French

Course summary

Why study the subject? Learning a language and its culture brings enormous satisfaction and opens many doors. It provides a rich insight into other worlds, embeds an ability to gain a much greater depth of empathy and communication, and develops us as people who build bridges, not walls. All this through the medium of one of the world’s great major languages. Students study technological and social change, looking at diversity and the benefits it brings. 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 also explore the influence of the past on present day French speaking communities. They learn the language in the context of French speaking countries and the issues and influences which have shaped them. In addition to this, students study Mathieu Kassowitz’s cinematic masterpiece La Haine and Albert Camus’ seminal work L’Etranger. As part of the Speaking exam, students carry out independent research on an area of their choice, which can sit alongside their EPQ and they university application form. No other subject brings together elements of history, politics, literature, media, sociology, geography, philosophy and linguistics in quite the same way. French is an excellent partner subject to most other Post-16 options. Course Structure Year 12 • Aspects of French Speaking Society: Current Trends and Issues • Artistic Culture and Political Life in the French Speaking World • Film Study: Mathieu Kassovitz: La Haine (1995) Year 13 • Novel Study: Albert Camus: L’Etranger (1942) • Individual Research Project: (student’s choice of subject matter) • Aspects of French Speaking Society: Current Trends and Issues • Aspects of Political Life in the French Speaking World Skills Acquired The skills inherent in language acquisition prepare us for an ever-changing world including employment opportunities yet to be invented. Knowledge of a language marks you out as someone who is tenacious, curious, resilient, and openminded with an ability to seek solutions to problems and be highly flexible in their thinking. It is adaptability and the ability to respond rapidly to change which will increase your chances of success and long-term fulfilment. Students suited to the course Students who have a broad academic spectrum of interest, who are curious about the world, who remain curious and who look for the opportunities to communicate with and understand others thrive on this course. The course suits students who are prepared to address topics of importance, develop and justify points of view and bring together the social, historical and mechanical elements of understanding and creating language along with its ever-shifting cultural context. What other subjects it combines well with Studying French will complement your study of any other subject because of the range of transferable skills and concepts. Business Studies, Sciences, Maths, Drama, English, Social Sciences, History, Geography, as well as Art and Design and other creative subjects make excellent companion subjects with French. Career or HE the course leads to: Studying French gives an excellent academic grounding and opens doors to almost any discipline or career path. Whether you want to go into medicine politics, education, accountancy, law, business, media, finance or academia to name but a few, there is no pathway that is not enhanced by qualifications in languages because the number of doors open to you increases dramatically. Co-curricular Theatre visit to Les Misérables in the West End. School journey to France