French

Passionate about Languages

Hampton Court House is a profoundly Francophile school which believes in fostering French not just as an academic subject but as a living language through which we teach other subjects. In Early and Lower Years of the school, around half of the lessons are taught in French by native French speakers, thus creating confident, fluent young speakers. Teachers readily help children who need a little translation into English here and there but, all in all, the method is astonishingly successful at creating confident, fluent young French speakers.

In the Middle Years, when teaching in the wider school switches to English, we cater both for children who have developed strong French skills with us and for children who join us with little or no French. The subject is streamed into two sets from Year 7. Our more advanced students can prepare for the DELF examinations (Diplôme d’ Études en Langue Française), which, once they reach the B2 level, offers them the opportunity to study at most French universities should they wish to do so.

French and other modern foreign languages are popular at Hampton Court House. Our aim is to equip each pupil with the linguistic skills that many will need later in their professional lives. In addition, the French department organises trips to France and a French Drama Gala every year. Through the study of literature, French films and music, we are aiming to infuse our pupils with the love of learning a foreign language as well as developing their awareness and understanding of different cultures.

“The limits of my language means the limit of my world.” Wittgenstein

Caroline GéhinBA MA PGCE

Head of French

Francophonie Day at HCH

Students and staff came together to celebrate our annual Francophone Day on Wednesday.

The Early Years (Daycare to Nursery) were treated to a special French lesson. The children did really well and thoroughly enjoyed the activities brought to them, which definitely triggered their imagination and got...

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Year 4 write letters in French to residents of a Canadian care home

The Year 4 pupils wrote a letter in French to be sent to an older person in a care home in Quebec, Canada. The children were very happy to have an opportunity to bring some joy to the older people who may feel a little lonely or isolate this Christmas and to use their French skills to write beautiful... letters. If your child would like to take part in this project, please see this link for more information:

https://semerlebonheur.org/

Joyeux Noël from all of Year 4!

Year 6 create their own French comics

During their French lessons, the students have enjoyed discovering some of the most famous French-speaking comic books like Tintin, Boule et Bill, Gaston, Astérix et Obélix. They found out where the first comics originated and how to create one from scratch. They developed their very own comics using... a storyline, characters, onomatopoeia and a punchline. Here are some of the soon-to-be-famous French comics: “L’anniversaire”, “L’arrestation”, “Devenir chevalier”, “Le pouvoir du skateboard”.

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Years 10 to 13 enjoy an action-packed trip to Paris

Our GCSE and A level French students set off for Paris on Thursday to rediscover (or discover) the sights and cultural richness of the French capital. With their teachers and their guide, the students visited le musee du Louvre and of course ensured they saw the Mona Lisa along the way. The group took... a stroll around Monmatre and walked the 280 steps at the top of the Arc de Triomphe. As the brunt of Storm Ciara started to take hold, the students only made it as far as the second floor of the Eiffel Tower but then enjoyed a final treasure hunt around the Marais neighbourhood before taking the Eurostar home today. It has been a wonderful way for four year groups to come together and make new memories as well as inspire their GCSE and A level studies in French for the coming months and years.

Year 9 have a lesson in French cuisine

Year 9 pupils had the opportunity to practise their French speaking skills with renowned chef, JP Gravier, from the delicious local French restaurant “Le Petit Nantais”. The students were reading instructions in French and learning different methods of chopping and food preparation while making a... fruit salad and learning how to make a delicious chocolate mousse!

The students very much enjoyed the experience and it was great to see them using their speaking skills and vocabulary in context. The pupils also got the opportunity to interview the chef for their French articles.

Year 5 presentations and posters in French

Year 5 students have been learning about the DROM during their French lessons this week. The DROM are French departments and regions overseas like La Guadeloupe, La Martinique, St-Pierre-et- Miquelon, La Nouvelle Calédonie, La Polynésie française, Les îles Kerguelen, Adélie, Wallis-et-Futuna etc.... Each student was assigned one territory to research and then create a poster displaying their findings. The students have been presenting their research during the course of the week, all spoken in French of course!

Year 1 complete French book project

The Y1 children have been working on a project about ‘how to make a book’ which began in January. They took part in a number of writing workshops, during which they invented and wrote their own story and illustrated it. This was a project that we ran with the help of some sixth-form students. During... the project we also welcomed the French illustrator Marianne Barcilon who delivered workshops to Y1, Y2 and Y3 in February, thanks to the support of the HCH Friends. The book is in French, but it is also translated in English for the whole school to read.