EF at a glance…
The personal touch
We have a limited number of places on each course – to guarantee you maximum personal attention. Despite increased demand, we have not increased our numbers. We at Essential French Language College promise:
- exclusivity in the material and in the programme we provide.
- we will not compromise the quality of your tuition.
- we will maximise your potential regardless of your level.
Highly Trained Teaching Team:
French nationals, our teachers have been trained exclusively in the Essential French teaching method, guaranteed to maximise each student’s potential.
Individual Attention:
Maximum of 4-12 students per class (depending on the programme), so we can focus on your problem areas. We are also the only grind school in Ireland that provides online help 24/7. You can rest assured that we are there to help you outside of class hours!
Student Friendly Programme:
Having listened carefully to our students, we provide you with what every student needs : vocabulary pack, swot sheets, flash cards, study tips, revision notes. All exclusive to our students! All proven to score maximum marks in the exam. Along with this we have developed a unique teaching method to enable our students to learn the material effortlessly!!
Classes At Your Level:
Pupils revise basics before moving forward. Advanced pupils follow more challenging programmes to guarantee top grades.
What do we look for in a potential student?
- We want students who want to succeed and are willing to put in time and energy to get the best grade possible for them. All of our students must follow our advice carefully so we can guide them on the road to success. Pupils need to be motivated and determined to benefit from EF’s unique learning experience.
For JC, 5Y and LC:
- Each student receives 2.5 hours of tuition per week.
- We have introduced a 2-week cycle of Face2Face tuition blended with weekly online classes.
- Wherever there is an oral element to our lessons, the class size is extremely small to ensure that you participate and receive as much personal attention as possible.
For 2nd Year and TY:
- Each student receives 1.5 hours of tuition per week in EF classrooms.
- Our 2nd Year programme gives students a valuable head start on the JC course as well as giving individual support and guidance with CBA’s.
- The short 12-week TY programme is ideal for busy TY students who want to get ahead in French.
Essential French Language College, is a provider of French grinds for 2nd Year, Junior Certificate, Transition Year, 5th Year and Leaving Certificate students and Irish Grinds for Leaving Certificate students in Cork.
Having spent a fourth year doing absolutely nothing in my french class in school, i found all my french had vanished by the time fifth year came around. For the first couple of months of fifth year my french was not my main priority as we did nothing in class (still!) and i had given up making an effort. As a result my oral suffered especially and i was unable to speak french. When i joined Essential French halfway through fifth year, my results soared up and i found my oral improving by the week. French has gone from being one of my weakest subject to my best. It has become my favourite subject and I now want to continue my studies of french in college all thanks to Essential French. Merci beaucoup 🙂
I only joined EF recently but I’m already noticing how much more easily I am able to write opinion pieces, diary entries and the like, and am finding verb conjugation so much easier. I joined EF as a fifth year student who had been unpleasantly surprised to find the LC standard requirements so difficult. My grades dropped,I began to get worried and stressed about not doing as well in my LC as I had hoped. After a few weeks of EF, my confidence has risen again and I feel that I will be able to secure a high grade in my LC. EF was recommended to me by many friends who have found it helpful, and I would, and am already, recommending it. Thanks EF!
Sarah McCann, Fifth Year Student
Looking at the other comments, pretty much everything I could say, between the extensive course, individual attention and original material for example, has been covered. But I can add some more concrete evidence to Essential French’s utter quality simply by mentioning my results. I started the grinds at the start of 6th year having averaged C3s throughout 5th year and an eventual oral result in the summer test of 48%. However, since joining my results have all jumped, with a pre of 79% (so close to that B1!). This included a rise to 78% per cent in my oral. That sort of jump is no coincidence. These results were earned without intense cramming or relentless study, simply on the basis of the continuous weekly learning. So with that in mind, and the fact I’m working harder now, it’s safe to say that A is well within reach!
6th Year, Gaelcholáiste Choilm
I started Essential French in 5th year and i dont know where id be without it! if theres any subject that i felt ready for in the pres it was definately french! the oral work is really good aswell and you start building up your folder from September so the relief of not having to cram it all in is huge. Im so grateful to essential french and the hard work they put in.. half my class in school goes here :L
I joined Ef in 6th year 🙂 its so worth it !! i would recommend anyone to join whether you need help with your oral or simply want to get a good result, this grind is for you! you get so much support from all the teachers and excellent notes ! They give you excellent phrases to use for your essays that would impress any examiner i nearly say them in my sleep at this stage !
the face book SOS page is excellent , you can ask questions on topics or vocab you are having trouble with and you are guaranteed an instant response :L
Its only march and i feel i am more prepared for French than any other subject thanks to EF 🙂 so join :L XX
Mount Mercy College Cork, LC
Essential French has literally saved half of Cork from failing their leaving cert french! They have the best material and the best teachers out there. If you ever need any extra help, they’re always there to lend a hand! Their material is brilliant and the results are there to prove it! Only positive things are ever said about Essential French and it is worth every cent 😀
Essential is weel worth any money or effort required. I went from a E in my fifth year summer exam to a b2 in my pre. Best thing I’ve ever done for language. Les consequences de Essential French sont toujours positives!
