Curriculum

Key Stage 3

In Year 8, each student has two periods of French a week. This is then increased to 3 periods a week for Years 9 and 10. The topics covered at Key Stage 3 level include the following:

• Myself and my family
• House and home
• My school
• Colours
• Pets
• Weather
• Days and months
• Numbers

As the students progress through the 3 years the topics are covered in more detail as well as looking at grammar in more detail.

GCSE

Following the new AQA Specification, there are 4 components involved in studying French: Speaking, Listening, Reading and Writing, with the main emphasis being on the Speaking aspect.  The topics covered at GCSE level include:

• Me and my family
• Free time
• Where I live
• School and Work
• School and work
• Tourism
• Lifestyle
• Environment

Some of the topics have been covered at Key Stage 3 but are looked at in much more detail at GCSE level. Grammar is looked at in more detail at GCSE level as well.

AS Level

Again, the same four main components are focused upon at AS Level with grammar again being looked at in more detail. The four main topics looked t are:

• Media
• Popular culture
• Family and Personal Relationships
• Healthy Lifestyle

A2 Level

As with AS Level, the course is made up from the same four components with a greater emphasis on grammar. The topics studyed include:

• Environment – pollution, protection of the planet etc
• Multicultural society – immigration, integration etc
• Contemporary social problems – crime, criminality etc
• Cultural topic – literature aspect

Information

Every two years there is a Cultural French trip, which give students the chance to hear the native language of the country. Every year the department avails of a French assistant, which allows pupils access to an authentic native speaker.

Department Staff

Mrs M McMahon

Mr L O’Keeffe

Mrs S Pélissou