French
We aim to instil a love of French language and curiosity for the Francophone world.
French has around 320 million speakers across five continents and is an official language in 32 countries.
French at City
At City we use a creative and communicative approach to teaching. We aim, not only to attain linguistic proficiency, but also to foster a genuine love of French language and Francophone culture by exposing students to literature, music, film and current affairs from year 7 onwards.
Why study French at City?
Languages contribute to the cultural and linguistic richness of our society, through personal fulfilment, mutual understanding, international trade, and global citizenship. At City, we use a creative and communicative approach to teaching which is supported by an embedded use of technology in the classroom. We aim to cultivate a love of French language and culture, and we go beyond the textbook using a variety of authentic resources from French film, literature, music and current affairs to enhance students’ understanding.
Immersion in French language is an integral part of our learning and from year 7 to year 13 students benefit from personalised tutorials with language assistants. We aim to teach learners to communicate effectively and confidently in French with an emphasis on pronunciation and accuracy. They engage in discussions of both personal and global significance, requiring great commitment to detail, a wide range of lexis and complex grammatical structures. To see what our French students get up to, follow us on Instagram here!
'What I love most about studying French at A level is the incredible variety of topics we explore, from history and politics to literature and film - all through the lens of another language. The course is highly linked to and evolves with current affairs, and the discussion-based lessons encourage interesting debates while fostering significant improvements in both language skills and confidence. French is a highly rewarding subject, opening doors to countless opportunities and experiences and its transferable skills make it a valuable addition to any A level combination.' Elodie, year 13 student
Our Staff
Curriculum
'I thoroughly enjoyed my GCSE French lessons because they covered interesting and varied topics, making each lesson engaging. The personalised support and feedback I received were invaluable, especially the individual speaking sessions with an assistant, which really helped build my confidence. What I liked most was my unconscious improvement in all four assessed areas of the subject thanks to the consistent guidance I was given throughout the course.'
Beyond the curriculum
Trips abroad
Year 8 students have the opportunity to join a five-day trip to Normandy in June, visiting places such as the D-Day landing beaches, Bayeux, home to the famous tapestry depicting the Norman conquest of England, or the spectacular Mont Saint Michel.
Year 10 students attend a language course combined with cultural activities at the Centre International d’Antibes and stay with host families.
Our year 12 and 13 students visit Lyon or Paris to enhance their linguistic expertise attending language lessons and exploring the fantastic history and culture.
London
We strongly encourage students to experience the French culture on offer in London by attending exhibitions, concerts, and talks. We often attend study days at the BFI with most year groups.
DELF B2 course
We are offering the DELF B2 course with the aim of students gaining the globally recognised qualification based on the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages by the end of year 12. This is an official title certifying a degree of competence and mastery of the French language, granted by France’s Ministry of Education, which demonstrates the French language proficiency of foreign students.
‘As a language lover, completing DELF was an amazing way to expand my knowledge of the French language and society beyond the A level curriculum. I would highly recommend it and felt supported and encouraged to achieve the best result I possibly could over the duration of the whole course. I’m so glad I decided to do DELF and discover this potential world of opportunity in French-speaking countries for myself in the future - definitely a small commitment that reaps large benefits!’ - Amelia, year 13
Competitions and clubs
KS3 and KS4 students can attend a highly popular cinema club and board game club. We also offer a weekly debating club and drama club for KS5 students. Pupils participate in the Joutes Oratoires debating competition and Francophone drama festival. Recently CLSG was awarded the prize for best play with their contemporary take on Racine’s Andromaque.
‘French debating club was an incredible opportunity for me to improve my ability and confidence in speaking French. Not only do you learn how to speak persuasively in French, but you also learn many debating skills which are useful outside this subject. I have really enjoyed the wide range of topics available for debate, ranging from current events to K-pop. The highlights were winning at French debating competitions!’ – Ningfei (Year 13)
Students’ creativity and talent shine in a wide range of national competitions, such as the Oxford Flash fiction, ISMLA writing competitions, or the French Institute pop video competition.
We have French clinics twice a week and a mentoring system to help younger pupils who require support.
