Course Features

An A Level in French builds on the foundations of GCSE while deepening students’ understanding of issues affecting French speaking countries.

French A Level is therefore much more than its linguistic component. It is also an enhanced study of many social sciences, often through the medium of film and literary texts. The list of these is varied, extensive and includes works by Camus, Molière and Joseph Joffe, as well as movies such as Entre Les Murs and La Haine.

This qualification is linear. Linear means that students will sit all their exams at the end of the course.

Course Content

Social Issues and Trends

• The changing nature of the family

• The 'cyber-society'

• The place of voluntary work

Political and Artistic Culture

• A culture proud of its heritage

• Contemporary francophone music

• Cinema: the 7th art form

Aspects of French-speaking society: Current Issues

• Positive aspects of a diverse society

• Life for the marginalised

• How do we treat criminals?

Aspects of political life in the French-speaking World

• Teenagers, the right to vote and political engagement

• Protest and Strike action

• Politics and Immigration

Assessment

Paper 1: Listening, reading and writing

• Written exam: 2 hours 30 minutes

• 50% of A-Level

Paper 2: Writing

• Written exam: 2 hours

• 1 text and 1 film or 2 texts

• 20% of A-Level

Paper 3: Speaking

• Individual research project

• Discussion of a sub-theme from the course

• Oral exam 21-23 minutes

• 30% of A-Level