Key Stage 4

Years 9, 10 & 11: AQA GCSE French

At Key Stage 4, our goal is to build upon the skills and knowledge acquired at Key Stage 3. As our students progress linguistically, they will be able to cope with a greater range of vocabulary and text structures; including unfamiliar language and discussing national and international issues. 

Students’ progress is monitored through regular assessments, both formative and summative. We also encourage vocabulary and structure tests in order to help and support a secure grounding of the language taught. All linguists have individual access to Active Learn, an online independent platform resource following the French course of Studio. 


Year 9

In Year 9, students will follow modules from the Studio AQA GCSE coursebook.

In the Autumn/Winter Term, students will complete Module 1: Qui-suis je?  – Who am I?  This module will equip students with the ability to pronounce key French sounds and recap and develop knowledge of the family dynamic, friends and making plans to go out. Topics covered in this unit of work include:

  • Revision of family members, describing people and their characteristics, activities, time and places in town
  • Friendships and family relationships and what makes a good friend
  • The present tense and learning about irregular -ER verbs and reflexive verbs
  • The immediate future tense
  • The perfect tense
  • Making arrangements to go out and how to accept and decline invitations
  • Describing experiences of days out
  • Discussing role models
  • How to combine two tenses; present and past

In the Spring Term, students will complete Module 2: Le temps de loisirs – Leisure Time. This module will equip students with the ability to revise leisure activities including film and cinema and build vocabulary on more common leisure activities involving technology, music and sport. Topics covered in this unit of work include:

  • Revising leisure activities
  • Talking about sport
  • Using technology
  • Reading habits
  • Music preferences
  • Using depuis + Present tense
  • Using negative structures
  • TV Programmes 
  • Explaining nights out with friends and opinions of them

In the Summer Term, students will complete focussed work which consolidates their learning in the Winter and Spring terms and develops student’s exam skills. Topics and areas of focus in this term include:

  • An introduction to elements of the speaking exam
  • Development of conversation questions based on Modules 1 and 2
  • Exam skills for speaking – introducing cue cards
  • Preparation for Foundation and Higher papers in listening, reading and writing
  • Introduction to the conditional tense


Year 10

In Year 10, students will continue to follow modules from the Studio AQA GCSE coursebook.

In the Autumn/Winter term, students will complete Module 3: Jours ordinaires, jours de fête – Ordinary days and Holidays. This module will equip learners with linguistic knowledge of their daily life and routine and festivals, traditions and celebrations. Topics covered in this unit of work include:

  • Describing your daily life
  • Shopping for clothing
  • Festivals and Traditions
  • Shopping for Special Meals
  • Family Celebrations

In the Spring term, students will complete Module 4: De la ville à la campagne – In town and the countryside. In this unit, students will learn to describe where they live and what things there are to do in the local area. Topics covered in this unit of work include:

  • Describing a region
  • Using the superlative
  • Finding out tourist information
  • Discussing plans and the weather
  • Describing your town, village or neighbourhood

In the Summer term, students will complete Module 5 – Le Grande large – Travelling the world. In this unit, students will learn to discuss national, international and global areas of interest and describe holidays. Topics in the unit of work include:

  • Dealing with hotel stays
  • Travel and methods of transport
  • Holidays and describing holiday plans
  • Ordering in a restaurant
  • Explaining holiday disasters


Year 11

In Year 11, students will continue to follow modules from the Studio AQA GCSE coursebook.

In the Autumn/Winter term, students will complete Module 6: Au college – at school. This module will equip learners with linguistic knowledge of their current and future study choices and sources of employment alongside exploring local, national, international and global areas of interest. Topics covered in this unit of work include:

  • Giving opinions on school subjects and facilities
  • School life and School in France
  • Discussing rules and regulations
  • Discussing healthy and unhealthy living
  • School activities
  • Successes at school

In the Spring term, students will complete Module 7: Bon travail! – World of work. In this unit, students will learn to discuss their employment prospects and preferences and plans for the future. Topics covered in this unit of work include:

  • Discussing work preferences
  • Talking about plans, hopes and wishes
  • Talking about how you earn money
  • Discussing work experience

In the Summer term, students will complete Module 5 – Un oeil sur le monde – An eye on the world. In this unit, students will learn to discuss national, international and global issues and areas of interest. Topics in the unit of work include:

  • The weather and natural disasters
  • Protecting the environment
  • Ethical Shopping
  • Volunteering
  • Big events


Setting Rationale and Structure

All teaching groups at Key Stage 4 are of mixed ability, there are no sets for this subject.