Essential French has been one of the greatest things i have done! Honestly! you learn so much within the first few week and it will bring your grade up in no time i started this term and i already know so much french words and phrases to help with my leaving cert! Its something everyone should invest in!
Seán Geaney
5th year, Rochestown College
Ess French was the best decision I have ever made as far as choosing a grind was concerned! From one years tuition with Ef, I moved up a whole letter grade. In Ef they cater to each students individual needs and this in itself made all the difference! Having my progress monitored meant natasha and the other ef teachers could give me advice on what areas I needed to improve one! Regular tests and homework meant that I rarely had to study french outside of the ef lesson plan. Most grind students are only given the opportunity to come in once a week but in Ef I found I was in a couple of times a week doing various reading comp ,oral and listening classes without taking away studing from my other subjects! I highly recommend Ef to all leaving cert students as from first hand experience I can say it made all the difference to my LC results 🙂
LC 2011 Christ King Girls, Douglas Road, Cork
Essential Irish provided me with both the knowledge and the notes to feel confident and prepared going into both my oral exam and the written papers, the preparation for the oral was particularly helpful as the classes were much smaller than school and the notes covered everything that could come up! Thanks to all 🙂
As I don’t study French in school and everybody has always talked about how great Essential French was I decided to give Essential Irish a try. With only a few weeks left to my leaving cert now I can honestly say it has been one of the best decisions I have made. My grade in Irish immediately improved when I began classes at the beginning of the year. I felt great after coming out of my Irish oral in April due to the fantastic notes and help I received from Essential Irish. All of the material is at a very high standard and all possible aspects are covered. The broad leaving cert Irish course is broken down so well and the small classes are great!I really don’t think I could of continued with higher level Irish without Essential Irish’s help. I would recommend this course to all sixth year students. Thank you for everything Essential French and Irish…ye go far beyond any other average weekly grind!
Essential French is a fantastic course that focuses in on each student’s individual needs! Thanks to Natasha and everybody in Essential French for all their hard work!! 🙂
Essential French helped me in so many ways. I can now speak, write and understand the language so much better than I did before I started. The 5th year course was really well prepared and helped me with all aspects of the Leaving Cert. The teachers are excellant and really helpful! I don’t know what I would have done without EF this year! I would recommend it to everyone!
Ciara Johnson, 5th Year, St. Angelas
Essential French definitely helped me so much this year. I found the extra classes so helpful for written work and the vocab was so helpful for comprehensions and listening. Also my oral work has improved so much in such a short time. The extra classes were really helpful too and i’m definitely glad i did the course.
essential French is a brill place to be learning French. We learn in a calm environment but learn a lot there too, for things we actually need for our leaving cert. We learn with teachers who are French, which is superb for our listening, understanding and speaking. I am very glad I went to Essential French because my French has greatly improved during the whole year. I’ll be going there again for my leaving and I will still be improving. All the teachers are nice and you really see an improvement in your work in tenses, reading, understanding and speaking. thanks for everything 🙂
Marie Lynch, 5th year
St Al’s Cork
I find that essential french has helped me so much over the years. I first began in 3rd year when french was one of my worst subjects and now I’m in 5th year a good class in school and it’s one of the very few classes i don’t mind going to. Everyone one in there is so helpful and nice about everything and it’s also really good to be able to ask for help at anytime over facebook. I have never regreted taking up esesntial french at all and infact i’m happy i started as early on as i did.Thank you…:D
lorna galvin, scoil mhuire., 5th year
Essential French is so helpful! You guys have improved my French LOADS! I can’t thank you enough for the time and effort you put into helping me grasp the subject that I now love!!
Lia Walsh, 5th year, Gaelcholaiste Choilm. 🙂
Essential French is excellent! My french has improved hugely and Im definitely starting to see an improvement from my results in school! I also have a much better understanding of the actual french course since starting the grind.The teachers are really helpful, I would defintelty recommend Essentail French!! 🙂
Ciara Horgan, 5th year, St Angelas College Cork
I feel that the E.F team has really helped me with my french as doing T.Y last year we didn’t do much french in school.Essiential French 5th year course got me back on track with their fab notes and teachers, I found my french improving week by week.I really recommend this course to anyone who struggled with french like i did,mille fois merci :>
Carraig na Bhfear, 5th year
the course is really helpful, it makes you study and the 75% to pass thing is really good because it means you’ll always do well. Thanks a mill.
Aoibhe Luke, Scoil Mhuire, 3rd year
Essential French has helped me so much over the year i have gone from getting Ds to Bs. I definaly reccomend it to everyone and plan to continue it next year.
Aoife Cahill, St. Angela’s college 5th year
I found essential french amazing this year. i couldn’t put two words of french together last year but after a year with essential french i feel i improved a lot and im more confident about doing french. the teachers were great and helped me out a lot. It was well worth while taking part in essential french for fifth year. thanks a million.
Sarah O’Toole 5th year studennt Carrigaline Community School
I did Essential French in 3rd year, 5th year and 6th year and now with the leaving cert in just a few weeks I can honestly say French is the only subject I am fully confident for. Essential French has helped so much with every aspect of the course and even other subjects too! The notes are so well structured and easy to understand and all the teachers are a great help. The online aspect to Essential French is second to none….I honestly cannot thank Essential French enough! Mille fois merci! 🙂
Deirdre Haughney, 6th year – Mount Mercy College.
