At St Edmund’s, we offer our students the opportunity to study French and Spanish at A-Level. Native speakers are also able to take an A-Level in their mother tongue in a variety of languages, including German, Chinese, Japanese Portuguese, Persian and Russian. 

Over the course of the two-year A-Level programme, pupils engage with a wide range of complex and stimulating topics, including cultural heritage, contemporary social issues, and aspects of political life in the Francophone and Hispanic worlds. They also develop their analytical and interpretative skills through the study of novels and films. Language A-Level are examined by either AQA or Pearson. French and Spanish both follow the AQA specification and include three assessed components: 

• Paper 1: Listening, Reading, and Translation  

This paper assesses students’ receptive language skills and their ability to translate accurately into English and the target language. It tests students’ ability to process and understand a wide range of cultural and topical material from across the Francophone and Hispanic worlds. 

• Paper 2: Written Response to Works – Film and Literature  

In this paper, students write two essays in the target language, demonstrating analytical and critical skills. Each essay explores themes, character development, techniques, and socio-political context. Students learn to present and justify arguments, analyse the author’s/director’s methods, and engage with cultural and historical background. High-level essay writing is supported throughout the course with regular practice and personalised feedback. French students study La Haine (by Mathieu Kassovitz) and No et moi (by Delphine de Vigan). Spanish students study El laberinto del fauno (by Guillermo del Toro) and La casa de Bernarda Alba (by Federico García Lorca). 

• Paper 3: Speaking  

The oral examination comprises of a discussion on one of the topics covered during the course, as well as the student’s presentation of their individual research presentation. Students choose and research a topic related to the French- or Spanish-speaking world. This component fosters independence, intellectual curiosity, and deep cultural engagement. It is an opportunity for students to explore a subject that genuinely interests them while demonstrating linguistic competence and critical thinking. 

Grammar work focuses on consolidating and mastering more advanced structures and idiomatic expressions to enhance both written and spoken communication. Lessons consistently incorporate all four language skills—listening, speaking, reading, and writing—through a variety of engaging activities, with a strong emphasis on fluency, precision, and critical thinking. 

St Edmund’s language teachers are all native speakers with a wealth of experience teaching A-Level. This enables them to provide expert and personalised support to students. For A-Levels in other languages, guidance is also available from native speaker tutors. 

Throughout the two-year course, students benefit from a range of enrichment opportunities, such as study days at the University of Kent, trips to London to visit the Consejería de Educación and l’Institut Français, University open days for language programmes and where possible, immersive trips abroad are also organised.