Upper School (Lycée)

Seconde English

IGCSE First Language English in Seconde

Year Objectives:

• Seconde students complete the second year of the IGCSE English Language course and prepare for the written exam.

Course Content: IGCSE First Language English (0500)

• 1 examination: 50% (2 hours, 3 questions on 3 unseen passages).
• Coursework: 50% (3 pieces demonstrating students’ ability to respond to a non-fiction text and to write descriptively and persuasively).

Coursework folders are assessed by class teachers. A sample is externally moderated by Oxford AQA.

Course Content

• Write 1 piece of coursework and refine exam techniques for IGCSE English Language

English Literature

Seconde students follow a bespoke English Literature course designed to build up the skills required for Baccalauréat Français International (BFI) Language and Literature.

Poetry

Students will study a selection of poems.

Focus on: how poets use form, style, structure, language devices and viewpoint to create effects on the reader and communicate ideas and messages; comparing and contrasting the work of the same poet.

Exploring Shakespeare's Theatre and Context

Focus on: interpreting characters; their relationships and development; how Shakespeare uses the distinctive stagecraft of his time, including language and rhythm, to create effects on the audience and communicate messages.

Homework and IGCSE English Language Coursework Essays

Homework will be set regularly and could involve reading, research or preparation, as well as written tasks, mainly in the form of literature essays and language coursework pieces.

Teachers will establish clear timelines with their classes for preparing pieces of written coursework. Deadlines for handing in drafts and final pieces should be respected. Coursework essays will be planned in class and some lesson time might be devoted to drafting and peer assessment exercises. However, the final piece must be the students’ own work. Cases of plagiarism will be severely penalised.

Assessment

Students’ coursework will be assessed according to the criteria set down in the syllabus documents for IGCSE English Language.

Mock exams will be marked using criteria specific to each exam paper provided by Oxford AQA.

Other pieces of work will be assessed according to the British Section Summative Assessment Framework and Use of English mark scheme.

Seconde History-Geography

The Programme

The British Section History programme is an adaptation of the French programme national. In the first half of year students will be examining the impact of the great religious schisms of the age upon British politics and society. Our key focal points will be:

• Religious division in the age of James I
• The Origins of the English Revolution
• The Impact of the English Revolution
• Why did Britain restore the monarchy in 1660?
• Why did Britain undergo a second revolution in 1688?
• How did the ‘British Model’ influence European History

In the second half of the year, our students will be studying Geography

• Development and Demographics
• Measuring development
• Classifying development
• Assessing causes of underdevelopment
• Measuring demographic change
• Examining the demographic challenges (ageing populations and youthful populations)
• Demographic challenges and solutions

Homework 

Homework is normally set on a weekly basis. Parents can help by taking an interest in their work and by encouraging its regular completion.

Assessment

Students will be assessed on their knowledge and understanding of the course through written and oral work throughout the year. In addition, there will be three common assessments, which will take place in October, February and May.

English Language and Literature in Première & Terminale

Year Objectives

• Première students start the first year of the BFI English Language and Literature course.
• Terminale students complete the second year of the BFI English Language and Literature course and take the written and oral exams.

Course Content: BFI English Language and Literature

• 1 written examination: 4 hours
  • 2 questions on each of the 2 set texts; students write 1 essay on each
  • compulsory critical commentary on a choice of poems and prose texts
• 1 oral examination: 30 minutes
  • 15 minutes on set Shakespeare play
  • 15 minutes on Synoptic Topic texts

Breakdown of course content by Year Group

Première

• Study Shakespeare play for oral exam and 2 texts for the written exam
• Practice critical appreciation skills and timed exam technique

Terminale

• Study synoptic topic for oral exam and 1 text for written exam; revise all set texts
• Practice critical appreciation skills and timed exam technique

Example BFI set texts

Oral examination

• Shakespeare: Much Ado About Nothing
• Synoptic Topic (Gothic): Frankenstein by Mary Shelley or Dracula by Mary Shelley and The Bloody Chamber by Angela Carter

Written examination

• Sense and Sensibility by Jane Austen
• Selected Poems by Ezra Pound or The Cartographer tries to map a way to Zion by Kei Miller
• Rosencrantz and Guildenstern are Dead by Tom Stoppard or The Importance of Being Earnest by Oscar Wilde or The Way of the World by William Congreve

History-Geography in Première and Terminale

The Programme in Première

In History, four main themes are explored: Europe from the French Revolution to the revolutions of 1848; the socio-economic impact of industrialisation in the 19th century; the dynamics of 19th century colonialism and how this in turn shaped international politics; and finally the suicide of Europe and the end of European empires (1914-1918) which will be a Bac exam topic for Terminale.
In Geography, we explore four themes: urbanisation (a Bac exam topic for Terminale); globalisation of industry and services; rural services; and China.

