Contents
GCSE French consists of four papers or components, regardless of which exam board you’re using. AQA (opens in a new tab) and Pearson Edexcel (opens in a new tab) have equally-weighted papers on listening, speaking, reading and writing. WJEC CBAC (opens in a new tab) (primarily for Welsh learners) also tests listening, oracy (speaking), reading and writing across four units, each with a different weighting.
This article offers a simple breakdown for all GCSE French exam boards on what each component covers, the format, and how you’ll be assessed.
Key Takeaways
All GCSE French exam boards – AQA, Pearson Edexcel and WJEC CBAC – consist of four compulsory components
AQA and Pearson Edexcel include one non-exam assessment (NEA) for the Speaking paper, whereas WJEC CBAC has two NEA units: Oracy (Unit 1) and Reading and Writing (Unit 2)
Prepare for your GCSE French exams using daily immersion, examiner reports and our revision pages
GCSE French Assessment Structure Explained
AQA, Pearson Edexcel and WJEC CBAC all offer linear qualifications for GCSE French. This means you’ll sit all your exams, including the NEAs, at the end of Year 11.
The NEAs are the Speaking/Oracy papers and, for WJEC CBAC, Reading and Writing (Unit 2).
How Many Exam Papers Are There For GCSE French?
AQA, Pearson Edexcel and WJEC CBAC all consist of four compulsory components based on listening, speaking, reading and writing.
Breakdown by Exam Board
AQA
The table below provides an overview of each paper for the current specification (opens in a new tab):
Content/Focus | Weighting | Duration | |
|---|---|---|---|
Paper 1: Listening | Comprehension questions and | 25% | 35 mins (Foundation) |
| Role play | 25% | 7-9 mins (Foundation) |
Paper 3: Reading | Comprehension questions based on written texts | 25% | 45 mins (Foundation) |
Paper 4: Writing | Writing in response to simple, familiar stimuli | 25% | 1 hour 10 mins (Foundation) |
Pearson Edexcel
The table below provides an overview of each paper for the current specification (opens in a new tab):
Content/Focus | Weighting | Duration | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Read aloud | 25% | 7-9 mins (Foundation) |
Paper 2: Listening | Comprehension questions and dictation based on spoken extracts | 25% | 45 mins (Foundation) |
| Comprehension questions based on written texts | 25% | 45 mins (Foundation) |
| Writing in French to express ideas and opinions for different purposes and audiences | 25% | 1 hour 15 mins (Foundation) |
WJEC CBAC
The table below provides an overview of each paper for the current specification (opens in a new tab):
Content/Focus | Weighting | Duration | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Read aloud and role play | 30% | 7-10 mins + 10 mins’ preparation time |
Unit 2: Reading & Writing | Written response in French | 15% | 1 hour |
| Comprehension tasks with fixed and written responses | 20% | 45 mins |
| Comprehension tasks | 35% | 1 hour 30 mins |
For more information on the topics you’ll study, see our page on GCSE French Topics by Exam Board: Full List.
Tips for Preparing for GCSE French Papers
Immerse yourself daily
Rather than reading your textbook for hours on end, you can incorporate French into your everyday routines and habits:
For your speaking/oracy component, speak to your classmates in French as much as possible – both during and outside of class
For translating, look at the objects around you and see if you know the French term for them. My GCSE French teacher very kindly gave our class regular French breakfasts, so I never forgot how to ask for items like ‘milk’, ‘bread’ and ‘orange juice’!
For pronunciation, vocabulary, listening comprehension and translation, listen to as much French as possible. You could listen to French radio and watch your favourite TV shows or movies in French, with English/French subtitles
Find out what mistakes to avoid and what other students did well by reading what examiners have said
Here’s a sample examiner report from AQA (opens in a new tab)
Use Save My Exams
Use the revision notes that we’ve created specifically for GCSE French
Complete past papers and assess how you did against the mark schemes
Frequently Asked Questions
Are all GCSE French papers compulsory?
Yes. AQA, Pearson Edexcel and WJEC CBAC all have four compulsory components.
Do the papers have equal weighting?
AQA and Pearson Edexcel have equal weighting, as each one of their four components is worth 25%.
WJEC CBAC does not have equal weighting: Unit 1 (Oracy) is worth 30%; Unit 2 (Reading & Writing – NEA) is worth 15%; Unit 3 (Listening) is worth 20%; and Unit 4 (Reading & Writing) is worth 35%.
Can I resit individual GCSE French papers?
GCSE resits usually require you to resit all papers. AQA, Pearson Edexcel and WJEC CBAC all state that in order to try for a higher grade, you need to retake all components. You can, however, have your NEA (Speaking paper) carried forward as long as you select the relevant transferred entry option.
Check with your French teacher for more information on resits.
References
AQA GCSE French (opens in a new tab)
Pearson Edexcel GCSE French (opens in a new tab)
WJEC CBAC GCSE French (opens in a new tab)
Was this article helpful?
Sign up for articles sent directly to your inbox
Receive news, articles and guides directly from our team of experts.
Share this article
written revision resources that improve your