From the enduring legacy of the Auld Alliance to modern partnerships across Europe, French has long played an important role in Scotland’s story.
By studying French at Mallaig High School, we aim to open doors to the wider world, exploring the language, history and vibrant cultures of France and the Francophone world. Through learning French, pupils develop confidence, curiosity and global awareness, while gaining valuable skills that connect our local community in the Highlands to opportunities across Europe and beyond.
Broad General Education
Pupils following the BGE in Mallaig High School study French as part of their entitlement to 1+2 languages, developing important skills for life, learning and work. Our curriculum is structured around developing the four skills of listening, talking, reading, and writing across four key contexts: Society, Learning, Employability, and Culture.
Digital technology plays an important role in supporting learning, and Google Classroom is used regularly to share key resources, homework and classroom tasks, ensuring pupils can access materials easily and stay engaged with their learning beyond the classroom.
Senior Phase
Mallaig High School offers pupils the opportunity to build on their learning from the Broad General Education and progress towards a range of qualifications in French. Learners can study National 4 and National 5, as well as Higher and Advanced Higher French, developing their skills in listening, talking, reading and writing to an increasingly sophisticated level. These courses enable pupils to broaden their cultural understanding of France and the wider Francophone world, enhance their communication skills, and gain nationally recognised qualifications that support future study, travel and employment opportunities in an increasingly global society.
Skills
Key skills developed by learning a language include the core functional skills of reading, writing, listening and speaking. Beyond the basics, language learning develops meta-skills such as problem solving, mental agility, resilience, empathy, intercultural competence, and metalinguistic awareness.
Employability
Career pathways with French include careers in education, international business, tourism, diplomacy, translation and interpreting, the creative industries and public sector roles. As one of the world’s most widely spoken languages, French opens opportunities not only in France but across Europe, Africa, Canada and beyond. Beyond specific job requirements, bilingualism in French enhances key employability skills such as communication, problem-solving, adaptability and cultural awareness. These transferable skills are highly valued by employers and equip young people with the confidence and global outlook needed to thrive in an increasingly interconnected world.
Links
Here are some useful links for those studying French:
Popular French podcasts (Higher and Advanced Higher pupils)