French A Level

*IMPORTANT INFORMATION FROM THE JUDD SCHOOL FOR SEPTEMBER 2024 APPLICATIONS*

Applications open: - awaiting information from school

Applications close: - awaiting information from school

Entry Requirements: - 6.5 average point score, minimum of 4 in English Language and Maths GCSE. Entry grade criteria for A Level subjects chosen.

How to Apply: - We are not taking applications via KentChoices

Open Event: - To be confirmed, please check our school website for updates

Why choose this subject?

The French are proud of their culture and their cultural heritage; and rightly so. Since the foundations of modern-day Europe were laid down in the times of Charlemagne - king of the Franks and Holy Roman Emperor who died in 814 - France has been a major player, and at times the major player on the European stage. In the Middle Ages, in art, architecture, music and literature, the courts and monasteries of France played a pivotal role in the development and refining of what is more generally defined as "western culture". From the Renaissance onwards, the French culture blossomed, producing specifically French traditions. In theatre and literature, poetry and philosophy, painting and sculpture, architecture and music, some of the greatest names in history - names such as Molière or Balzac, Hugo and Rimbaud, Monet, Rodin, Debussy or Chopin - have been French, and their heritage remains an integral part of our culture to this day.

French is one of the world’s major languages. It is a main or official language not just in France, but in parts of Belgium and Switzerland, in Monaco, in parts of Canada – notably but not only in Quebec – as well as being widely spoken in north and west Africa, Lebanon, and parts of south-east Asia, particularly in former French colonies. It is an official or a main second language in 55 countries worldwide, and is reputed to be the foreign language which is most widely used in international communications, after English. Almost 300 million people speak French as their native language or as a second language.

Until the early twentieth century, French was the language of diplomacy, and one of the two main languages of international negotiation; today it is one of the six official languages of the United Nations, and one of the two official languages, with English, of the International Postal Union, of the International Olympic Committee, the International Red Cross, and other organisations. It is also an official language in the Channel Islands of Jersey and Guernsey.

French A level leads to a huge variety of degree opportunities. Specialist linguist careers with French or other careers where there is an international element or communication is key. French linguists are amongst the most employable worldwide.

Course details: Board and specification: AQA A level French (2 year course) 7652

What you will be learning?

Students study technological and social change. They study highlights of French-speaking artistic culture, including francophone music and cinema, and learn about political engagement and who wields political power in the French-speaking world. Students study aspects of the political landscape in a French-speaking country, looking at immigration from the political perspective and at the way in which political power is expressed through action such as strikes and demonstrations. Teenagers and the extent to which they are politically engaged looks towards the future of political life in French-speaking society.

Students also explore the influence of the past on present-day French-speaking communities. Throughout their studies, they will learn the language in the context of French-speaking countries and the issues and influences which have shaped them. Students will study texts and will have the opportunity to carry out independent research on an area of their choice. Through the Independent Research Project, students will demonstrate their ability to initiate and conduct individual research from a wide range of sources by analysing and summarising their findings. These will be presented and discussed in their final oral exam.

In addition, the A level course provides the opportunity to discover literary texts and films and learn to analyse them. Texts studied in recent years include; Camus – L’étranger, Sartre – Les Mains Sales and Maupassant – Boule de Suif et Autres Contes de la Guerre. The film choice this year is Au revoir les enfants directed by Louis Malle. Students will be encouraged to watch other films such as La Haine or Entre les murs to widen their general knowledge and culture.

How it will be assessed?

Assessment tasks will be varied and cover listening and reading comprehensions, summarising skills, translation skills from French into English and English into French. There will be two essays on the text and film thoroughly studied. The speaking examination will consist of a topic discussion based on a cue card and the individual research project presentation and discussion.

Course details: Board and specification: AQA A level French (2 year course) 7652

Paper 1: Listening, Reading and Writing - 2 hours 30 minutes

100 marks

50% of A-level

-Listening and responding to spoken passages from a range of contexts and sources covering different registers and adapted as necessary. Material will include complex factual and abstract content and questions will target main points, gist and detail. Studio recordings will be used and students will have individual control of the recording.

All questions are in French, to be answered with non-verbal responses or in French (30 marks)

Reading and responding to a variety of texts written for different purposes, drawn from a range of authentic sources and adapted as necessary. Material will include complex factual and abstract content and questions will target main points, gist and detail.

All questions are in French, to be answered with non-verbal responses or in French (50 marks)

Translation into English; a passage of minimum 100 words (10 marks)

Translation into French; a passage of minimum 100 words (10 marks)

Paper 2: Written exam - 2 hours

80 marks in total

20% of A-level

Either one question in French on a set text from a choice of two questions and one question in French on a set film from a choice of two questions or two questions in French on set texts from a choice of two questions on each text.

All questions will require a critical appreciation of the concepts and issues covered in the work and a critical and analytical response to features such as the form and the technique of presentation, as appropriate to the work studied (eg the effect of narrative voice in a prose text or camera work in a film).

Paper 3: Speaking

Oral exam: 21–23 minutes (including 5 minutes preparation time)

60 marks in total

30% of A-level

Discussion of a sub-theme with the discussion based on a stimulus card (5–6 minutes). The student studies the card for 5 minutes at the start of the test (25 marks).

Presentation (2 minutes) and discussion (9–10 minutes) of individual research project (35 marks).

7 in GCSE French