Qualification
Pearson Edexcel IGCSE
International GCSE French specification 4FR1.
Pearson Edexcel International GCSE · Specification 4FR1
Online IGCSE French Course
Study Pearson Edexcel International GCSE French at home through
structured online lessons and audio resources covering listening,
reading, writing and speaking. Start at any time and develop the
practical language skills needed for all three examination papers.
Immediate access to the online course and audio resources
37 lessons across five French modules
Booked tutorial time required for spoken Tutor-marked Assignment components
Start your French course
£14.99 / month
Today’s payment:
£24.99
Includes:
- Course materials subscription
- Academic induction session and booking fee
Then
£14.99 per month
🔒 Minimum 6 months subscription applies.
Course overview
French IGCSE course at a glance
Prepare for Pearson Edexcel International GCSE French through a structured home-study course that develops listening, reading, writing and spoken communication across practical, everyday topics.
Course structure
5 modules · 37 lessons
Study personal life, education, travel, modern life, listening and spoken French.
Recommended study time
Approximately 200 hours
Work through the course at a pace that suits your timetable and intended examination date.
Enrolment
Start at any time
There is no fixed term date, so you can begin when it suits your study plans.
Assignments
9 written and spoken TMAs
Each assignment includes written work and a spoken component requiring booked tutorial time.
Assessment
3 examination papers
Listening contributes 25%, Reading and Writing 50%, and Speaking 25%.
Language skills
Listen · Read · Write · Speak
Develop practical communication across familiar situations, opinions, experiences and everyday transactions.
Entry and grading
Grades 9–1
All three papers assess the full grade range, with Grade 9 representing the highest achievement.
Plan for additional speaking support
French students should expect to purchase more support than students taking many other subjects. Tutor marking is required for the written parts of the TMAs, while tutorial time must be booked separately to complete their spoken components.
How it works
How your IGCSE French course works
Study through a clear sequence of online lessons, activities and audio exercises designed to develop your vocabulary, grammar, comprehension and confidence in spoken French.
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Enrol and start online
Enrol at any time and receive immediate access to the course and its accompanying audio resources. Your academic induction helps you understand the course and plan your studies.
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Build all four language skills
Work through structured lessons covering reading, writing, listening, vocabulary, grammar and spoken communication across the Pearson Edexcel 4FR1 topic areas.
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Complete written and spoken assignments
Purchase tutor marking for the written part of each TMA and book tutorial time separately to complete its spoken component with a French tutor.
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Prepare for all three papers
Papers 1 and 2 can be purchased for mock-exam marking. Preparation for the Paper 3 speaking mock requires a separately booked tutorial and is not included in the marking bundle.
Speaking support is essential
Budget for marking and booked tutorials
The subscription provides the course and audio materials, but completing the full TMA and mock-exam programme requires both purchased marking and live tutorial time for the spoken work.
What you’ll study
Explore the IGCSE French course content
The course is organised into five modules and 37 lessons. It begins with personal and everyday language before progressing through education, travel, modern life, listening and spoken communication.
Module 1 About Me Begin with family, appearance, personality, greetings, nationalities, jobs, hobbies and social activities. 7 lessons
- Who’s at Home?
- Appearance and Personality
- Greetings
- Family Life
- Nationalities, Countries and Jobs
- Hobbies
- Joining Clubs
Module 2 Day-to-Day Life Study weather, homes, towns, routines, meals, school, studying and future plans. 8 lessons
- The Weather and Seasons
- The Domestic Environment
- House and Home
- Towns and Regions
- Daily Routine
- Mealtimes
- School and Future Plans
- Studying
Module 3 Holidays and Travel Learn to discuss transport, directions, holidays, accommodation, tourism and common travel situations. 9 lessons
- Travel, Transport and Finding the Way
- Holiday Time and Travel
- Buying Tickets
- Tourism
- Talking about Holidays
- Accommodation
- Holiday Activities
- Keeping in Touch
- Lost Property
Module 4 Modern Life Explore health, work, entertainment, shopping, environmental issues and other aspects of contemporary life. 8 lessons
- Emergency Services
- Domestic Chores
- Healthy Living
- Part-Time Jobs, Volunteering and Work Experience
- Entertainments
- Shopping
- The Environment
- General Revision and Conclusion
Practice Exam — Paper 2
Module 5 Speaking and Listening Skills Develop comprehension and spontaneous spoken French through everyday transactions, tourist situations, narration and focused examination practice. 5 lessons
- Listening and Speaking Basics
- Everyday Transactions
- Tourist Situations
- Narration and Giving Information
- Practice Listening Examination
Practice Exam — Paper 3 Speaking
Practice Exam — Paper 1 Listening
Build practical French through regular use
Language learning depends on frequent reading, writing, listening and speaking. The course develops these skills progressively, but students should also seek regular exposure to spoken and written French beyond the lesson materials.
Exams and assessment
How the IGCSE French course is assessed
Pearson Edexcel International GCSE French is assessed through three external examination papers covering listening, reading, writing and speaking. All responses and spoken tasks require students to communicate in French.
Paper 1 · Listening
4FR1/01
35 minutes
Plus 5 minutes’ reading time
40 marks
Available marks
25%
Of the qualification
Students listen to a range of French statements, monologues and conversations and identify key information, opinions, attitudes and specific details.
