To know how your French is assessed, you need three facts: the syllabus code, your exam year and the current Cambridge document for both. This page tells you what to check, where to find it and who is responsible for each part.
We do not list paper numbers, durations or weightings here. Those details can change between exam years, and the official page is always the safer source.
Which qualification is this?
This site covers Cambridge IGCSE French (Foreign Language), code 0520. First Language French has a different code, 0501, and is a separate qualification. Some people say “IGCSE French” for both, so always confirm the code on your entry.
The general skills are listening, reading, speaking and writing. For how the subject fits together, see the French learning guide.
What should you check, and where?
| What to check | Where to find it | Who is responsible |
|---|---|---|
| Syllabus code (0520 or another) | Your school or exam centre entry | Exam centre |
| Exam year and series | Your entry, and the centre’s timetable | Exam centre |
| Components and what each tests | Cambridge subject page and the syllabus document for your year | Cambridge |
| Whether any choice of route applies to you | The syllabus document and your school | School and centre |
| Speaking arrangements and dates | Your exam centre | Exam centre |
| Access arrangements | Your exam centre, before entry deadlines | Exam centre and Cambridge |
| Results and certificates | Your exam centre | Exam centre and Cambridge |
Open the Cambridge subject page and download the syllabus for your year. The syllabus and exam-year navigator helps you find the right document.
How do you read the syllabus document?
Work through it in this order:
- Confirm the code and the years it covers on the title page.
- Find the assessment overview. It lists the components, what each tests and how they fit together.
- Read the descriptions of each skill. They show what a successful answer looks like.
- Check the grade descriptions and the list of command words or task types if they are given.
- Note anything that depends on your entry, such as a choice between options, and ask your exam centre.
Write down what you find in your own words, with the page number. A one-page summary in your own words is more useful than a photo of a table you have not read.
Worked example: turning the syllabus into a practice plan
Suppose the assessment overview shows that listening asks you to pick out specific details. You read the skill description and find that a typical task expects a time, a place or a reason.
You then practise exactly that: listen to a short original clip such as Le train pour Lyon part à quatorze heures quinze, quai numéro sept, and write the three details (time, destination, platform). The original listening practice player offers clips like this. You have turned an official description into a specific daily task.
Common mistakes about assessment
Assuming last year’s format applies. A classmate or older sibling may describe an earlier exam year. Check your own year’s document.
Practising only one skill. Students sometimes spend most time on writing because it feels measurable. The syllabus lists all four skills, so check that your practice covers each one.
Waiting for the school to explain. Your school will give guidance, but you can read the official page yourself and come with specific questions.
What does a teacher add?
A teacher cannot change your assessment route or run the assessment. A teacher can help you read the syllabus document, then plan listening, reading, speaking and writing practice around what it says. Read about online one-to-one French tuition, or return to the study route guide to decide where to begin.