Course information
As well as refreshing your knowledge of the core basics – including greetings and introductions – students challenging themselves with our International GCSE French course will also develop a clear understanding of how the French language is structured.
Our course provides an understanding of grammar and an insight into the unique quirks of the language rather than a list of phrases and sayings to be memorised.
Students will be encouraged to develop their reading, speaking and listening skills, giving them the confidence they need to test out their conversational abilities in real life.
Learning a second language is a skill that is useful for a lifetime and, even at this intermediate level, it can add an extra dimension to foreign travel and meeting new people.
Module One: About Me
- Who’s at Home?
- Appearance and Personality
- Greetings
- Family Life
- Nationalities, Countries, Jobs
- Hobbies
- Joining Clubs
Module Two; Day to Day Life
- The Weather and Seasons
- The Domestic Environment
- House and Home
- Towns and Regions
- Daily Routine
- Mealtimes
- School and Future Plans
Module Three: Holidays and Travel
- Travel, Transport, Finding the Way
- Holiday Time and Travel
- Buying Tickets
- Tourism
- Talking about Holidays
- Accommodation
- Holiday Activities
- Keeping in Touch
- Lost Property
Module Four: Modern Life
- Emergency Services
- Domestic Chores
- Healthy Living
- Part-Time Jobs
- Volunteering and Work Experience
- Entertainments
- Shopping
- The Environment
- General Revision and Conclusion
Module Five: Speaking and Listening Skills
- Listening and Speaking Basics
- Everyday Transactions
- Tourist Situations
- Narration and Giving Information
- Tutor Marked Assignment
- Practice Oral Examination
Oxford Home Schooling’s International GCSE French course is designed to prepare students for the Edexcel International GCSE in French (4FR1) for examination from 2025 onwards.
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Examinations and Assessment
The International GCSE French is assessed in three examinations:
Paper 1 – Listening – This paper lasts for 30 minutes + 5 minutes reading time and contributes 25% of the final mark.
Paper 2 – Reading and Writing – This paper lasts for 1 hour 45 minutes and contributes 50% of the final mark.
Paper 3 – Speaking – This assessment lasts 8-10 minutes. The student is expected to converse in French on a prepared topic. Paper 3 contributes 25% of the final mark.
Course duration and study time
When you enrol with Oxford Home Schooling we will agree on an intended examination date with you. Your support will last all the way up to this examination date, regardless of whether you decide to do the course in 9 months or 30.
The recommended number of study hours for this course is 200 hours.
Online Course? Paper-based? Somewhere in between? It’s your choice!
All of our International GCSE French students receive:
- Traditional printed learning materials
- Access to our online resources with on-the-go access to all your regular lessons
- Unmatched support from a fully-qualified teacher online and by phone
Course price
Our International GCSE French course fee is £445.
You may pay using our interest-free easy payment scheme. Pay a £89 deposit followed by eight monthly instalments of £44.50.
Multiple courses attract a discount. See our pricing page for further details.
You will receive support from a fully-qualified tutor holding either a Postgraduate Certificate in Education (PGCE) or a degree in education.
This support includes:
- Marking all assignments for the course
- Written answers to specific study problems
- Telephone contact
When you begin this course, you will agree an examination date or dates with your Student Adviser. Your support period lasts up to this examination date.
Meet Our Tutors
I believe that the studying of foreign languages is very valuable in developing new skills, improving chances of employment in an increasingly international jobs marketplace, and for enjoying foreign cultures, literature and lifestyles as part of leisure. I have taught French, Italian, German and Spanish, and was for many years Head of French at a large and very successful comprehensive school.
I love to visit France: to speak French, view its lovely scenery, and enjoy the best food and wine in the world. I also enjoy sport, gardening, politics, reading, and music, and am a member of a local choral society.
Robin Spencer
What’s next?
Once the student has obtained their International GCSE French, they will find a number of options are open to them. While many choose to continue studying the language at A level, others choose to develop their skills by spending some time in a French-speaking country.
Whichever option students choose, having an International GCSE in French will prove to be a useful asset throughout their lives – whether in the context of a holiday, or a future business trip overseas.
