French

You should choose French, if you:

• Want to open doors to the new experiences and opportunities that learning a language can bring 

• Want to study a subject that gives you the edge in the job market 

• Have enjoyed studying French and want to develop it further 

• Want a skill for life that is both useful and rewarding 

• Want to study a subject which you enjoy learning and which can expand your cultural knowledge 

• Like finding out about other cultures and ways of life.  Remember that French is an international language spoken widely around the world 

• Want to be able to meet speakers of French in the UK and be able to better enjoy your holidays in French-speaking countries 

• Want to study a subject that is considered a “facilitating subject” (required or preferred) by the best universities in the UK, and one of the top 3 “languages for the future” according to the British Council 

• Understand the demands of doing a GCSE course in languages 

•  Initiate and develop conversations and discussions in French about a variety of topics, speaking spontaneously. 

• Listen to and understand information from a range of different sources. 

• Read and understand shorter and longer texts, including excerpts from literature in French. 

• Memorise vocabulary and understand and apply grammar rules.  

• Translate short texts from French into English, and vice versa. 

• Write extended texts in French expressing and explaining ideas and points of view, and conveying relevant information. 

All 4 language communicative competences are considered equal and therefore you must be committed to developing each one. 

In Year 11, you will take an exam in each skill:

• Listening (25%) 

• Speaking (25%)

• Reading (25%) 

• Writing (25%) 

Top colleges, Universities and companies all know that learning another language is challenging and helps you to develop unique as well as transferable skills. This is why people who have language qualifications at any level are more desirable to them. This may also explain why people who have language qualifications earn more money, receive promotions earlier in their career and achieve higher levels of promotion.    

The Top 5 jobs for language graduates according to topuniversities.com are Account Management, Finance, Retail, Social Media and Government, Politics and International Relations. Language graduates are more than just translators or teachers. In fact they have the most diverse range of career choice compared to graduates of other subjects.