French A Level

Applications open: 20 November 2026

Application deadline: 12th February 2027 (Late applications continue to be acknowledged until results day)

Entry Requirements: - 5 x GCSEs Grade 4-9 including English. Maths desirable. Please see individual courses for subject entry requirements. Please visit our website for more information https://www.maplesden.kent.sch.uk/830/welcome

Subject Choices: - You will need to select a minimum of 3 subjects to study and these can be a mixture of A Levels and BTECs with SEFA addition to your full time studies.

How to Apply: - Please apply via KentChoices

Pearson Edexcel level 3 advanced GCE in French

The Edexcel A Level French qualification is a 2-year course which focuses on developing advanced language skills, cultural understanding, and critical thinking through a diverse curriculum and structured assessments.

The course is designed to engage students in the French language and culture, preparing them for further education and various career paths. The qualification emphasizes the importance of language skills in a global context and encourages students to explore contemporary and historical topics related to France and Francophone regions.

Theme 1: The changes in French society

• The changes in the nuclear family structure in France and the views of people towards marriage and children.

• The changes in the world of work, equality, utilising strikes to bring about change

• Sexism in the workplace.

Theme 2: The political and artistic culture in French speaking countries

• Music and its impact on popular culture.

• Freedom of speech in the media and the impact of the internet.

• Festivals, customs and different ways of life around the French speaking world.

Theme 3: Immigration and the multicultural French society

• The positive impacts of immigration on France and the economic and cultural contributions of immigrants to France.

• Community and alienation for immigrants, racism and the point of view of immigrants.

• The National Front and the view of French people and immigrants on the political landscape.

Theme 4: Occupation and the Resistance

• France during occupation, antisemitism and collaboration.

• The Vichy regime and the national revolution

• Jean Moulin, Charles De Gaulle and the women of the resistance

Students will study 2 French works, one book and one film. We will study “No et Moi” by Delphine de Vigan (2007) and “Intouchables”, directed by Oliver Nakache and Eric Toledano (2011).

Students will also research and prepare their own independent research project. The research may be based on one of the themes or on the student’s own subject of interest related to the society and culture of the language studied.

All exams are sat at the end of the two years and are graded A*-U. Students sit 3 papers:

Paper 1: Listening, reading and translation

• 2 hours

• 40% of the qualification

• Based around the 4 themes studied

• Listening, followed by reading, followed by a translation from French into English

Paper 2: Written response to works and translation

• 2 hours 40 minutes

• 30% of the qualification

• Based around the film and text studied

• Translation from English into French followed by 2 essays of the student’s choice

Paper 3: speaking

• 16-18 minutes of speaking plus 5 minutes of preparation time

• 30% of the qualification

• Task 1: discussion on a theme. Students discuss one theme from the 4 themes studied based on a stimulus containing two different statements.

• Task 2 part 1: Presentation of independent research project

• Task 2 part 2: discussion on independent research project.

Grade 4-9 In English and grade 6-9 in French GCSE