Course information
French
Mander Portman Woodward School - Kensington and Chelsea
02078351355
90-92 Queen's Gate, LONDON, SW7 5AB
Course summary

Learning a modern language for GCSE is a matter of taking your first steps. You learn rudimentary grammar and vocabulary that enable you to get by but real conversations are still beyond your reach. It is at the sixth form level that you will deepen your grammatical competence and broaden your vocabulary so that you can converse about and debate real-world issues, and immerse yourself in the culture, literature and arts of the country. Even though we live in an age where it seems English is spoken everywhere and where Google Translate will help you where it is not, there is nothing like the experience and satisfaction of being able to step inside a different way of speaking and seeing the world. The French A level will introduce you to French society, history and culture. You will read the French press, listen to the French news and watch French films to develop your knowledge not just of the language, but of the countries where it is spoken. In the first year, you will focus on two major topic areas, grammar and translation, and the study in depth of a film. The first topic is Aspects of French-speaking Society: Current Trends, which will cover everything from traditional family values to cyberspace. The second is Artistic Culture in the French-speaking World where you will be talking about French culture music and heritage. The film you will study will be one taken from this list: Au revoir les enfants, La Haine, L’auberge espagnole, Un long dimanche de fiançailles, Entre les murs and Les 400 coups. In the second year, you will revise your knowledge of the first-year topics and the film, and you will cover two more topics, as well as undertake a detailed study of a literary text and its themes and context. You will also be required to research a French topic for your speaking exam. The new topics are Aspects of French Society in which you will look at various issues such as discrimination, a diverse society and integration; and Aspects of Political Life in the French-speaking World, where you will look at political issues, the right to vote and immigration. The study of a literary text will be a short novel or play drawn from the AQA-prescribed list.

Entry requirements

To be eligible for the MPW University Foundation Programme you must: • Be aged 17+ at the start of the programme* • Entry requirements: Successful completion of local high school (either 11 or 12-year system) with good grades • Meet our English entry requirements: • January 2 term programme 5.5 IELTS or equivalent (with no less than 5.0 in any single band) – Pearson PTE (42-49), TOEFL iBT (46-59) or Cambridge (162) also accepted. • September 3 term programme 5.0 IELTS or equivalent (with no less than 4.5 in any single band) – Pearson PTE (36-41), TOEFL iBT (35-45) or Cambridge (154) also accepted. You should ideally have an A or A* at GCSE. If it is your mother tongue or a second language, you will need to be able to speak and write it proficiently. You will also need an interest in other cultures and a logical mind to cope with the grammar.

How you'll be assessed

For the A level, three exams cover all four general topic areas together with the film and literary text. Unit 1 (Listening, Reading and Writing) will check your comprehension of a variety of texts and extracts, with all the questions being in French. You will also have two translations of 100 words each: one in French and one in English. Unit 2 (Writing) consists of two 300-word essays in French with questions set on the film and the text studied. Unit 3 (Speaking) will be a discussion of a theme based on a stimulus card followed by a presentation and a discussion of an individual French research project. Unit 1 lasts 2 hours 30 minutes and is worth 50% of the A level. Unit 2 lasts 2 hours and is worth 20% of the A level. Unit 3 lasts 21-23 minutes and is worth 30% of the A level.

School Info

About Education Provider

RegionLondon
Local AuthorityKensington and Chelsea
Ofsted Rating
Gender TypeCo-Educational
ISI ReportView Report
Boarding FeeUnknown
Sixth Form Fee£34,233
Address90-92 Queen's Gate, LONDON, SW7 5AB