French

Our comprehensive Key Stage 3 MFL courses guarantee our students solid preparation to face the challenge of the GCSE course.

Head of Department: Mr A Green
Email: adg@bishopwordsworths.org.uk

Teacher of French: Mrs S Paden
Email: smp@bishopwordsworths.org.uk

Teacher of French: Mrs O Telford
Email: ot@bishopwordsworths.org.uk

Teacher of French: Mrs J Campling
Email: jgc@bishopwordsworths.org.uk

Teacher of French: Mrs L Drummond
Email: lcd@bishopwordsworths.org.uk

Teacher of French: Mr M Brundle
Email: mrb@bishopwordsworths.org.uk

Teacher of French: Miss C Guadas Sanchis
Email: cgs@bishopwordsworths.org.uk

Every student will study all three languages in Year 7, and at the end of Year 7, will choose their First Language to study up to GCSE in Year 11. They will continue with an allocated Second Language in Year 8 and Year 9, and may study this one too to GCSE. Students can then continue with French, German or Spanish into A-Level.

Our comprehensive Key Stage 3 MFL courses guarantee our students solid preparation to face the challenge of the GCSE course.

We offer a holistic approach to enhance the development of the four core skills (writing, reading, listening and speaking). Pupils will be offered wide-ranging opportunities to experience culture, such as residential Trips to France in Year 8/9 and theatre visits. Schemes of Work for each year group can be found on this page, as well as a Curriculum Map, which will show how topics are delivered, and will help you to see how each topic is revisited and feeds into the ensuing topic.

Key Stage 3

Year 7

Students will use the Studio 1 textbook as support material. Pupils will study French for two terms in Year 7, and while they will make quick progress, the focus is on engagement and communication. The full list of topics covered can be found in the Scheme of Work.

Year 8

Students continue their course with “Studio 2”. Students have 6 periods a week if French is their chosen language, or 2 periods per week if it is their allocated second language. The Year 8 course seeks to build on the skills and knowledge acquired in Year 7, with an emphasis on grammar, writing and skills such as translating. Boys will be expected to become more independent in their learning, and to spend more of their own time on vocabulary learning. The full list of topics and grammar covered in Year 8 can be found in the Scheme of Work.

Year 9

Students continue their course with “Studio 3 Rouge”. Students have 4 periods a week if French is their chosen language, or 2 periods per week if it is their allocated second language. The Year 9 course moves towards interacting with longer, more complex texts and increased spontaneity, as we start the GCSE course towards the end of the year. The full list of topics and grammar covered in Year 9 can be found in the Scheme of Work.

GCSE French

GCSE French is studied using the Edexcel French GCSE specification.

This GCSE course culminates in four papers taken at the end of Year 11: Speaking, Writing, Reading and Listening. The four skills have equal weighting in the final grade. Years 9, 10 and 11 groups use the Studio Edexcel GCSE as a textbook and cover the GCSE topics as outlined in the Scheme of Work.

The text book issued to students is called "Studio Edexcel GCSE" and boys are also expected to purchase ‘Studio Edexcel GCSE French Grammar and Translation Workbook’ for help with class and homework tasks.

Year 11 Spring Term will see our classes complete their learning in French, and lessons will become increasingly dedicated to the following:

• Completion of Speaking Booklets
• Catching up with any topics not yet completed
• Grammar work, using the Grammar and Translation books
• Translation work, using the Grammar and Translation books
• Past Papers
• Going through any work that pupils would like to catch up on
• Reading and Listening Skills

Students will work on the same four key skills of writing, speaking, listening and reading, but there will also be a greater emphasis on essay-writing, translation and writing summaries. As well as covering a variety of cultural topics relating to France and other French-speaking countries, students will need to read a French novel, watch a French film, and talk about both analytically.