French

The GCSE course

GCSE French, studied over two years in Years 10 and 11, is a very varied course which provides pupils with the vocabulary and linguistic tools they will need for everyday situations in France. We follow the AQA syllabus at GCSE, which is assessed by four controlled assessments, each worth 15% of the total mark, and final listening and reading exams, each worth 20%.

Fourth Form (Year 9)

During the Fourth Form we follow the Expo 3 course to allow pupils to study topics such as hobbies, healthy living and future Plans. The main focus is on building confidence when writing and speaking, and on developing a solid grasp of the past, present and future tenses.

Lower Fifth (Year 10)

We use the Expo 4 Higher course for GCSE. In Lower Fifth, pupils consolidate their Fourth Form grammar and study topics including family life, hobbies and school life. They also prepare for their first two controlled assessments, of which one is an oral exam and one is written.

Upper Fifth (Year 11)

In Upper Fifth pupils prepare for their final two written and oral controlled assessments. The more advanced GCSE topics studied this year include holidays, healthy living, the environment and current affairs, and pupils learn more advanced grammar to better enable them to express themselves fluently.

Trips

Many pupils in the Fifth Form participate in our biannual exchange with the Institution Saint Jude, a boarding school near Lille in Northern France. During the trip, pupils stay with host families for a week and attend school with their partners. For our Fourth Form, the annual Lower School trip at the start of the Christmas Holidays offers an exciting introduction to Paris, including visiting all the main attractions and a full day in EuroDisney.