An independent school in Amersham has become an official DELF French language examination centre.

The Beacon School, an independent school for boys aged three to thirteen, has become an official DELF examination centre, with pupils taking their first DELF exams this term.

DELF (Diplôme d'Études en Langue Française) is a system of French language exams for non-native speakers of French.

Administered by France Education International for the French Ministry of Education, DELF is the only official French proficiency qualification.

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Fiona Jones, head of modern foreign languages at The Beacon and a DELF examiner, said: “Having a DELF qualification is something that sets pupils apart from their peers in terms of application to senior schools and university – and even future employers.

‘’There are other benefits too, for example obtaining DELF level B2 enables a given candidate to study at a university in France.

"We are very proud of our DELF candidates this year for all their hard work and enthusiasm – we have seen some huge improvements”.

Those interested in sitting a DELF exam themselves can do so via the Institut Francais in London. 

At The Beacon School, the pupils are exposed to languages and different cultures from an early age. 

The school's Moden Languages Department has designed International Studies, which prepares the boys for the modern and multicultural society. Languages on the programme include Mandarin, Japanese, German, Italian, Russian and Arabic. 

Research by the British Council shows 60 percent of primary schools in England have no opportunities for international engagement.