The Programme in Terminale

In History, we study the following themes:

• Relationships between society and its past. This is an exploration of the many ways in which societies engage in remembering the past using the following case studies:
  • World War One in Britain, and
  • World War Two in France.
• Ideologies, opinions and beliefs from the end of the 19th century to the present. This theme is an exploration of the complex inter-relationship between media, public opinion and the state in the context of a chosen political crisis.
• Great powers and world tensions from 1918 to the present. This is an examination of the evolution of the role of China and the USA in international relations during the course of the twentieth century. The theme also looks at the causes and consequences of tensions and rivalries in the Near and Middle East during the same period.
• Levels of government from 1945 to the present. This theme has several key areas of focus: national, regional and global levels of governance. On a national level, students will examine the ways in which the French state has evolved since 1945. On a regional level, we will explore the evolution of the European Union. On a global level, we will focus upon the roles of the Bretton Woods institutions which were created at the end of World War Two, such as the IMF, the World Bank.
• A Study of Britain from the second half of the 20th century to the present.

In Geography, the topics are:

• development,
• the economic superpowers and
• global organisation.

Aims, Skills and Expectations in Première and Terminale

History-Geography teaching in France is intended to provide pupils with an understanding of their cultural heritage - both French and, increasingly, European - and also a knowledge and understanding of the contemporary world in order to make future French citizens both aware of the roots of modern issues but also to offer them the skills to be able to react and to participate in the democracy. Unsurprisingly then, the last two years of History-Geography education in the second degree focus on the modern world: history provides a temporal framework of contemporary international relations and problems whilst geography confronts the question of how the modern world works; its economy, divisions, strategies of development etc. Within this framework, the British Section, working closely in partnership with the UK examining board, Oxford AQA, has devised a syllabus which covers many of the most popular topics taught in British schools and seeks to develop not just knowledge of the past, but an understanding of world history and geography as well as the ability to make independent judgments through the use of documentary evidence and engagement with historiographical debates.

English Literature: Deep analytical study of prose, poetry, and drama.

History-Geography: Taught from a British pedagogical perspective, focusing on source analysis and thematic breadth.

Independent Research Project (Connaissance du Monde): A unique BFI component involving independent research projects and international collaboration.

University & Careers Guidance

We provide bespoke support for the transition to higher education. This includes:

• UCAS Workshops: Specialist advice on Personal Statements and UK university selection.
• Masterclass programme: online talks led by expert outside speakers giving students a taste of what it might be like to study at university and to find out more about different careers. They provide inspiration for Connaissance du Monde research projects and students frequently refer to them in university applications.
• One-to-One Mentoring: From Première each student has access to individual counselling sessions to align their academic strengths with their career aspirations.
• Mock Interviews: Conducted by staff and alumni to prepare students for competitive entry requirements.
• Support services: Students and Parents have their own access to Unifrog, an online platform used in over 400 schools worldwide that helps students with the whole progression process - from exploring their interests, to recording the great things they've done, to finding education and training opportunities throughout the world, to drafting their applications.

The Sixth Form Experience

While we are part of a larger school, the British Section Lycée has a "Sixth Form" feel. Students enjoy:

• Student Leadership: Opportunities to become Mental Health First Aiders, participate in the Duke of Edinburgh International Award, or edit the Section magazine, Insites.
• Model United Nations (MUN): Our students frequently travel to international conferences, debating global issues with peers from around the world.
• The Alumni Network: Direct access to former students who provide mentoring and university entrance advice in fields ranging from Law and Medicine to the Arts.

The Library & Research Hub

The Lycée library provides access to university-level databases (JSTOR, Gale etc), ensuring students have the resources they need for their BFI research projects and independent study.