French
Why is the subject important?
Learning a foreign language awakens students’ interests to other cultures and deepens their understanding of the wider world. Students will develop their communicative skills by learning to express their ideas and thoughts in the target language, and will also develop creativity and problem-solving skills as they find new ways of understanding and communicating messages. Learning a language at school increases students’ confidence and sets them up for life as global citizens; it equips students to study and work in other countries and provides the foundations for learning further languages in the future.
Year 7
What will I be studying?
- Introductions and greetings
- Describing yourself and your family
- Describing your pets and your house
- Talking about school life
- What we eat and drink
- Describing your town
- Talking about your plans for the summer holidays
Career Links
- Tourism Officer
- Marketer
- Au pair (live-in nanny)
- Teacher
- Chef
- MI5 Linguist
How will I be assessed?
In MFL we complete assessments in the four skill areas: listening, speaking, reading and writing. These happen twice a year; in Term 3 (January) and Term 6 (June).
Which websites should I use to support my learning?
We recommend:
- The free app Duolingo
- languagesonline.org.uk
- YouTube – you can search for any category of words and find videos and songs in French about them
- Netflix – you can change the language of your favourite films and shows into French or add French subtitles
Year 8
What will I be studying?
- What you do in your free time
- What sports you play
- Talking about going on holiday
- Using the past tense to talk about recent activities
- How you get on with people in your family
- Your daily routine
Career Links
- Publisher
- Sports Journalist
- Flight Attendant
- Detective
- Lawyer
- World Health Organisation Officer
How will I be assessed?
In MFL we complete assessments in the four skill areas: listening, speaking, reading and writing. These happen twice a year; in Term 3 (January) and Term 6 (June).
Which websites should I use to support my learning?
- The free app Duolingo
- languagesonline.org.uk
- YouTube – you can search for any category of words and find videos and songs in French about them
- Netflix – you can change the language of your favourite films and shows into French or add French subtitles
Year 9
What will I be studying?
- How you celebrate different events
- How you use the Internet and social media
- Living a healthy lifestyle
- Your future study and work plans
- Talking about holidays (again)
- Your local area and the environment
Career Links
- Diplomat
- Game Translator
- Mental Health Counsellor
- EFL Teacher
- Tour Guide
- International Aid/Development Worker
How will I be assessed?
In MFL we complete assessments in the four skill areas: listening, speaking, reading and writing. These happen twice a year; in Term 3 (January) and Term 6 (June).
Which websites should I use to support my learning?
- The free app Duolingo
- languagesonline.org.uk
- YouTube – you can search for any category of words and find videos and songs in French about them
- Netflix – you can change the language of your favourite films and shows into French or add French subtitles
Years 10 and 11
What will I be studying?
You will follow the AQA GCSE Specification. This is set out in three separate themes with sub-topics.
Theme 1: Identity and Culture
- Self, Family and Friends
- Relationships and Marriage
- Free time Activities
- Technology
- Celebrations and Traditions
Theme 2: Local, National, and Global Interests
- Your House and Town
- Holidays
- Environmental Issues
- Social Issues (e.g. poverty, unemployment)
Theme 3: Current and Future Studies and Employment
- Life at School
- Future Education
- Careers
Career Links
- Interpreter
- Marketing Manager
- Lawyer
- MFL Teacher
- Tourist Information Manager
- Broadcast Journalist
- Human Rights Lawyer
- Translator
- Recruiter
How will I be assessed?
We complete assessments in the four skill areas: listening, speaking, reading and writing. These happen twice a year; in Term 2 (November) and Term 4 (April).
In Year 10, these are created by us with questions which are similar to the real GCSE papers.
In Year 11, we use full past papers to complete formal mock examinations.
Which websites should I use to support my learning?
- AQA website – this contains the specification we follow and links to past papers: https://www.aqa.org.uk/subjects/languages/gcse/french-8658
- the free app Duolingo
- languagesonline.org.uk
- YouTube – you can search for any category of words and find videos and songs in French about them
- Netflix – you can change the language of your favourite films and shows into French or add French subtitles
