The study of French can provide a student access to a whole world, a whole culture, and an entire population. More than 220 million people speak French on the five continents. French is the second most widely learned foreign language after English, and the sixth most widely spoken language in the world. With A level French, students can interact directly with the French-speaking world, be it for reasons of travel, culture, or business. French is the international language of cooking, fashion, theatre, the visual arts, dance and architecture. A knowledge of French offers access to great works of literature in the original French, as well as films and songs. The ability to speak French makes it so much more enjoyable to visit Paris and all the regions of France and offers insights into French culture, society, politics and way of life. French is also of immense value when travelling to many places that also speak French, including parts of Africa, Switzerland and Canada. A knowledge of French opens the doors of French companies in France and other French-speaking parts of the world (Canada, Switzerland, Belgium, and the continent of Africa). As the world’s fifth biggest economy and third-ranking destination for foreign investment, France is a key economic player in an increasingly globalized world, and a capacity to speak and read the language with fluency is a hugely attractive asset. Students studying French A level will build a huge variety of essential skills, such as communication, interpersonal and intercultural interaction, and public speaking. Students will also have the chance to learn about French culture, cinema, literature, fashion, history and politics.