I don’t think I can thank the EF team enough for what they have done for my french!
I was really worried about my french results at the end of 5th year and really hoped EF would pull up grade! As I only started it in 6th year I didn’t think it would make the difference it did! With just a month to go to the LC I am confident that my french exam will go really well! It really does put alot less pressure on as I hae so many other subjects. It’s a relief to know that at least one of my subjects is well covered and I am very well prepared for it!
I would definitely recommend it to anyone struggling with french, they are so helpful it really is a little community in there! 🙂 MERCI EF!
Gillian O’Riordan 6th yr Mount Mercy College
thank you for the lovely words gillian! can’t believe that the year has gone so fast! Make sure you let me know if you need me for anything!
I joined the 5th year course in September as I was literally a hopeless case at french in school.. I cannot believe how much of an improvement I have made in what seems to have been such a short time. I noticed an immediate improvement and by the Christmas exams i had one of the highest grades in my class in school! I cant believe how fast the year flew and as Sixth year approaches its such a relief to know that i didn’t waste my time. It eases the pressure and allows you to focus in on other subjects. The methods which are used are like none other and they are so handy easy to follow and beneficial there is no time wasting and the small numbers allow a more personal experience then you would in a class of 30 in school where the teacher has to stick to a curriculum. Without a doubt the best decision i ever made and would highly recommend it to anyone thinking of joining.
The fact that the staff are there at anytime in or outside of class time is so handy to have just incase you need a little extra help and the help that Essential French offers to us in other subjects through seminars is excellent!
Padraig Wilson McCarthy, 5th year, Douglas Community School 😀
You are so good to give such a detailed account of what we do Padraig! It really gives 5th year students an excellent insight into what we do! thank you so much!! hope all goes well in your summer exams – remember to let me know if you need any additional help with specific themes on the run up to the exams!!
Where to start? I honestly have nothing but praise for Essential French. Definitly the best decision I made for my LC was to start the EF course. From the extra grammar classes with Natasha ( which are a MASSIVE help) to extra oral and listening classes, you never feel like you’re not doing enough. From the very first day I started classes in September I left feeling optimistic and positive about the LC. Swot sheets saved me for my oral, every topic is covered in such great detail that I wasn’t one bit nervous going into my real oral. I felt prepared for every question and knew how to steer the conversation, all thanks to Essential French. Everyone is so supportive and you know they will do everything they can to get you the grade you want. Having Natasha online until all hours of the night is such a great help as well, really takes stress off. Now, with only 5 weeks to the LC, I’m not one bit stressed about French because of everything EF does with you throughout the year. I would recommend EF to absolutely everyone. There really is no faults with this course…Thank you EF 🙂
Alex McMahon, 6th year, Mount Mercy.
thank you so much for your feedback alex!! its great to know that us working together has really brought out the very best in you! Bonne chance !!
Essential French- omg!! Where to start? I joined in 6th year after being told I was ‘well able for the C’ in the leaving certain but the A is practically impossible to get.. Thanks to Essential French I got an A in my pre and my oral couldn’t have gone any better!! they really focus in on any weaknesses and by the time your exam comes around you’re just doing revision.. You’re not freaking out the night before! I just want to thank Natasha and all the team so much because encouraging you and drilling things into your head is what they do best. To sum it all up, this course really really really improves your standard of french while making you confident at every aspect of the course!! merci beaucoup!
Mille fois merci mairead! Really appreciate your comments!
Essential French has made a HUGE difference for me:) Even though I have only been coming since september for sixth year it still has helped me so so much:D It’s great the way that there are so many extra classes to do aswell as your set class time, and the extra oral classes helped so much to prepare for the orals , especially the one-to-one oral 🙂 And Natasha is always online to help which is great if you have any questions! In one year my french results have improved soo much and hopefully it will reflect my result in June:D I would definetly recommend it to anybody, Thanks essential french!!:D:D x
merci beaucoup for those lovely words aileen!
i absolutely hated the subject for junior cert, didnt have a clue what was going on in 5th year but since i started EF last september its become one of my favourite subjects 🙂 ive gone from a D in the jc to a B in the pre and hoping to improve even more for the real exam next month. one of the things that i found most useful so far this year has been the oral work. the one to one oral sessions leading up to the exam were brilliant for getting prepared and i went into the exam very relaxed and the whole thing felt very natural. EF is so much more than just a french grind, with at least one extra free class a week and all the extra help on facebook (and even extra seminars in different subjects) i would thouroghly reccomend EF to all students as without it i would have been lost this year. thanks a mill for all the help 😀 Johnny Lingwood 6th year Colaiste Daibheid
thank you so much for that johnny!! You have worked hard – fingers crossed for june!
i joined late this year and was probably the best decision ever for my leaving cert year! without this grind i really dont know how i would cope I’ve learned so much since i joined , more then i ever learned at school in french in the past two years. the material is easy to follow and of an excellent standard . i would definitely recommend it!everyone is very helpful there, and also they help with other subjects too which is great 🙂
merci beaucoup emma! Really lovely message!
