French

We are a department of vibrant, experienced and enthusiastic multi-linguists who specialise in teaching French. Our teachers are Mme Daguenet, Mme White, Mme Destribats and Mr Roca. Several of us are native speakers and all gain great enjoyment and satisfaction from helping the girls develop their French language skills.

French is an ever-current and ever-important language. It is spoken by more than 200 million people worldwide, is the language of the international job market and is the language used for travel in many French-speaking countries – Tahiti, Monaco, Switzerland, the Seychelles and many more. It is also the language of culture: cooking, fashion, theatre and literature; and is, of course, the language of love.

Learning French provides a wonderful base on which to build knowledge of other languages too, such as Spanish, Italian and Portuguese, which is why all of our Year 7 students learn French during their first year in our Senior School. Girls can then go on to choose to study French further in Year 8 and 9, and onto GCSE. All girls are taught by our highly experienced team of French teachers who place the learning emphasis on developing communication skills, but with an element of fun.

We run many supporting clubs and activities, which all provide extra opportunities to develop language skills, pronunciation and knowledge of French culture. At this level, these activities include the Key Stage Three French club, cooking workshops and special French breakfasts, as well as a visit from a theatre company specialised in French plays once a year – this remarkable company takes the girls on an adventure that sees them immersed in the French language, and is an experience greatly enjoyed by the girls. We also enter students to different competitions run by the French Institute and GDST.

All girls who study French get the chance to partake in a study trip to France, during which they stay with host families and enjoy many fun activities and leisure excursions, and also lessons in the morning are taught by French specialist teachers.