French

What is the exam board and the route?

A Level French AQA (7652) 

Subject Entry Requirements: Grade 7 in GCSE Modern Foreign Languages advised. 

Subject outline 

By studying A Level French, you will build upon the grammar and vocabulary studied at GCSE to acquire a wider and enhanced knowledge. You will study a range of social and cultural topics in the context of the French-speaking world, in addition to the film La Haine, and the book, No et Moi. The individual research project (IRP) for the speaking exam allows you to choose a topic of your choice from a francophone country to present and discuss. 

How is the course assessed? 

Paper 1 (Listening, Reading, Writing) worth 50%, 2 hours 30 minutes. 
This paper is based on the 12 topics studied over the 2 years and includes translation questions. 

Paper 2 (Essay paper) worth 20%, 2 hours. 
In this exam, you write one essay on the film and one on the book. 

Paper 3 (speaking exam) worth 30%, 5 mins preparation for the card + 18 minutes for the actual exam. In the oral, you speak for 6 minutes about a stimulus card (based on one of the 12 topics), and your IRP (12 minutes). 

Why study French? 

‘Laissez-vous porter’ as we say in French, meaning let yourself be carried away! Enhance your skills and be on the road to fluency, whilst submerging yourself in a wealth of francophone culture and language. This is the LGS French experience, where you will receive expert teaching by highly experienced French teachers, committed to ensuring you achieve your personal best. You will also benefit from a weekly one-to-one conversation lesson with a native French speaker. With over 300 million French speakers across all five continents, French remains the working language of several key international organisations and is also an essential language in the world’s economy. A Level French will equip you with a host of transferable skills, including problem-solving, analysis and the ability to eloquently communicate, making you valuable to universities and employers. 

Complementary subjects 

French combines with all subjects, complementing the sciences, humanities, and arts excellently. 

Possible careers 

A Level French students have gone on to study for a range of degrees, including History, Law, Business, Philosophy, Politics, Economics, and Medicine. Indeed, some choose the joint honours route, allowing them to pursue a language in addition to another subject. Careers in multinational corporations, the civil service, education, and journalism are just some of the many avenues that will be open to you. 

Subject enrichment available 

• Weekly one-to-one session with French assistant  
• Nice homestay trip 
• Mobile MFL Masterclass 
• A Level French conference 
• Support sessions with A Level teachers  
• Oxbridge application and interview preparation