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French

Unlock a world of opportunity with A-Level French! Whether you’re dreaming of strolling through Parisian boulevards or building an international career, mastering French opens countless doors. As the official language in over 40 countries and a key business language, French isn’t just about conjugating verbs – it’s your passport to global connection.

This dynamic course will empower you to:

  • Express yourself confidently in one of the world’s most influential languages
  • Immerse yourself in rich cultures across five continents, from Quebec to Senegal
  • Enhance your university applications – French pairs brilliantly with any subject from Business to Medicine
  • Stand out to employers with proven communication and analytical skills that transcend borders

Build on your GCSE foundation and transform into a confident French speaker ready to take on the world. Whether your future lies in international business, diplomacy, or simply exploring the French-speaking world, this course could be your first step.

Need proof of French’s global power? It’s the 5th most spoken language worldwide, with 321 million speakers across the globe. Join them!

Qualifications & Assessments

Exam Board EDUQAS
Level Level 3
Qualification A Level
Assessment Method Speaking test (30%) Listening reading and translation (50% ) Written response (20%)
Entry Requirements Entry Requirements
Photograph of a student studying French

A level is a natural progression from GCSE. Throughout your studies, you will learn the language in the context of French-speaking countries and the issues and influences which have shaped them. You will study texts and film and have the opportunity to carry out independent research on an area of your choice.
As well as lessons with the teacher, students will have a timetabled lesson each week with the foreign language assistant in smaller groups to focus on speaking and listening.

The A level course is organised into topics:

  • Theme 1: Being a young person in French-speaking society
  • Theme 2: Understanding the artistic and cultural world of French-speaking society
  • Theme 3: Diversity and difference
  • Theme 4: France 1940-1950: The Occupation and post-war years

The course also covers the study of a literary work and a feature film.
At the end of the course you will take three exams, which will test your listening, reading, writing and speaking skills.

Conversation sessions with a Language Assistant

As well as your lessons with your teachers, you will have a timetabled lesson each week with the foreign language assistant in smaller groups to focus on speaking and listening.

Universities and employers value the ability to speak other languages. Many students continue their study of French as part of their university degrees. There is now a huge array of courses, which combine French with subjects such as business and management, marketing, accountancy, law, engineering, sciences, IT, arts and music.

Many students continue their study of French as part of their university degrees. There is now a huge array of courses, which combine French with subjects such as business and management, marketing, accountancy, law, engineering, sciences, IT, arts and music. Studies show that you improve your employment prospects by being able to speak a second language.

You will be offered the opportunity to go on a trip to Paris.

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News & Blog

Latest From Aquinas

For the first time we celebrated our annual sports presentation in the canteen at college. This was a great afternoon celebrating the sporting successes of our teams, individual athletes, Upper Sixth classes and pathways department. We had a brilliant turnout and a great afternoon.

Photograph of students receiving their awards

It was a privilege to welcome guest speaker and first-generation Holocaust survivor Tomi Komoly from the Northern Holocaust Education Group to College this week to talk about his experiences as a young child growing up in 1940s Budapest. Tomi spoke about the rise in fascism in Hungary, which culminated in an alliance with the Nazis.

Guest speaker Tomi Komoly talks about his experience of the Holocaust.

Completed by first-year A-Level Photography students at Aquinas College, this exhibition invites you to explore the rich and evolving heritage of Stockport. Created in collaboration with Stockroom, Stockport Metropolitan Borough Council, and Stockport Heritage Trust, the project reflects on the town’s past, present, and future through a photographic lens.

Photograph collage of old and new in Stockport town centre.

A level Drama students visited the Bolton Octagon in April to watch a solid production of John Steinbeck’s “Of Mice and Men”. The play was directed by Sarah Brigham and the story centres on a pair of friends who find work at a ranch in the Great Depression-era US south. This production was potentially very […]

Photograph of the Of Mice and Men production at the Octagon Theatre. Credit: Pamala Raith