Description

The Key Stage 3 curriculum allows our students to learn more about the French-speaking world, to appreciate and respect another culture, and to develop the  ractical skills needed to communicate in the foreign language. Our French curriculum is designed to build a secure knowledge and understanding of vocabulary, grammar and phonology to enable our students to communicate confidently.

Alongside this, we provide our students with opportunities to develop cultural capital (enrichment) through the study of customs and festivals in Francophone countries. Across the three-year programme of study, we cover a range of topics which allow natural progression to Key Stage 4, under the themes of Identity and Culture, Local, National, International and Global Areas of Interest, and Current and Future Study and Employment.

 

Content

Year 7

 

TOPIC 1: C’est Perso! (All about me)

Knowledge: Giving information about likes and dislikes; personal possessions; physical descriptions; friends and family members.

 

TOPIC 2: Mon Collège (My School)

Knowledge: Giving information about school life, subjects and teachers, timetable, activities, food and drink in the canteen, school facilities.

 

TOPIC 3: Mes Passetemps (Hobbies and Interests)

Knowledge: Describing free-time activities and use of technology.

 

TOPIC 4: Ma Zone (My town)

Knowledge: describing a town; talking about weekend activities; things to do; giving and understanding directions.

 

Cultural Enrichment –European Day of Languages, French Breakfast, Christmas around the Francophone world, ‘La Chandeleur’,

Onatti Theatre Company visit, Japanese and German Language clubs.

 

Year 8

TOPIC 5: Ma Zone (My Town – COVID Recovery)

Knowledge: describing a town; talking about weekend activities; things to do; giving and understanding directions.

 

TOPIC 6: Ma Vie d’Ado (Life as a Teenager – COVID Recovery)

Knowledge: talking about computers and mobiles; fashion; television programmes, films, books, music and travel.

 

TOPIC 7: Paris, Je t’Adore (I Love Paris)

Knowledge: Talking about a visit to Paris; describing a past holiday/trip and giving opinions about the past.

 

TOPIC 8: Chez Moi, Chez Toi (Life at Home)

Knowledge: talking about where you live (geographical location); describing your home (house or flat); talking about mealtimes;

talking about local events and excursions.

 

Cultural Enrichment – European Day of Languages Celebrations, Christmas around the Francophone world, Trip to Lille Christmas

Market, ‘La Chandeleur’, Onatti Theatre Company visit, Japanese and German Language clubs.

 

Year 9

 

TOPIC 9: Chez Moi, Chez Toi (Life at Home – COVID Recovery)

Knowledge: describing where you live; describing your home; giving opinions and reasons; talking about meals and what you must buy for an event/meal.

Topic 10: Bien dans sa Peau (Healthy Living)

Knowledge: talking about sport and exercise; describing levels of fitness; learning about healthy eating; giving advice on healthy lifestyles; discussing healthier resolutions for the future.

Topic 11: Spécial Vacances (Holidays)

Knowledge: discussing holidays; imagining adventure holidays; talking about what you take with you on holiday; describing what happened on holiday; describing a visit to a tourist attraction; discussing future plans and post-16 adventures.

Topic 12: À l’Horizon (Aspirations)

Knowledge: discussing jobs, describing future aspirations; appreciating languages

Cultural Enrichment – European Day of Languages Celebrations, Christmas around the Francophone world, La Chandeleur / Le Carnaval, Languages and Careers Day, Travel in the French-speaking world including DOM TOMs (French overseas territories), Enrichment trips to Strasbourg and Paris.

Exam board

AQA French GCSE

Description

Our Key Stage 4 curriculum greatly expands our students’ cultural and social knowledge of the French-speaking world, helping them appreciate the diversity of French-speaking communities in many countries. Students develop the technical skills and confidence to communicate in meaningful ways in a wide range of situations. We provide our students with many opportunities to develop cultural knowledge and experience through encountering customs and festivals in Francophone countries. The topics covered are based around three main themes: Identity and Culture; Local, National, International and Global Areas of Interest; and Current and Future Study and Employment.

In Years 10 and Year 11 we integrate and link all of the topics within the AQA GCSE Specification, so that learning is coherent and relevant.