What can i say? This is my fourth year coming to Essential French since 2nd year and i must say in 1st year i didn’t really like the language and when i came to EF that totally changed with the amount of support given to each student, the teachers who are unbelievably helpful and nice and all the notes different colours and so good! Nothing what you would get out of a ‘normal’ french grind. I would reccommend EF to anyone who is doing french for Junior Cert and Leaving Cert as the courses are excellent! I’ve had great experiences with EF and so glad i am an Essential French student! 🙂
Meadhbh Duncliffe, Scoil Mhuire.
what lovely comments – thanks a million meadhbh!
Essential French, oh my God, so much to say!
First of all, thank you!
I came in second year absolutely hating french and you guys completely turned that around!
With your mulit-coloured swot sheets, and your 100% raffles, you guys got me so motivated into doing my best every week!
Now, its amazing how much I love french! Once I wanted to give up french and never here ‘Ca va’ ever again, now, as I finish my last year with you guys, Im pretty sad to say goodbye! You guys have changed my view on french so much, I even want to go on and study it in college, maybe live in France for a year or two, and I pursue teaching french as a career!
So thank you guys so much from the bottom of my heart!
And congratulations Natasha on creating such an amazing business!! You’ve no idea how much Essential French how changed my life!
Laura Philpott, Scoil Mhuire
mille fois merci for those lovely words, Laura! Let’s hope all your hard work will pay off in june!
highly recommend it….learned more here in one year then 5 years in school
Essential French is extremely helpful, I’m in leaving cert at the moment and have been doing essential French since 2nd year, with the help of essential French, French is definitely without doubt my best subject and it wouldn’t be without this establishment. all thanks to Natasha 🙂
Essential French is amazing! This is my second year with it and I couldn’t imagine trying to do my leaving cert without it. It makes it seem so simple and concise compared to in school. And it’s not only for French. It makes the whole leaving cert experience easier for you. Aidan O Dowling, LC, CBC
Essential French is simply amazing, no exaggeration! The notes we get are short and sweet, nothing over-complicated which is great and makes them so easy to remember! The teachers are simply excellent! They really try their best & help you in any way they can! The small class sizes also make it so easy to learn, especially with oral work. I’m so glad I got the chance to do Essential French & even though it takes a lot of commitment and hard work, I know it will all be worth it in the end!! Thank You 😀
Aoife Linehan
Bruce College.
It’s only been a few weeks but I’ve already seen a major difference in the quality of my french! Since starting essential french I’ve gone from dreading french classes to really enjoying using the language! The teachers and small class sizes make it really easy to learn and there’s always help on hand if needed! The material given is amazing and Natasha’s rhymes make it all really easy to remember and put into use! Becoming an Essential French student was the best decision I’ve made all year!
Can say without a doubt say that essential french is miles ahead of any grind Ive gone 2! all the notes ar concise and short to make sure your learning only whats useful to you in your leaving cert. the extra classes really help esp the oral ones where u can get practice speaking french in small numbers, something that is really lacking in schools and with such a high standard ur challenged and motivated to perfect ur work! also the free seminars are brilliant! Essential French has helped me so much with the language! thank you! 🙂
Amanda Greene St Angelas
Essential french is amazing..in fact I’m not even worried about french for the leaving now! before i started it 2 years ago i never really knew what to study for french..but e.f is so exam orientated and structured its simple now! the small classes ensure the teachers know everyones individual weeknesses which is great! i also find all the extra classes brilliant, theres grammer, reading comprehansion, oral and listening on top of the weekly class, so you can focus on your weak areas. all the teachers are french too which without us realising, really improves our pronunciation and understanding! Natashas ALWAYS on fb too and we can ask her anything or for help whenever we need to 🙂
Since starting E.F ive grown to love french so much and its gone from being my least favourite to my favourite subject!!
Essential French Is the best grind school out there without a doubt! The courses are very easy to follow and cover every aspect of the exam to a very high standard! The amount of material they provide insures that everyone won’t be using the same lines. Unlike many other grind schools natasha understands we have other subjects too and even provides free seminars on other subjects troughout the year! If you ever have any problems or are struggling with a certain area natasha and the teachers will go out of their way to do everyhing they can to help you! Essential French really is one of a kind and I would recommend it to peolpe of all levels !
Merci Ciara !!
Ciara Cannon, Christ King, Cork, LC
having completed the 3rd and 5th year courses in essential french, i didn’t think twice about signing up for the leaving cert course. it’s the best french grind out there, offering extra classes in grammer, reading comprehension and oral work. the notes are clear, easy to follow and being tested regularly ensures you know all you need to!!! the small classes make it easy to learn and extra help is available whenever you need it. would highly recommend essential french to anyone hoping to do well in exams 🙂
Mille Merci Maryellen!
Maryellen O Donovan, LC Christ King, Cork
********************essential french is absolutely brillant and well worth it!!!last year when i was reading these comments i thought for sure they were biased or fixed or something but no it really is excellent!!!***************
Merci Tim!
Tim Cummins – Christians Brothers College, Cork, Leaving Cert
Honestly I dont know what I would do without Essentiel French! Its a LIFE-SAVER! All the notes are clear, concise and easy to understand! The extra oral, grammar and reading comprehension classes have helped me improve immensely in french! Who else would offer free seminars in many diffrent subjects for L.C. students? big thanks to ye!
merci Charlini!
