Upper Sixth French A Level students attend one-to-one lessons with the school’s French Assistant Miss Kartal, whose home city is Clermont-Ferrand, one of the oldest cities in France. In these lessons, they focus specifically on developing language skills, as well as knowledge and understanding of France and French-speaking countries.

Recently, Wes, one of this year’s Upper Sixth students, considered diversity and multiculturalism in French-speaking countries, such as Canada, a topic which is part of the French A Level syllabus. With Miss Kartal’s guidance, they discussed the consequences of Canada’s decision to adopt ‘multiculturalism’ as an official policy in 1971. 

In 2002, the Canadian Government designated 27 June of each year as Canadian Multiculturalism Day. On this day the citizens of Canada seek to celebrate the nation’s commitment to diversity and democracy, equality and mutual respect. 

As part of the cultural side of the course, students have been also looking at world-famous French monuments, such as Mont-Saint-Michel, which is part of a cultural UNESCO World Heritage Site. This Site attracts, in normal times, thousands of tourists from all over the world, including Britain, every year. It is often compared with St Michael’s Mount, near Penzance in Cornwall.