French

Every pupil at Eltham College learns French from Year 7 with the option to study French to GCSE level and beyond. French continues to be a popular choice, with pupils participating in numerous trips to France such as the Year 11 weekend in Paris, the exchange in Year 9 and the exchange in the Lower Sixth to Laval. The aim of the French Department is to introduce pupils to an important international language that is spoken by over 300 million people as a native or second language.

The ability to communicate in French is an essential skill for travel as it is the official language in 29 countries over the five continents. We encourage pupils to make the most of the trips organised by the department as well as the affordable, easy transport links between London and Paris that facilitate independent travel.  There are also occasional outings below Sixth Form level to French films such as Micmacs.

At Sixth Form level we aim to increase pupils’ appreciation of French history and contemporary life. At AS level pupils develop their language skills by working on a range of topics; from the influence of celebrity culture to the dangers of the internet. At A2, in addition to topic based work, pupils are introduced to French literature; all pupils study Jean-Paul Sartre’s play Les Mains Sales and are given support and guidance to choose another cultural topic in accordance with their personal interests. Throughout the AS and A2 course pupils are expected to fully engage in independent learning from reading news items on the internet to exchanging emails with their exchange partners. Their spoken French is of great importance and each Sixth Former benefits from a timetabled oral lesson with a French assistant once a week. We organise regular cinema trips to see French films; recently pupils watched Le Père de Mes Enfants. Sixth Formers are also encouraged to borrow DVDs from the departmental library and choose French books from the collection in the school library. There are six members of staff teaching French at Eltham College and each brings their own teaching style, enthusiasm and personality to this dynamic department.

A good number of pupils choose to continue their study of French to A level and several go on to complete language degrees. French is key to a wide range of careers as, along with English, it is the official language used by the United Nations, UNESCO, NATO and a large number of other international organisations.