Charlini De Almeida – Mount Mercy College, Cork
Essential French is the best grind you can get,its amazing,small classes and native french speakers are so much more helpful then school.They dont just help with french but with so many other subjects too for free and loads of competitions to keep you motivated,its so handy aswell that we can contact you through facebook whenever,it makes my life a little easier :)definetly worth the money 😀
Alice, merci beaucoup!
Alice Keogh, MMC, Cork – Leaving Cert
Essential French is brilliant!! From the extra help on facebook , the seminars availlable in other subjects for 6th yrs , the great sos page and all the competitions! It has really improved my french with its easy but very effective programme. . They cover all areas of the course including lots of work on oral which is practical and usually neglected in school. . They really keep you on your toes so you always know her stuff! I would definitely recommend Essential French to any student who would like to excel at french . . Thanks for all the help 🙂 Bríd O’Donoghue,6th yr, Mount Mercy College.
Essential french is without a doubt, the best french grind ever.. It is completely focused on the exams. The small classes, the friendly atmosphere make it so easy to learn and the teachers are always helpful! I would not be able to do french without it and would recommend it to everyone 🙂
merci karen!!!
Karen Coleman – LC student – St Angelas College, Cork
Essential French is simply amazing!! The teachers are so helpful…especially with the oral work! 🙂 Essential French is not just your average grind…it is completely student orientated and there’s always little competitons going on to keep students interested! Having Essential French on facebook is such a huge help because it means you can literally ask for help anytime you need it and there’s never any problem!! It’s a lifesaver with french because the notes are just so helpful!! I would be so lost in french without it!! 😀 Deirdre Haughney, 6th year, Mount Mercy College.
Essential French, where to start?! An hour and a half weekly class, plus an extra hour grammer class, plus extra oral classes and extra reading comp and listening classes?! All that included in the fee!! The service they provide is SECOND TO NONE! There is a teacher online to answer any question at ANY time for you! The notes are first class and so clear! There are swotsheets, sentence compostion cards, essay phrases which all make any exam so managable! The teachers are so approachable and you can hand in any amount of work you want and it’s corrected carefully with great feedback! Going to essential french reduces your stress and makes your other subjects more managable! They even organise seminars in subjects like Chemistry or Physics AT NO EXTRA COAST!
Being an essential french student is much more than just “going to a french grind” It’s about being part of a community on The Grand Parade! I cannot praise EF enough! I’d recommend it to any student; those aspiring for an A1 will be challenged, while those struggling with the language will eventually love it! TRUST ME!
Jamie Brennan Colaiste an Phiarsaigh
I know for a fact that i would not be doing well in french were it not for essential french! the course is brilliant and the teachers are really easy to understand!! i would recommend it to every secondary school pupil! Emma White 6th year, St. Angela’s College
Actually the best thing my parents have EVER invested in! Learned more in a few weeks here than I have in 5years in school! The small classes and dedicated teachers make it really easy to learn! Thank you =]
Merci Gillian – MMC, College, Cork City – 6th year student
Words cannot descirbe the help essential frecnh has given me..even though im only doing it 6th year! Would really reccommend it to anyone who is doing french and I only wish I had started it before now. the teachers are great and are more that willing to help and the facebook and emailing is so handy outside of class times. thank-you EF!
Mille fois merci Louise! Mount Mercy College, Cork – LC student
Essential french is great!! Not to mind getting fab notes in french there is also seminars in lots of other subjects all given to us 4 FREE!!! All thanks to Natasha! 🙂
Jennifer Ryle,6th yr, MMC
To say Essential French was a great help is an understatement, three years later in final year french I am still referring to the material…Would recommend it to absoloutely everyone doing french! In fact its a reason to choose french as a subject in school because there will be no worries once you are involved with essential french!
I would recommend essential french to anyone. The fact that all the teachers are native french speakers is invauable for oral work. The french exam is so broad but essential french makes sure all potential subject matters are covered so you’re fully prepared. All the classes are well structured so everyweek you’re aware of what will be covered. They also send out your homework if you miss a class so there’s no chance of falling behind! It really is an excellent course. Also Natasha, even though she makes you work hard, is extremely helpful with any problems you may have and will give you as much time as you need to ensure you improve.
I’ve been going to essential french for the last two years and find it the most beneficial grinds i’ve been to! The teachers really motivate you to do your best and are really helpful. It gives you confidence at speaking and learning the language and my grades have improved so much. I found the online service through e-mails and facebook to natasha very helpful too, where you could ask questions if you were stuck with homework or wanted help with oral work outside of class time. I would recommend the course to anyone who wants to get a good grade in french!:)
I would never hav got to where i am now without Essentiel French! Really good guidance for every individual student!! the small class are a definite bonus and as there are only a certain amount of students in the whole year the teachers get to know the students really well and they know what level you’re at. Essentiel french has really good notes for opinion pieces which is the part of the exam i feel i’ve most excelled in since i joined! Excellent college with really friendly people who are always willing to help no matter what question you have!! They even e-mail you if you need help! who can beat that?!:D Thanks to all the teachers and especially Natasha for helping me!!
Grace Buttimer 6th Year, MMC
essential french was really helpful this year for the oral, listening and written, and the teachers are great!
