Newham Sixth Form College is trying to stem the drop in students taking French.

The number of pupils taking A-Level French nationally has fallen in the past five years, with less than 3,000 students studying it last year.

To combat the fall, NewVic has teamed up with the Institut Français du Royaume-Uni to run free after-school masterclasses.

They’ll take place every Wednesday from October 10 for 25 weeks, and will be open to Year 10 and 11 students taking GCSE French in Newham.

The classes will include trips out, workshops at the institute’s base in South Kensington, and external speakers.

Penny Warburton, NewVic’s associate principal for A-Levels, said: “We are delighted to be working with the prestigious French Institute to deliver this exciting opportunity for local students to improve their language skills and to build their awareness of French culture. These classes are ideally suited to any learner who wants to take French to the next level.”