Teachers:

Mr K McQuaid (HOD)

Miss L Goodall

Why French?

French is an exciting and unique subject which allows students to develop their speaking, listening, reading and writing skills not only in the French language but in English too. These skills can also be transferred to many other subjects across the curriculum.

• Having a second language increases your chances of employment, as it makes you stand out from the crowd.
• Employers want language students as they have a very specific skill set, are confident communicators and have the ability to work independently and with others.
• Universities like languages and some require it for certain courses.
• You potentially could get paid more – some jobs pay you up to 20% more for a good language qualification.

French at ERC

All KS3 students study French until the end of Year 10 where they then have the opportunity to study French for GCSE.

Topics covered at KS3 include Greetings, Town/Area, Hobbies, School, Family, House, TV/Cinema and Basic Grammar. Classes are fast paced and exciting and include a range of different activities such as independent learning, individual and group work, class discussion, games and interactive activities. All vocabulary taught can be found on the schools Quizlet page where students can access this from home and try to reach the coveted place at the top of the leader board!

At GCSE the students follow the CCEA specification which enables them to develop the key skills from KS3 and deepen their knowledge of the French language. The course focuses on the following three areas:

• Identity, Lifestyle and Culture
• Local, National, International and Global Areas of Interest
• School Life, Studies and the World of Work

Students are assessed on Speaking, Listening, Reading and Writing.

Extra Curricular

There is a Beginner Language club for Year 8 & 9 where the pupils learn basic vocabulary in a range of European languages through fun and games.

GCSE revision classes take place from January-June of Year 12 to help students prepare for their examinations.

European Day of Languages takes place in September every year. The language department host a quiz for the Junior School where they have the opportunity to win prizes and learn key facts about language study!

Follow the French department’s twitter account @FrenchErc for any news from the French department.