In 6th year in Kinsale . . drive up to the classes twice a week and its totally worth the drive! Only started the course this year and grades have gone way up!! . . . all material i used in the oral was from essential french and it went great. All grammer provided is excellent and the course is extremly well structured.
Beats all the private one-one-one french grinds iv had. 🙂
Thanks guys!
Essential French is a brilliantly-structured course. It has helped me feel comfortable and confident that I am prepared for my exams in June. There is nothing superfluous in the material and so, I felt that everything I was learning was of great benefit to me, and was something that I could actually use in the exam. The classes cover every aspect of the course, from grammar to oral to reading comprehensions to listening, so that there is no one area that will bring your marks down. The teachers are also extremely helpful, and as they are all French natives, you know that you are always getting true and authentic advice in the language. Thank you Natasha!
I’ve been going to Essential Frech since 4th year and had practically no french! The classes are really exam focused without being boring and the small class sizes make it easy to learn and ask questions (especially compared to the 32 people in my school French class). They don’t give any unnecessary info and having French teachers made pronounciation for the oral way easier. The extra work available is a great help especially the individual corrections so you can see exactly what you need to focus on. 🙂 Without the oral packs I would have panicked so much for the oral as we don’t do much oral work in school. I would be totally lost without Essential French and will definitely recommend it to anyone 😀
Essential French has definitely been a huge help to me throughout this year. a
After fourth year I had pretty much forgotten everything French I had learned in junior cert and after just a few weeks in the Essential French course I could speak and write the language way better than I ever could have before. I would definitely recommend this course to anyone who needs help with or wants to maintain their level of French. 5th year, St. Angela’s.
I can’t stess enough how helpful Essential French was for me this year! My grades have improved in all aspects of the course and I’m much more confident now when speaking and writing french. The notes are amazing, the classes cover everything and the teachers are so helpful.
Essential French has improved my french beyond belief. The teachers have pushed me and motivated me to do better the whole time (which I really needed!) The oral swot sheets were literally all I used for my oral which couldn’t have gone better. Thanks for everything 🙂
essential french dramatically improved my french this year.not one class is wasted and they are so well structured and organised teaching u exactly wat u need to know.the teachers are all native french speakers which really hepls with the orals.there is always some member of the staff available to give u any extra help outside of class times,whether its online or over the phone.i would recommend essential french to anyone in leaving cert no matter wat grade ur lookin for.top class !!
essential french is genius…the notes are really easy to understand and all the material is exam orientated so it cuts out all the silly pointless stuff you do in school!you know exactly what you’ve to look over the night before its soooo handy!i went from just passing to a b in the pre’s and i owe it to these guys!!!definately beneficial and i would reccommend it to anyone:) Thanks again x
Essential French is great. The notes cover every aspect of the course but unlike other grinds the notes are compounded upon in the weekly and extra classes. with the notes alone your results are guaranteed to improve. With the extra classes it would be difficult not to improve!I felt extremely confident before my oral exam, my only worry being could i bring up everything i knew!Everyone in essential French is so nice and helpful.whatever can be done for you will be done.You can contact natasha anytime and she will answer, no other grind is like it! 6th year Colaiste an spioraid naoimh
Essential french is really good for building up the necessary vocab for the leaving cert. I also fonud it both improved my grammer aswell as my confidence at speaking french.
Essential French is one of a kind! The programme is really exam orientated, telling you exactly what you need to know. The teachers really focus on getting the basics right and then building on these basics to improve your grade. Since starting Essential French last year my french has improved dramatically and I am now so much more confident in both my written and spoken french 🙂 . The teachers are so decidated and any questions or problems we have are sorted out quickly and i also found the small class size to be a huge benifit! There is over 30 people in my class in school and with only 5-6 in a class in Essential French every student gets the invividual attention they need! I would be lost this year with out all their help, and i would definitely recommend it to anyone :)!
i find essential french really beneficial. ive noticed a huge improvment in my french. the teachers are great and they helped me to get a better understanding of the language. the notes and various packs are really useful too! i will definately be back again next year!!
essential french is the best French grind around ! the notes and material given are better then any revision books and are really easy to use. I would recommend it to anyone doing French as it has improve my french so much in only one year ! Ciara Cannon 5th yr Christ King
i find essential french a great help ! didnt do french during TY and when i got back to it i was v.rusty ! after jus finishing this years essential french course im a lot more confident. The notes are great and you learn exactly what you need to know 🙂
Essential French is amazing! the oral and grammer packs made everything so easy to learn and without even realising it my french improved dramatically! The teachers are brilliant and always helpful, and the extra oral classes were definitely brilliant for improving my french accent and preparing me for the real thing, which I was very happy with. Thank you Essential French!
6th year, Scoil Mhuire
Before I went to Essential French I was failing French exams in school! They helped me to get a b in my French pre!
Merci Beaucoup 😛
J’adore Essential French!…It is an amazing school. My grades have gone way up since attending Essential French. I had my oral a couple of weeks ago and I definitely wouldnt have been as confident without Essential French. All the oral notes were structured so I knew what I could talk about and how to lead the conversation. Also the teacher’s of Essential French taught me how to sound like a native french person which is vital for the oral. The staff are so dedicated that each LC student was allowed have one-to-one orals which allowed us to grow in confidence.
