At Grange Park, pupils can choose French as an option in KS4, having not previously studied it. The course is aimed at enriching the curriculum for our students and seeks to equip them with basic foreign language skills.

Students learn the basics of the French language, following the three units offered by the Languages Pathway qualification. The units consist of Personal Communication, Social Activities, and Education and Employment. The qualification is gained by taking internal assessments in speaking, reading and writing, and pupils work towards an Entry Level 3, Level 1 or a Level 2 in each unit. They can take all units, a combination of units or just one unit, as each will count as a separate qualification.

The curriculum is based on real-life situations and includes role-play exercises such as asking for directions or shopping, as well as writing emails or reading information, such as menus or timetables.

At Grange Park we also use the French lessons to enrich students’ understanding of other cultures by introducing them to a range of French culture, from popular music to shopping at hypermarkets, and from Impressionist painters to French celebrations. This valuable in offering our students Cultural Capital.

Students on the French course have three French lessons a week – two language lessons and one on the culture of the French-speaking world.

The course opens up a range of opportunities for learners to meet many of their targets measured on the SCERTS framework. This includes building up skills in communication, working with others to problem-solve, and learning appropriate behaviour modelled by adults in social settings.