French

Studying French presents exciting opportunities for the future. Imagine doing your dream job abroad!  You could live in Paris, Africa, the Caribbean or on a beautiful island in the Indian Ocean if you speak French. Holidays abroad are much more enjoyable if you don’t have any problems being understood by the locals. Add to this the fact that having a Modern Language under your belt is increasingly seen by universities and employers as the sign or a well-rounded, intelligent young person.

French in the First to Third Form is all about laying the foundations for future success in the subject.  We believe passionately in instilling a fundamental understanding of the grammar of the language from Jour-J. Supported by sound cognitive science, we have teamed up with Language Cubes Ltd to provide a unique grammatical grounding in the language for all beginners. We add to this the explicit teaching of phonics, building on the methods the pupils will have used in acquiring language skills in English at primary school.

Alongside this innovative approach, pupils will cover all the expected areas of an elementary French curriculum, ranging from being able to talk about one’s family, friends and social activities to ordering food and drinks in cafés and restaurants.

All pupils in the Third Form will have the opportunity to use their French in a combat situation during the annual Battlefields Tour. We take one day away from their history to give the pupils the chance to try their French out for real in a range of challenges: buying their lunch from a market; ordering a soft drink or an ice cream in a café; finding their way around town.

Pupils are taught by the following teachers:

Mr Williams (Head of Languages – BA Manchester) has over twenty years’ experience teaching modern and classical languages in leading independent schools. He has lived in France and works as a First World War battlefield guide in his spare time. He is also a Mastermind grand finalist.

Miss Harris (Teacher of French - MA Edinburgh) has a passion for teaching French, having previously lived and taught in Belgium.  She says she loves the “lightbulb moment” when pupils understand how to translate a sentence or pronounce a new word.  Outside school she plays netball competitively, having represented her region in basketball when she lived in Belgium.