The staff are really encouraging and always willing to help. They bring out the best of our ability by showing us on a one-to-one level how to improve in certain areas we find difficult.
Also I think the extra work sheets are great because they are a great means of revision.
I would highly recommend Essential French to any student who is aiming for a high grade in french.
Eimear Scannell – 6th year Christ King Secondary School
The grinds really helped me, found my written work improved a lot because of them. Also because the teachers are french it really helps with trying to get the accent right for the oral.
Starting Essential French was probably the best choice I’ve made all year!I’d heard great things and was certainly not disappointed. From the first week I noticed an improvement,and in my pre I noticed an even bigger one! Last year the oral was such a huge worry and this year I found myself kind of looking forward to showing off all the material we’d been given!They deliver notes in an easy to understand way,encourage participation in weekly and extra classes, and will correct all your extra work without hesitation.From Natasha being on Facebook chat every night to help with the slightest problem to as many practice orals,aurals and pres that you can manage,I truly would have been lost this year without it.
Emer Tuohy,LC,Scoil Mhuire
I can’t put into words how amazing Essential French actually is. Without them I would be lost! I’ve improved so much since I began and can’t wait to start again next in September. Because of the friendly staff and atmosphere, I look forward to my class everyweek and it really flys! Thank You everybody at Essential French! I don’t know where I’d be without ye.
Neasa Cotter. 5th Year. Colaiste Daibheid.
J’adore Essential French !! I have attended classes at Essential French for the past three years, and it has been a very positive experience so far, I did well in Christmas and summer exams in TY and fifth year, and I had my French Oral a few weeks back. I felt so prepared and confident going into the oral, and coming out, it was smiles all round :). I would highly recommend Essential French to any student aspiring for high points in the Leaving Cert of those hoping to do French in college. The teachers and staff are really helpful and friendly and are always only a phonecall, email, or text message away 🙂 Olivia O’ Callaghan, Sixth Year, Christ King Secondary School
Essential French is THE BEST GRINDS EVER…When I came here to enrol, I didnt even know a word in french.but within months I picked up on grammer, vocab..everything ….ALL THANKS TO ESSENTIAL FRENCH.Their notes are well laid out and easy to understand.Essential French provides all the help they can.even the classes are structured in a way that each student receives individual attention and care.The native french teachers are also a great help to students like me who don’t have any clue about the french accent.Even the fees is reasonable compared to other grinds.I have picked up a lot since I started.I even feel comfortable listening and doing french.I would definitely do it next year and I ALSO RECOMMEND IT to all who are interested.
Anjaly Tessa Saji – St.Als , 5th Year
Essential French was pretty much a lifesaver. Before starting, I would have said French was by far my worst subject but now I’m almost set for the Leaving Cert and have only just finished 5th Year. Will deffo be back next year though! The course is just perfect for gving you exactly what you need for the Leaving Cert. Thank you Essential French!!!!
Aisling Kelly
5th year Mount Mercy College.
After attending Essential French for 4 years, I can genuinley say it is a fantastic school. The weekly homework and assesments means that come exam time, there’s not much left to revise. The native French teachers are of huge benefit to the students in improving our own accents for the oral, and also for the listening section of the exam. All the preparation for the oral exam most definitely pays off. Going into the exam I knew exactly how to lead the conversation to suit me, and how to answer questions while leaving hints to get onto topics I wanted to talk about. And although I had learned off everything, Essential French taught me how to make what I said not sounds learnt off.
The extra classes and study techniques make learning so much easier and leaves you feeling confident for any exam. There is constant support available for every student from all staff. Overall its an extremely beneficial course, and once you put in the work, the improved results follow.
Avril McCarthy – 6th Year, Christ King.
essential french is brilliant, my grades have improved unbelievably since i started, it makes such a difference! everything is so much easier with the notes and the help from all the teachers…great value for money too compared to other grinds.
6th year, pres
essential french is the best thing ever!last year i couldnt string a sentence together in french and now im completely different,im confident at writing and speaking french!the teachers are amazing and are always there to help you.the notes are the best and the coloured sheets make it fun to learn!!i dont think i could sit my leaving cert in french if i didnt come to essential french this year.i’ll definitly be recommending it to everyone i know!!
Lynn kennedy,6th year,St.angela’s college
Essential French is absolutely brilliant. It’s definitely the best French grind anybody could receive. Before starting Essential French, French was my weaker subject but now I have a firm grasp of the language and it has become one of my favourite subjects!! The hour and a half class each week is so well organised and covers every aspect of the Leaving Cert course. The grammar classes are excellent and the notes we are given are so well put together and very helpful. Everything we are taught can be applied to any piece of written French work. Not only that but we are also taught the correct way to use the vocab and sentences. Also, I don’t think I could have done my French oral without the help of essential French, I felt so well prepared going in to the exam. The SWOT sheets we were given covered everything and I was able to answer any question that was asked. Definitely worth it!
St.Angela’s College, 6th year.