Paper 2 · Reading and Writing
4FR1/02
1 hour 45 minutes
Exam duration
80 marks
Available marks
50%
Of the qualification
The paper contains reading-comprehension tasks, two pieces of continuous writing and a grammar-based language-manipulation exercise.
Paper 3 · Speaking
4FR1/03
8–10 minutes
Assessment duration
40 marks
Available marks
25%
Of the qualification
Students complete a picture-based discussion followed by two spontaneous conversations on different topic areas. The entire assessment is conducted in French and recorded by the centre.
Mock marking
Papers 1 and 2
Marking can be purchased for the Listening and Reading and Writing practice papers.
Speaking mock
Booked tutorial required
Paper 3 is not included in the examination-marking bundle. Students must book tutorial time to complete the speaking mock.
Dictionary use
No dictionaries permitted
Students may not use a bilingual or monolingual dictionary in any of the three examination papers.
Speaking assessment
Three consecutive tasks
The picture discussion and two conversations are completed in one continuous session.
Arranging your examinations
Confirm that your centre offers Paper 3 Speaking
Private candidates need an approved centre able to conduct and record the Pearson Edexcel speaking assessment as well as enter them for Papers 1 and 2. Examination entry and centre fees are not included in the course subscription.
Support and add-ons
Plan the support needed for IGCSE French
The course subscription provides the structured lessons and audio resources. Completing the full assignment and mock-examination programme also requires purchased marking and separately booked tutorial time for spoken work.
Written assignments
TMA marking
Purchase marking for the written element of each tutor-marked assignment and receive detailed feedback on vocabulary, grammar, accuracy and communication.
Spoken assignments
TMA speaking tutorials
Book live tutorial time to complete the spoken component of each TMA. Purchasing written marking alone does not complete the full assignment.
Written mock examinations
Paper 1 and Paper 2 marking
Purchase marking for the Listening and Reading and Writing practice papers and receive feedback on examination technique and language accuracy.
Speaking mock examination
Paper 3 tutorial
Book a live tutorial to complete the Paper 3 speaking mock. This assessment is not included in the written examination marking bundle.
Ongoing guidance
Email Tutor Support
Ask questions about grammar, vocabulary, pronunciation and course activities while working through the lessons.
Important budgeting point
Language courses require more support
Students should budget for both assignment marking and multiple speaking tutorials. The live spoken components cannot be completed through written marking alone.
Plan your French support
Review marking and tutorial options
Check the available marking products and tutorial arrangements before beginning the TMA programme so that written and spoken components can be completed together.
Frequently asked questions
Questions about the IGCSE French course
Find answers about prior experience, spoken assignments, examination papers, tutorial requirements and course materials.
Can I start the French course at any time?
Yes. There are no fixed term dates, so you can enrol and begin studying when it suits you. You can then work through the course at a pace that fits your intended examination date.
Is the course suitable for a complete beginner?
The course is not ideal for complete beginners. Some previous experience of French is helpful, although the opening lessons revise the basic building blocks before moving into examination-level work.
How long does the course take to complete?
We recommend allowing approximately 200 hours of study. Students should also allow time for regular listening and speaking practice outside the formal lessons.
Which examination specification does the course cover?
The course prepares students for Pearson Edexcel International GCSE French specification 4FR1.
How do the tutor-marked assignments work?
Each TMA contains written and spoken work. The written element is completed through purchased tutor marking, while the spoken element requires separately booked tutorial time with a French tutor.
Is tutor marking included in the subscription?
No. Tutor marking is purchased separately. Students must also book tutorial time for the spoken components, which are not completed through the written marking service.
How are the mock examinations completed?
Marking can be purchased for the Paper 1 Listening and Paper 2 Reading and Writing mocks. Paper 3 Speaking is not included in that marking and must be completed during a separately booked tutorial.
How is the final examination structured?
Paper 1 assesses Listening and is worth 25%. Paper 2 assesses Reading and Writing and is worth 50%. Paper 3 assesses Speaking and is worth the remaining 25%.
Can I use a dictionary in the examinations?
No. Dictionaries are not permitted in any of the three examination papers. A bilingual dictionary remains useful while studying and building vocabulary.
Do I need to purchase a textbook?
No compulsory textbook is required. The course includes the structured lessons and accompanying audio resources. Students may also find a good French grammar guide and medium-sized bilingual dictionary helpful for independent study.
Course materials
Lessons and audio resources included
The Oxford Home Schooling French course contains the structured
lessons, activities and downloadable audio resources needed to
work towards the Pearson Edexcel 4FR1 examinations.
Audio practice is an essential part of the course
The accompanying recordings support the listening and speaking work in Module Five and provide practice with spoken French, everyday transactions and examination-style listening tasks.
Useful optional study tools
A medium-sized bilingual dictionary, French grammar guide and personal vocabulary notebook can support your studies. Dictionaries are useful while learning but cannot be taken into the examinations.
Ready to begin?
Start your online IGCSE French course
Enrol at any time and begin working towards the Pearson Edexcel International GCSE French qualification through a structured, flexible home-study course.
- Start studying at any time
- Immediate access to lessons and audio resources
- Develop listening, reading, writing and speaking skills
Start your French course
Return to the enrolment panel to review today’s payment and add the course to your basket.