help tremendously with your career prospects, your university education and experiences, travel, and personal enjoyment of the arts and culture.

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Entry Requirements

GCSE French Grade 6+

Content

The course consists of five components:

Component One:	Social issues & Trends
Component Two:	Aspects of French – speaking society: current issues
Component Three:	Political/Intellectual/Artistic areas of interest; book
Component Four:	Grammar
Component Five:	Film and book study

In Year One you will study topics including the changing family structure in modern France and the French-speaking world, the evolution of cinema, and identity expressed through culture (such as food, music and art).

In Year Two you will study topics including discrimination and injustice, criminal justice in the French-speaking world, and activism and protests. In Year 2 you will also carry out a research project of your choice.

Assessment

100% Examination

Paper One:	Listening, Reading and Writing (50%)
Paper Two:	Written (20%)
Paper Three:	Speaking (30%)

Am I right for the course?

If you enjoy French, this course will help you develop your knowledge of the French language and your understanding of French culture and society through the study of authentic and current articles, modern literary texts and films. The study of French at A Level will enable you to develop excellent communication and critical thinking skills, explore a wide range of topics about contemporary French society, as well as perfect the written and spoken language at A Level.

Course Highlights

Hands-on Experience:	As well as moving towards fluency in your own French, you will have volunteering opportunities to help build your experience for future university or job applications.
Personal Development:	Learn to form your own political views, appreciate cultural differences and challenge some of the injustices that exist in the world today. All these are vital skills for the workplace. Learning how to interact with French speakers can help you to see things from a range of perspectives.
Enrichment:	Students have participated in overseas trips and work experience in the past. We are happy to facilitate and support these.

Where next?

A Level French opens a wide variety of possibilities, from travel to work overseas. Many university courses can be taken as 'joint honours' where part of your studies will take place in French and you may be able to spend a year studying in a French-speaking country. Employers view the ability to speak another language as a huge advantage, and the varied nature of the A Level course means that you will gain a range of skills that will prepare you for life beyond school.

FAQ's

Do I need to have taken GCSE French?
You will either have taken GCSE French, or have an excellent level of French because you speak and write it at home.
Do I need to be fluent in French?
You need to have a strong GCSE level of French, with a good grasp of basic grammar. We will build towards fluency throughout the course.
Will there be lots of essays?
Essay writing will form part of the course, but only part. The skills that you will learn in A Level French essay-writing will help you to write in your other subjects too.

St Wilfrid's Catholic School

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