The GCSE course is linear, which means that students will sit all the examinations at the end of the two-year course.

There are four papers:

Paper 1: Listening (25% of GCSE)

Paper 2: Speaking (25% of GCSE), based on a role-play, discussion of photo card and general conversation

Paper 3: Reading (25% of GCSE)

Paper 4: Writing (25%of GCSE)

 

Content

Year 10

Topic 1: Theme: Identity and Culture – Qui Suis-Je? (Who Am I?)

Knowledge: discussing the qualities of a good friend; talking about family relationships; making arrangements to go out; describing a

night out with friends; talking about your life when you were younger.

 

Topic 2: Theme: Identity and Culture – Le Temps des Loisirs (Leisure Time)

Knowledge: discussing leisure time; talking about sport; describing your life online; talking about books and reading;

talking about television programmes; talking about actors and films.

 

Topic 3: Theme: Identity and Culture – Jours Ordinaires, Jours de Fête (Holidays and Days of Celebration)

Knowledge: holidays/special occasions; describing your daily life; talking about food for special occasions; using polite language;

describing family celebrations; describing festivals.

 

Topic 4: Theme: Local, National, International and Global Areas of Interest – De la Ville à la Campagne (Town and Country) 

Knowledge: describing a region; talking about your town, village or district; discussing what to see and do; discussing plans and weather; social issues and community projects.

Year 10

 

Topic 1: Theme: Identity and Culture – Qui Suis-Je? (Who Am I?)

Knowledge: discussing the qualities of a good friend; talking about family relationships; making arrangements to go out; describing a night out with friends; talking about your life when you were younger.

 

Topic 2: Theme: Identity and Culture – Le Temps des Loisirs (Leisure Time)

Knowledge: discussing leisure time; talking about sport; describing your life online; talking about books and reading;

talking about television programmes; talking about actors and films.

 

Topic 3: Theme: Identity and Culture – Jours Ordinaires, Jours de Fête (Holidays and Days of Celebration)

Knowledge: holidays/special occasions; describing your daily life; talking about food for special occasions; using polite language; describing family celebrations; describing festivals.

 

Topic 4: Theme: Local, National, International and Global Areas of Interest – De la Ville à la Campagne (Town and Country)

Knowledge: describing a region; talking about your town, village or district; discussing what to see and do; discussing plans and weather; social issues and community projects.

 

Year 11:

 

Topic 5: Theme: Local, National, International and Global Areas of Interest – Le Grand Large (Holidays)

Knowledge: discussing what to see and do on holiday; discussing plans and weather; talking about an ideal holiday, booking and reviewing hotels.

 

Topic 6: Theme: Current and Future Study and Employment – Au Collège (At School)

Knowledge: talking about school; comparing schools in UK and French-speaking countries; discussing school rules; talking about how you stay fit & healthy; talking about unhealthy living; talking about a school exchange.

 

Topic 7: Theme: Work - Current and Future Study and Employment – Bon travail! (The World of Work)

Knowledge: discussing career choices and education post-16, including talking about plans, hopes & wishes; applying for jobs; understanding a case study about work.

 

Topic 8: Theme: Local, National, International and Global Areas of Interest – Un Oeil sur le Monde (An Eye on the World)

Knowledge: talking about problems facing the world; talking about protecting the environment; talking about ethical shopping;

talking about volunteering; talking about major global events.

 

Cultural Enrichment: European Day of Languages Celebrations, Christmas around the Francophone world, trip to the French Christmas Market in Bath/Lille, inter-cultural exchange with partner schools in Paris, French film and conversation club.

Exam board

AQA French A-Level

Description

The A-Level French course allows our sixth form students to broaden their minds, discover a world beyond their own culture, and acquire new ways of thinking. More than 200 million people speak French across five continents, and it is one of the most important languages in many professional fields, such as diplomacy, engineering, law, medicine, and international charity work.

