Welcome to the French Department

Bonjour et bienvenue! The Pittville School French Department comprises 2 teachers who are passionate about the subject. We have both lived in French speaking countries (France and Belgium) and are keen to pass on our knowledge and love of French language and culture to the students we teach.

French teachers: Ms R Harte and Ms C Allen

Why learn French?

There are over 200 million people who speak French across 55 countries and 5 continents, which makes French the third most used language online! One of the United Nations’ official languages, it is the language of diplomacy. French will forever be associated with sophistication and style, whether by association to fashion, luxury goods, fine dining or art and culture. Whichever career path you choose (engineering, aviation, energy, medical, sciences, sports, law, business studies, art, music, fashion, architecture…) being able to speak French will be a feather in your cap!

At Pittville we believe that French should be accessible for all. We offer a broad curriculum for French which is studied by all pupils in years 7 and 8. Pupils then have the opportunity to study French in year 9 and can continue on to GCSE.

At KS3 pupils learn conversational French to enable they can talk about themselves and their lives and ask other people questions. We also believe strongly in getting the basics right, with a particular emphasis on phonics, spelling and pronunciation. This lays the foundation for success in languages and understanding how they work. We also introduce the skills needed for GCSE languages at this early stage such as translation, reading comprehension and essay writing.

At KS4 French is an optional subject that students may choose as a GCSE option. Students learn to develop their language skills in a variety of contexts and to communicate their ideas about a variety of topics such as lifestyle, leisure, holidays, home and the environment and education and work. Students’ develop skills in speaking, listening, reading and writing and are trained to understand and give opinions, recognise and use more accurately a wide range of vocabulary and structures, give full descriptions and accounts and cope with a greater deal of unpredictability. We follow the AQA exam course which is weighted 25% for each skill; writing, speaking, listening and reading.

KS4 Resources

For pupils at KS4 we offer AQA French exam revision guides that can be bought through ParentPay.

We use the Studio AQA GCSE text book in school

How can parents support their child in French?

Please talk to your child about the French they are learning at school and encourage them to say the new vocabulary they have learned out loud or test them on how many that they can remember.

Research shows that statements such as 'I was never any good at languages', 'I don't have a languages brain', etc have an immediate negative impact on the progress of learners. A positive attitude and ‘can do’ mentality will go a long way to helping your child flourish in French.

For pupils at KS4 we offer AQA French exam revision guides that can be bought through ParentPay.