Essential French is absolutely amazing! The notes are fantastic, well laid out and easy to learn, and all of the exercises given and regular tests mean you actually do learn them very well! You’re taught not just the French to use, but how to apply it for different questions, it’s very exam-orientated, and exactly what you need for Junior or Leaving Cert. There’s nothing superfluous or random in the course, so you always know that what you’re learning at this moment will be of benefit to you in the exam. The staff are amazing, always willing to help in every way they can. The extra classes are also hugely beneficial, particularly for the oral. I found that by the time the oral came around, I was just spouting all of the things I’d learned for it automatically, because of the repetition from doing the extra classes all year. All in all, a fantastic course, and probably some of the best teaching I’ve ever come across anywhere!
Caitríona O’ Mahony, 6th year, St. Angela’s College.
The best French grind available in my opinion! The weekly classes are extremely beneficial, with small class sizes, and French born teachers, everything a pupil could need! The notes are extremely well organised and easy to understand. They focus on exactly what you need to know for the exam itself and help students to focus on what they really need to be learning. The extra’s Essential French provide are outstanding! Aside from the weekly- hour and a half long standard class; in which all parts of the course are covered, there is an extra grammar class, an hour long, helping students improve all areas of their grammar. The are also optional oral classes, and aural classes, each an hour long, which undoubtedly help to improve students French ability. With pre papers available to sit from early in the year, students will undoubtedly be well able to confidently sit the Leaving Certificate French paper come June. The best well run grind I’ve come across, with a dedicated and friendly staff. I would recommend to everyone 🙂
6th Year, St.Angela’s.
Essential freanch has REALLY helped me to improve my french!! The notes are so helpful and easy to understand. Some grinds you go to, you just end up wasting your money on but in essential french they give you regular tests which makes you learn, and therefore you know so much vocab, which is brilliant!! Id recommend it to everyone!!
Essential french is amazing. The notes are great and the small classes make it easier to learn and speak french. The atmosphere is very friendly and the teachers are always helpful!
5th year, St. Angelas
essential french is an excellent grind, teacher s ar very helpful and one of them is always there to help, it helped a lot this year and i would recommend it to everyone who does french!:)
David Murphy,6th year,pres.
as said earlier THE BEST GRIND EVER!!!!! – No you will not get a better grind one-to-one or better french anywhere else! the clss sizes are small (max 7) so everyone does get individual attention, the teachers are always willing to help and will correct anything extra, you have your weekly class (an hour and a half) and a grammer class (1hour) and then on top of this there are extre classes (optional) to work on oral/listening and these are an hour long. i dont think any grind for any subject can compete with all that and even if you got a one-to-one grind i am positive it would NOT be more benificial than essential french because they are so committed! The notes are completely focused on the exam – you will not find better notes or better organised notes in ANY textbook. i did the 5th year course and defo going back for 6th year! also from february on in 6th year there are pre’s (optional to go to) every week!! do you know of any other french grind that can compete with all of that?? no? – ya i didnt think so! oh and value for money – you also wont get better from any other french grind because for all the services they offer and attention you get it works out to be A LOT less then any other french grind would offer for the same ammount of time/support!
aoife cassidy, 5th year, mmc
Essential French provides the means to succeed in French, both at exam level and as a second language, which is of most importance nowadays. Essential French covers all aspects of the Leaving Certificate course, from oral and listening to the written paper. All of the teachers are excellent in helping each student achieve their highest potential in French, no matter what your level. Essential French has given me the confidence to achieve my best in the Leaving Cert, and I hope to continue improving my french after June.
John Leonard, Ashton
I can’t stress how helpful Essential French was for me this year! My grades have improved in all aspects of the course and I’m much more confident now when speaking french. So to summarise my experience: Friendly teachers, great learning atmosphere, amazing notes…..enough said 🙂
**quality grinds with french born teachers who help with everything from grammer,vocab to accent. I’ll definitely be doing it next year.
these grinds offer a fantastic approach to learning. it breaks everything down into small steps making it so much easier to learn than from a school book, and with a lot of native french speaking teachers you know that what your learning is properly used and not just textbook phrases. the very small class sizes are great as well, every one knows its hard for teachers in school that are working with huge numbers of students to zone in on everyones individual pronunciation for the oral so its great to have the time in the essential french classes to perfect it. the extra help is brilliant, couldn’t ask for more from all the teachers, they are so willing and really do want you to reach your potential! i’ll definitely be returning again next year for even more help! certainly worth it!!
5th year St, Angela’s College.
Essential French have really helped me to improve in french(in every aspect!) I simply cannot stress it enough, how the notes provided are extremely helpful. Ive already recommened it to my friends since its very easy to follow!
5th year, Mount Mercy
Seriously good grinds. Everything is completely exam orientated. it’s alot of work and can be almost painful at times but stick with it and it’s more than worthwhile.
Cormac Deasy, Ashton
Essential french improved my french an awful lot. i could see da difference after da first term. da teachers r so nice and are always there to help you. the extra classes are great and they help to gain your confidence for the oral.
it is the best grind ever…. it works on the strategies required for leaving cert french higher level.. and notes are unique and brilliant. i have been to many grinds… and yet i find essential french the most helpful of all these.the night before the exam u know exactly what you need to learn.
Ess.French notes are amazing, they help me so much. The teachers help everyone, no matter how good they are at french. The small class groups makes it easier to learn.
5th year, Christ King
Having done essential French for just one year, I can already see the difference and am much more confident in speaking and writing French! The teachers are excellent and help you as much as they possibly can. Amazing! Aoife Linehan, 5th year, Bruce College.