Kenilworth School

French

Taught at Kenilworth School & Sixth Form

 

Exam Board: Edexcel 

Assessment Method:  

Paper 1: Listening, reading & translation – 40% 

Paper 2: Written response to works (literature & film) and translation – 30% 

Paper 3: Speaking (Stimulus Card & Independent Research Project) – 30% 

 

Why Should I Follow This Course? 

French is one of the most widely spoken languages in the world and a key to understanding global culture, politics, and business. Studying French at A-level gives you the chance to communicate with over 300 million speakers worldwide and explore the rich cultures of the Francophone world. You will develop the ability to express your own ideas with confidence, engage with current issues in French society, and appreciate how language shapes identity and culture. Learning French will broaden your horizons, open doors to international opportunities, and equip you with a highly sought-after skill for the future. 

What will I learn? 

You will build on the understanding developed at GCSE to speak and write French with confidence and accuracy. You will explore a wide range of engaging topics, including family and relationships, multiculturalism, the Occupation, and artistic culture in the French-speaking world. You will study a French film (Intouchables) and a literary text (Les petits enfants du siècle) in depth, developing your ability to analyse characters, themes, and style. You’ll also learn to understand authentic spoken and written French from a variety of sources – from news reports to podcasts – and to express your views clearly in discussions and essays. 

 

Where Will This Qualification Take Me? 

An A-level in French can take you in many exciting directions. You could continue your language studies at university as your main subject, or as part of a dual honours degree such as Law with French, Business with French, or International Relations with French. Many of these courses include a year abroad in a French-speaking country, giving you valuable real-world experience and boosting your confidence. 

With a strong foundation in French, you also have the skills to learn another language from scratch at university – even a completely new one such as Chinese, Japanese, or Arabic. Many universities encourage students to take language modules alongside their main degree subject to improve their employability. 

French is one of the most widely spoken languages in the world and an official language of organisations such as the United Nations, the European Union and NATO. This makes it particularly valuable for careers in international business, diplomacy, journalism, and the public sector. Employers across all fields, including the Civil Service, local authorities, the BBC, manufacturing and commercial companies, financial institutions, law firms, and publishing, highly value the communication skills, cultural awareness, and analytical thinking developed through studying French. 

You could also consider completing a degree apprenticeship after your A-levels. Many apprenticeship providers, including JLR and Rolls-Royce, actively welcome applicants with attributes that are developed through language study such as strong communication skills, cultural awareness and adaptability.  

 

An A-level in a Modern Foreign Language can take you in many different directions. Employers, universities, and apprenticeship providers all recognize the value of the many transferable skills required through studying a language to A-level standard. Our students follow many different paths once they have completed their studies in A-level language, in addition to the traditional routes of studying a language at university.  

  

  • Sapphira went on to study for an Accountancy apprenticeship following her A-level studies.  

  • Andrea went on to Cambridge to study Mathematics and has continued to keep up her French language skills. 

  • Eve recently completed her A-level studies in French, Maths and Physics and is currently completing a 4-year degree apprenticeship in Nuclear Engineering with Rolls Royce plc.  

  • James went on to study Economics and French at Bristol University, completing a yearlong industry placement in France as part of his degree  

 

Entry Requirements:  

A condition of the course is to have completed Higher Level papers and to have gained a Grade 6 or above at GCSE in French.