FAQs
Why should I choose Oxford Home Schooling?
- Oxford Home Schooling is a long-established educational trust that prides itself on
- treating every student as an individual
- customer service
- course quality.
- We’re rated ‘Excellent’ on Trustpilot by students who have studied with us.
- We provide online and printed resources so you can study your way – other providers do not give you that choice.
- We make it easy for you to home-educate your children with our flexible schedule, tutor support, and interest-free payment plan.
- Every year we help hundreds of children who have left mainstream education obtain the qualifications they need to progress and achieve their goals.
- Oxford Home Schooling is part of a not-for-profit trust so you can be sure that your course fees are spent on either your child’s tuition or on improving our courses.
What is an International GCSE?
Pearson Edexcel International GCSE (9–1) qualifications are comparable to the UK GCSE specifications, with appropriate international content and assessment that will enable successful progression for learners.
Pearson Edexcel International GCSEs are studied in over 80 countries worldwide and in independent schools in the UK. They are equivalent, grade for grade, to UK GCSEs and accepted by universities globally. Aimed at learners aged 14 to 16, they provide the skills and knowledge needed to progress to A Levels, International A Levels, onto university and into employment.
Full details of Pearson Edexcel’s International GCSEs can be found here
When can I enrol?
You can enrol and start any time you like, the earlier the better. The important thing to think about is when you wish to sit your exam and to give yourself plenty of time to work through your materials and revise successfully. Our cut-off dates for enrolment can be found here.
Once you have enrolled, you will get access to your course online immediately and your printed course materials will arrive a few days later.
When will I sit my exam?
The French IGCSE papers may be taken in the Summer or the Autumn examination series. The Summer series typically runs from mid-May to late June and the Autumn series is in November.
How and when do I book an exam?
The final date for booking summer exams with the exam board without incurring late entry fees is the 21st of February. You should book your place at an exam centre well in advance of this date. Start looking once the autumn term begins.
All the information you need to book an exam centre can be found in our Exams Hub. Here you will find
- detailed instructions
- entry codes needed to book exams
- our map of examination centres where our students have taken exams in recent years.
Tutors & Exams offers discounts to Oxford Home Schooling students and has nine current exam venues across the UK: Birmingham, Bolton, Coventry, Doncaster, High Wycombe, Romford, St Neots, Taunton and Wimbledon.
Our exam map also shows other private exam centres that will help and also offer a discount. Please be aware that because of the oral local schools may be reluctant to help and you could have to travel to find an exam centre.
Pearson Edexcel also publishes a list of exam centres that accept private candidates. This won’t list every available centre, so if there’s nothing shown in your area, we recommend contacting local schools and colleges directly.
How much does a French IGCSE examination cost?
Your exam fees aren’t included in the course cost as they’re paid directly to the exam centre. They will vary depending on which centre you choose. Generally speaking, dedicated examination services will be more expensive than a local school or college.
Prices range from £100 to £350 pounds.
How do I prepare for the speaking and listening aspects of the course?
Speaking and listening each contribute 25% to your final grade and are an important part of your course. There are listening exercises built into the course. Your tutor will spend time conversing with you on the phone as part of your tutor-marked assignments and general interactions during your course, particularly during Module 5.
However, you will need to find ways to practise these skills beyond your interactions with your tutor. Methods might include
- Using smartphone apps
- YouTube videos (numerous links are given in the course)
- Watching French language films or television
- Booking Additional 1-1 paid tutorials with your tutor via Oxford Home Schooling’s Tutoring Platform
Do I take my oral exam with my Oxford tutor?
You will be able to practise for the oral with your tutor but the actual 10-minute exam will be conducted by a tutor at the exam centre where you are sitting your written papers and the recording is marked by the exam board.
Is it necessary to have studied French before?
No. The course begins with the most basic elements of the French language. But, of course, any prior experience is advantageous and will make it easier to progress, especially in the early stages. It will also help to have studied another language, e.g. German or Spanish, even though these may be organised very differently.
Show your continental side. Apply Now!
Need more information? Enquire Now!
