French - Key Stage 4

At KS4 students are given the opportunity to embed concepts into long term memory, connect new knowledge with existing knowledge and further develop the four modalities. Students build upon prior grammatical knowledge whilst regularly revisiting tenses and other key grammatical points in new contexts to ensure knowledge is secure. 

Students interact with a wider range of tenses, including compound tenses, the future simple and conditional. They are also exposed to the concept of the subjunctive mood.

Students will be explicitly taught examination strategies throughout the course and these will be tested regularly. 

At key stage 4, the curriculum is taught through familiar and newer contexts. This allows students to practise applying familiar concepts to less familiar contexts. Throughout this two year course students will complete a variety of listening, speaking, reading, writing and translation activities. The course is split up into the following themes: My personal world, lifestyle and wellbeing, My neighbourhood, media and technology, studying and my future and travel and tourism.

Assessment at Key stage 4

Over the course of year 10 and 11 students will complete 6 modules. 

In addition to the regular high and low stakes assessments, students will sit an end of yr10 examination, which will be a composite paper of past examination questions based on the topics covered to date. Students will sit the previous year’s GCSE listening, speaking, reading and writing examination papers in the autumn term of year 11. 

Another mock will also take place during the Spring term. Throughout years 10 and 11, students will sit past examination papers or complete past paper style tasks regularly. All receptive and productive skills will be developed alongside examination techniques.

Year 10 and 11 examinations are used as formal checkpoints. 

At the end of year 11, students will sit the following four examinations:

Paper 1: 

Listening and understanding in French (25% of final grade)
Foundation tier: 45 minutes including 5 minutes reading time.
Higher tier: 60 minutes including 5 minutes reading time.

Paper 2: 

Speaking in French (25% of final grade)
Foundation tier: 7–9 minutes plus 15 minutes preparation time.
Higher tier: 10–12 minutes plus 15 minutes preparation time.

Paper 3:

Reading and understanding in French (25% of final grade)
Foundation tier: 45 minutes.
Higher tier: 1 hour.

Paper 4: Writing in French (25% of final grade)
Foundation tier: 75 minutes.
Higher tier: 80 minutes.

How can parents help support their child’s learning?

In order for your daughter to make good progress in her studies, it is important that she regularly revises vocabulary and grammar structures, either online or by using the following revision techniques: self-quizzing, mind maps, or flashcards.

Additional strategies that can further support her learning include:
• Encouraging her to practise dialogues or read passages aloud at home.
• Testing your daughter on the spellings and meanings of new words.
• Encouraging your daughter to revise new grammar learnt and practise applying it in writing and speaking activities.
• Encouraging your daughter to download the Quizlet app to increase vocabulary acquisition.
• Suggesting that she make full use of the independent learning resources available on ActiveHub and GCSE POD.

Encouraging your daughter to download the Quizlet app to increase vocabulary acquisition.
Suggesting that she make full use of the independent learning resources available at Active Learn and Language Nut.

Your daughter may wish to purchase the following revision resources to support her Key Stage 4 studies:

• Studio Edexcel GCSE French Higher Student Book. Publisher: Pearson. Author: Clive Bell,Anneli Mclachlan,Gill Ramage. ISBN: 9781292117836

• Revise Edexcel GCSE (9-1) French Revision Guide. Publisher: Pearson. Author: Stuart Glover. ISBN: 9781292132082
• Revise Edexcel GCSE (9-1) French Revision Workbook. Publisher: Pearson. Author: Stuart Glover. ISBN: 9781292132013

• Studio Edexcel GCSE French Grammar and Translation Workbook. Publisher: Pearson. Author: Stuart Glover. ISBN: 9781292132990
• Revise Edexcel GCSE (9-1) French Practice Papers Plus. Publisher: Pearson. Author: Stuart Glover. ISBN: 9781292236315
• Revise Edexcel GCSE (9-1) French Revision Cards. Publisher: Pearson. ISBN: 9781292182391

Enrichment opportunities

Students will have the opportunity to attend a French theatre production. They may also attend additional booster sessions to develop and refine examination strategies and techniques.

GCSE course/s (exam board and code)

Edexcel  – 1FR0