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French

Course Name: French A Level
Exam Board: AQA

Course Specification


What will you study?

You will study a number of topics that are increasingly relevant to the world we live in.

  • Artistic Culture in the French-speaking world
  • Aspects of Political Life in the French-speaking world
  • Aspects of French-speaking society: current trends & current issues
  • Film: La Haine (Mathieu Kassovitz)
  • Literary Text: Un Sac De Billes (Joseph Joffo)
  • Grammar

What skills will you develop?

A level French builds upon your existing knowledge gained at GCSE, giving you a sound understanding of using French in a variety of contexts and situations. The emphasis of the A level French course focuses on improving communication through different means as well as being able to use it in a variety of situations.

The broad range of skills that you gain from studying French at A level are incredibly important tools to have, complementing a whole variety of other subjects. This includes:

  • Increased fluency, accuracy and precision in French
  • Using a range of key expressions and structures
  • Using language spontaneously; asking and answering questions
  • Presenting viewpoints and developing arguments
  • Analysing, evaluating and pursuading
  • Using a range of expression – including the list of grammar
  • Using self-correction and repair strategies
  • Reading and responding to a variety of texts
  • Understanding the main points, gist and inferring
  • Researching and using case studies/evidence to justify arguments
  • Summarising information
  • Translating from French to English and English to French

How will you be assessed?

Paper 1 - Listening, reading and writing
  • Written exam: 2 hours 30 minutes - 50% of A-level
Paper 2 - Writing
  • Written exam: 2 hours - 20% of A-level
Paper 3 - Speaking
  • Speaking exam: 21–23 minutes (including 5 minutes preparation time) - 30% of A-level