French

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The world is shrinking! French is one of the most widely spoken languages in the world, spoken by 220 million, as the official language of 29 countries.

It is the sixth most widely spoken language and Europe’s second most widely spoken mother tongue with over 77 million speakers, after German (around 100 million) but ahead of English (around 61 million). French shares with English the distinction of being taught as a foreign language in the education systems of most countries around the world.

Qualification: Edexcel
Examination Board: AQA
Specification Code: 1FR1

Topics Covered

You will develop 4 skills: Listening, Speaking, Reading & Writing.

Themes:

My personal world
Lifestyle and wellbeing
My neighbourhood
Media and technology
Studying and my future
Travel and tourism

Assessment

100 % - Exam at the end of Year 11

25% Listening - Higher or Foundation tier
25% Reading - Higher or Foundation tier
25% Speaking - 7-12 minutes test. Higher or Foundation tier
25% Writing - Written paper - Higher or Foundation tier

Course Progression

Having a GCSE in a language is compulsory in order to choose one at A Level. We currently offer A Level French here at Swanshurst Sixth Form.

All universities see AS & A Level languages as a useful subject for any degree course and many universities are now starting to make first year students take a language module as part of their studies.

Career Opportunities

With the renewed focus on the English Baccalaureate subjects, people are realising the importance of having a foreign language at GCSE. Employers want staff with a broad skill set and confident manner.

Having a language improves your communication skills, makes you more culturally aware and provides you with opportunities your fellow employees may never get!