Studying French at A level is not just about learning more vocabulary and refining your grammar. By studying topics such as crime and the law, current affairs in France, politics, diversity, immigration, French cinema and the French music scene, you will learn much more about France and the French. You will start to understand their attitudes, their passions and their fears.

In 2015, the terrorist attack on the Charlie Hebdo offices in Paris, triggered after journalists of the satirical newspaper had published disrespectful images of the prophet Mohammed, sparked a huge debate in France about the freedom of speech. Should the newspaper have been allowed to publish such images? How can we protect journalists from becoming targets for terrorists? How did this incident trigger the subsequent wave of terrorist attacks in France and incidents such as the murder of humanities teacher Samuel Paty in 2020, and another secondary teacher in Arras in 2023?

In 2019, the fire which caused huge damage to Notre Dame cathedral raised several questions across the world. Who would pay for the renovations of this building of national and international importance? Should it be rebuilt as it was, or should it be modernised with a roof-top garden and modern glass spire? How have the French reacted to the renovations since its re-opening in November 2025?

What has caused the rise of the far-right political party Rassemblement National? Why is Président Macron known as Le Président des Riches?

Studying French at A Level is not just about learning more vocabulary and refining your grammar. By studying topics such as crime and the law, current affairs in France, politics, diversity, immigration, national heritage, French cinema and the French music scene, you will learn much more about France and French-speakers. You will start to understand their attitudes, their passions and their fears.

French is a practical subject with transferable skills. The course aims to equip you so that you may understand and converse with native speakers and live alongside them. You will continue to develop listening, speaking, reading, writing and translations skills and with determination, enthusiasm and patience you will become a confident linguist. During the course you will have the chance to practise your skills during a study visit to Paris. There you will visit a Parisian school and be paired with a French partner who will accompany us on joint trips around the capital.

French can be combined with any other subject and will positively enhance many. Studying French will particularly complement English, as you will spot patterns in language and discover French literature; it also complements humanities subjects, as we study a film set in occupied France, a novel packed with philosophical questions, and traditions in different francophone countries.

Learning French at A level provides a gateway that will help you to understand other cultures – not just French – and give you the techniques, and inspiration, needed to learn other languages.

Whether you continue with French at university, or not, having studied a language is a huge and impressive advantage. It is one subject that you will never need to justify choosing.

There will be an opportunity to participate in a Study Trip to Paris. Our partner school is the Lycée Jules Ferry.

French A level is highly regarded by universities and can lead to a wide variety of Degree courses and career opportunities. French can be combined with a variety of subjects such as History, Law, Business Studies and Marketing. Studying French at A Level can also be combined with another language, such as Russian and Italian which can be studied ab initio. Traditional careers such as teaching, translating and interpreting and civil service are often pursued, but language graduates are highly valued and sought after by employers in the business and commercial world enhancing your skills of essay writing and extended reports.

The course is linear and assessment is by three terminal examinations.

Paper 1: (2 1/2 hours)
Listening, reading, writing.
Grammar – translation

Paper 2: (2 hours)
Written responses in French to questions on the film ( currently Au revoir les enfants by Louis Malle) and the set text (currently L’étranger by Albert Camus).

Paper 3: (21-23 minutes)
Speaking. Discussion of a sub-theme and individual research project.

For admission to A level French, our usual minimum requirements are:

• Students will need to have achieved a grade 6 or above in French.