French A Level Course

The French A Level Course will help students develop confident, effective communication skills in French and a thorough understanding of the culture of countries and communities where French is spoken.

The course will help students to improve on their existing French skills and build on the essential skills of listening, speaking, reading and writing the French language.

Effective learning is encouraged through frequent activities and self-assessment questions. There are seventeen Tutor-Marked Assignments (TMAs) which include four practice exam assignments and two speaking tests.

The French A Level Home Study Course prepares students for the Pearson Edexcel French A Level (9FR0) Specification for exams in Summer 2026 or later years. 

Please Note: The closing date for learners aiming for Summer 2025 exams has passed. The closing date for learners aiming for Summer 2026 exams is 15 October 2025.

The French A Level is assessed by two written exam papers and an oral examination:

• Paper 1: Listening, reading and translation (2 Hours) is 80 marks in total (40% of A-level).
• Paper 2: Written response to works and translation (2 Hours, 40 Minutes) is 120 marks in total (30% of A-level).
• Oral Examination: Speaking (Between 21 and 23 minutes, including a single period of 5 minutes’ formal preparation time) is 72 marks in total (30% of A-level).

We will admit Candidates for A Level Courses who have a minimum of 4 GCSE’s at grade C and above on the older grading system or 4 or above on the new grading system. For French this should include a grade C/4 or above in French.

Please Note: We cannot accept students who are under 16 years old on this course and all applications are subject to acceptance from the course advisory team.

The French A Level Home Study Course is Divided into Eight Modules Containing 34 Lessons:

The course includes access to Hodder Education’s Dynamic Learning with an innovative online subscription service with interactive resources, lesson planning tools, self-marking tests, a variety of assessment options and ebook elements that all work together to create the ultimate classroom and homework resource.

Students will receive free access to an ebook copy of the supporting text book (Edexcel A level) for the duration of their studies. The ebook can also be downloaded via the Dynamic Reader App. The Dynamic Reader App is currently available for IOS and Android devices. You can even synchronise your notes across two devices and this can also be accessed via recent versions of Chrome and Firefox.

The following books are also required to work alongside your course materials.

• Pearson Edexcel A level French (includes AS) Paperback. (ISBN: 978-1471858181) - The Digital copy is supplied as part of the Dynamic Resources.

You will also need to acquire the literary texts which are selected for this course. These are:

• L’Etranger by Albert Camus (ISBN: 978-2070360024)
• Les mains sales by Jean-Paul Sartre (ISBN: 978-2070257645)

In addition to the textbooks you also need a good dictionary. We recommend purchasing any books after receiving your course materials to make sure there have been no revisions.

The course materials are supplied in a hard-copy format (paper-based) and learners can also receive access to the course notes online through a course portal at no additional charge. 

Learners often find hard-copy materials easier to work through and bookmark but the online access allows additional features such as direct links to YouTube Videos and online quizzes so having both versions available allows the learner the convenience and flexibility of both options. 

There are a set number of tutor-marked assignments (TMA's) in every course. These are designed to help the student to consolidate their learning and prepare for examinations.

Students will be supported until their chosen examination window. Every student will have access to a course tutor with whom they should keep in regular contact. All tutors are fully qualified experienced teachers holding either a Postgraduate Certificate in Education or a degree in education. Most work from home and are able to offer flexible contact times. The tutor will contact students with an introductory letter and a telephone call to help decide on a study plan. They will also let the student know the best ways and times they can be contacted.

There is no limit on how often you can contact a tutor. The advice and encouragement that tutors provide is an important part of your learning experience. You can contact your tutor by Phone, Email or Post. All tutors have a Freephone 0800 telephone number and most will have Skype capabilities. Whilst you are still actively submitting assignments, you should expect to be in contact with your tutor regularly. Remember, to get the most out of your tutor, you will need to tell them when you need assistance.

All Pearson Edexcel specification A-Level Exams must be taken at a registered examination centre as a private candidate in a registered school or college. We offer course materials and tutor support although we don't offer the examinations. An Examinations Officer can assist any registered student with finding centres and dealing with coursework forms, but we do not book exams on behalf of students and it is the students responsibility to book their own exams. It is possible for private Candidates to complete Pearson Edexcel Specification Exams outside of the UK but we recommend asking for clarification and further guidance from the centre in these circumstances.

Students are contacted in December/January prior to their examination window and advised to start arranging their examinations. If you would like to research exam centres prior to enrolment then you can visit the Pearson Edexcel page for private candidates which will provide a link to where you can search for centres in the UK.

Examination Dates and Exam fees:

A Level exams are only available in the Summer examination window (May/June) and examination fees need to be paid direct to your chosen exam centre. Prices for exams will vary depending on the exam centre's administration costs.

Students can decide to study over a one year or two year period (providing the specification and exams are available over that duration). Each A Level Course will take approximately 700 hours of study to complete so if you are unsure that you can complete the course prior to the next available exam window then we recommend studying the course over a 2-year period. You can sign up for a course at any time although course tutors set closing dates for students aiming for each examination window.

Please Note - The closing dates for the 2025 examination window have passed.

Closing Dates for Learners Aiming Towards Summer 2026 Examinations:

• The closing date set by tutors for courses which require coursework authentication (English Language, English Literature and History) was 17 September 2025.
• The closing date set by tutors for all other A Level Courses is 15 October 2025.

The closing dates are set by tutors based on when they think it is reasonable for learners to be aiming for a particular examination window whilst taking into consideration the impact on student support. Once closing dates have passed, we can only accept learners aiming towards the next stated examination window e.g. Summer 2026, or if more time is needed, learners can choose to aim for the next available exam window e.g. Summer 2027 providing the specification is still available. All learners are required to choose their intended exam window as part of their course application.

• Summer 2025 A Level and AS Level Exam Timetable
• Summer 2026 A Level and AS Level Exam Timetable (Not Yet Available)
• Information for Private Candidates
• Booking A Level Exams

Predicted Grades without a reference can be offered free of charge to learners providing they have completed a suitable amount of work to judge their levels.

Tutors can also support registered students with their University application but this should be arranged in the previous year to sitting exams and prior to the below dates:

• 1st August for Oxford or Cambridge
• 1st December for all other Universities

There is a charge of £100.00 for supporting your UCAS application and providing predicted grades and a well-rounded reference which will incorporate something from each of your tutors and be specific to your application. The payment will be made before the required dates and any reference requests received after this date will incur an additional £50.00 penalty payment.

In order that your tutor has something on which to base a reference and/or predicted grade, you need to have done a MINIMUM of six assignments in each subject you are studying. More is better! Your tutor will want you to succeed so talk to them about your plans; it will help with your application if they know something about you.

If you are at school and are doing an A level as an addition to your school studies, then you will need to check with your school to make sure they will accept a predicted grade or some input into the reference that they are doing for you.