Students develop independent, alternative views of the world by reading articles and listening to news clips from the leading French-language media.  They master the four core skills of Reading, Writing, Listening, Speaking in many and varied contexts.  The course is notable for training skills in analysis and evaluation of vital contemporary topics through debates and discussions, and is thus a strong preparation for university applications, and then study in various forms of technical and higher education, including essay and report writing techniques. Fluency in French is a major advantage in the job market, and opens the doors to companies all over the world, allowing students the opportunity to travel and work and live abroad.

The course is organised around three broad topics – Social Issues and Trends (Topic 1), Political and Artistic Culture (Topic 2), and Literary Texts and Films (Topic 3). The course is linear, which means that you will sit all the examinations at the end of the two-year course.

There are three papers:

Paper 1: Listening, Reading and Writing (50% of A-Level) assessing Topics 1 and 2

Paper 2: Writing (20% of A-Level) assessing Topic 3

Paper 3: Speaking (30% of A-Level), based on a discussion of a sub-theme from Topics 1 and 2, and a presentation/discussion of an Individual Research Project.

Content

Year 12

THEME: Aspects of French-Speaking Society: Current Trends

Sub-theme 1: La Famille en Voie de Développement Knowledge: Describing and discussing trends in marriage and other forms of partnership; positives and negatives of different family structures; relationships between the generations.

Sub-theme 2 : La Cyber Société Knowledge: how technology has transformed everyday life; the dangers of digital technology; who uses digital technology; future developments.

Sub-theme 3 : Le Rôle du Bénévolat Knowledge: the voluntary sector in France; benefits of voluntary work; rewards of voluntary work for those that do it and for society as a whole.

THEME: Artistic Culture in the French-Speaking World

Sub-theme 4 : Patrimoine Knowledge: heritage and heritage preservation; how heritage sites market themselves; how heritage relates to culture in society.

Sub-theme 5: La Musique Francophone Knowledge: the popularity of contemporary francophone music; who listens to contemporary Francophone music; discussing the threats to contemporary francophone music

Sub-theme 6: Le Cinéma Dossier Culturel Knowledge: different aspects of French cinema; major developments in French cinema; continuing polarity of French cinema and film festivals.

Cultural Topic : French film directed by Mathieu Kassovitz: La Haine

Knowledge: Vocabulary of cinema; the plot; the characters; the themes; the socio-historical context; director’s techniques and style.

 

Year 13

THEME: Aspects of French-Speaking Society: Current Issues

Sub-theme 7: Les Aspects Positifs d’une Société Diverse

Knowledge: the benefits of living in an ethnically diverse society; the need for tolerance and respect of diversity; how diversity can promote and create a richer world.

Sub-theme 8: Quelle Vie Pour les Marginalisés ?

Knowledge: different groups who are socially marginalised; measures to help those who are marginalised; contrasting attitudes to people who are marginalised.

Sub-theme 9: Comment on Traite les Criminels?

Knowledge: different attitudes to crime; prison and its merits and problems; alternative forms of punishment.

THEME: Aspects of Political Life in the French-Speaking World

Sub-theme 10: Les Ados, le Droit de Vote et l’Engagement Politique Knowledge: the history of the French political system; engagement levels of young people in politics; the future of politics and political engagement.

Sub-theme 11: Manifestations et Grèves Knowledge: the importance of unions; strikes, protests and different methods of protesting; different attitudes towards strikes.

Sub-theme 12: La Politique et l’Immigration Knowledge: political issues concerning immigration in Francophone countries; viewpoints of political parties; immigration from the standpoint of immigrants.

Individual Research Project - Speaking Examination

This offers the great opportunity to choose a topic of personal interest, research it thoroughly, and engage in a mature and lively debate in the Speaking Examination.

Cultural Topic Literature - French novel by Delphine de Vigan: No et Moi.

Knowledge: Introduction to the novel; De Vigan’s life and work; plot and structure; socio-cultural context; themes; characters.

Cultural Enrichment: Students are encouraged to participate in work experience overseas and become hosts to foreign visitors in the school. University outreach programmes are strongly subscribed by our students, including Language Open Days, Film Webinars and Lectures. Day trips include visits to the British Film Institute and the Alliance Française, and the annual outing to French restaurants in the local region.