Alliance Française d’Oxford

The Alliance Française d’Oxford is a charity that promotes the French language and French-speaking cultures in Oxford. Its base is St Margaret’s Institute on Polstead Road. The Alliance offers both face-to-face and online teaching, so the Polstead Road location is the relevant one for students looking for a regular place to meet and speak French locally.

Conversation, level placement and workshops

Adult courses are available in groups, and conversation classes give learners a more specific opportunity to take part in discussion. This can be particularly useful to someone who learned French at school, reads it comfortably and now wants to respond more naturally in speech. A level assessment helps prospective students identify a starting group and discuss their aims with the course coordinator.

Workshops and intensive courses provide alternatives to a continuing weekly group. The choice depends on whether the learner wants sustained progression or a short period devoted to a particular skill. The Alliance’s cultural work gives students another reason to study here. Someone interested in French-speaking literature, current affairs or travel can bring those interests into their learning and choose a discussion class with a purpose beyond rehearsing a set of phrases.