French 

Studying French A-level at The Queen's School will see you quickly develop your skills as you will work in a small group, led by native speakers, and be immersed in the dialogue and culture of the French speaking world.

You will have chance to engage with modern French literature, which invariably sparks interesting conversation as you debate themes relevant to young people today. You will emerge from this course a more rounded individual, equipped to talk to people in their own language and to travel with your eyes open to the influences around you. Of course, you will be highly employable in a society in which language skills are increasingly rare - but the main reason to study with us is to share our enjoyment of language learning at an advanced level. 

France plays an important role in the world of cinema, fashion and cuisine and learning the language provides many advantages when searching for a job. Your skills gained at GCSE will be widened so that you can communicate more effectively and you will also study the culture of French speaking countries. 

Lessons are typically conducted in French and there are weekly one-to-one conversation classes for A-level students. The course has accompanying online activities, which enable you to immerse yourself in the language both at school and at home. As a practical subject, learning also takes place outside the classroom. You will have opportunities to visit Manchester Met for study days and attend film studies workshops at “Home Cinema”. You will also have the chance to experience the language and culture first-hand by taking part in a study trip to the south of France. 

The AQA French A-level covers a range of thought-provoking topics and the examination has three papers at the end of the course: 

• Paper 1 – listening, reading and translation (50%) based on authentic material on topics like music, national heritage, immigration, politics and criminality in France and the French-speaking world. 
• Paper 2 - The writing paper (20%) will ask you to write about literary texts and films. 
• Paper 3 - The speaking examination (30%) is designed for you to research an area of individual interest as well as speak on the topic areas. 

We start in Year 12 with unit 1.1, which covers current trends in French-speaking society, including the changing nature of the family, cyber society and voluntary work. Unit 2.1 concentrates on heritage and tourism, contemporary music, festivals and cinema. Year 13 focuses in unit 1.2 on ethnicity and diversity, criminals in society and those who are marginalized and in unit 2.2 on the right to vote, strikes and demonstrations and immigration. 

You also study a French novel and a French film across the two years. Our chosen book is “No et Moi”. It is a coming-of-age novel about a highly intelligent 13-year-old who is confronted with the issue of homelessness and related social problems when she befriends a young homeless woman. Our chosen film is “La Haine”. In this critically acclaimed film, we follow three friends from a poor immigrant neighbourhood in the Paris suburbs, 24 hours after a riot. It is a powerful story which illustrates inequalities and tensions in the French suburbs.