Italian GCSE
Suitable if you have studied Italian for about two years, or have an equivalent level. The course fee includes non-refundable exam costs, payable in advance. Course fees are payable in instalments.
This course will be delivered online. However, a mock exam will take place in late February or early March 2026 at our central London college. You will therefore need to make sure that you make the necessary arrangements so that you can attend. The date will be posted when the mock exam has been set up.
The official exams will also take place at our Covent Garden college during the months of May and June (exact dates to be confirmed). Please note that the end date of the course may change depending on when the official exams are scheduled.
* Please note that, subject to government guidance, we might need to implement a contingency plan to be followed in the event of exam cancellations.
**City Lit is an adult education college, so we are only able to accept candidates who are aged 19 or over.
Term 1 - 25 September to 11 December
Term 2 - 15 January to 26 March
Term 3 - 16 April to 04 June.
Why do I need an advice session
Choose a starting date
Learning modes and locations may be different depending on the course start date. Please check the location of your chosen course and read our guide to learning modes and locations to help you choose the right course for you.
- Start Date: 25 Sep 2025End Date: 04 Jun 2026Thu (Evening): 18:30 - 21:00OnlineFull fee £949.00 Senior fee £949.00 Concession £55.00
- Start Date: 26 Sep 2024End Date: 29 May 2025This course has startedThu (Evening): 18:30 - 21:00OnlineFull fee £884.00 Senior fee £884.00 Concession £55.00
Please note: We offer a wide variety of financial support to make courses affordable. Just visit our online Help Centre for more information on a range of topics including fees, online learning and FAQs.
What is the course about?
This course aims to prepare you for the GCSE examination (higher tier) and to consolidate and extend your existing skills in Italian. Examination board: Pearson Edexcel.
What will we cover?
The course is organised around five themes, each broken down in topics and sub-topics. The five themes are: 1) Identity and culture, 2) Local area, holiday and travel, 3) School, 4) Future aspirations, study and work and 5) International and global dimensions.
Grammar: we will consolidate the language previously learnt but the emphasis will be on past tenses, future, conditional and subjunctive moods, pronouns and prepositions.
What will I achieve?
By the end of this course you should be able to...
- provide information about yourself, your family, friends, holidays and everyday routine
- exchange information on your city and local area
- indicate your preferences about school, education, job and future ambitions
- express and justify opinions on the environment, volunteering and international events
More generally, preparing for this qualification will help you
- expand your knowledge of Italy's culture, identity, traditions, customs etc., including through the reading of short literary texts
- develop your ability to communicate confidently and coherently with native speakers in speech and writing
- express and develop thoughts and ideas spontaneously and with increasing fluency
- develop your ability to understand clearly articulated, standard speech at near normal speed
- deepen your knowledge about how language works and enrich your vocabulary in a wide range of contexts.
What level is the course and do I need any particular skills?
Level 2 upper course - You should have attended a 2 lower course or have a lower intermediate level of Italian, having studied for about 2 years (A2/B1 level on the Common European Framework). Please check the website for details and book early as places are limited.
How will I be taught, and will there be any work outside the class?
Our courses are characterised by spoken interaction and communication. Typical activities include pair work, group work, role plays and games. A range of resources will be used to support your learning including presentations, hand-outs, and audio-visual material. Homework is highly recommended to consolidate learning.
Students are expected to participate in classroom activities and to do approximately 30-60 minutes homework per week. Homework will be assigned through Google Classroom or as handouts in class.
Are there any other costs? Is there anything I need to bring?
Course handouts will be provided by the tutor in class and, after the lesson, will be available on Google Classroom.
When I've finished, what course can I do next?
Italian 3 Lower courses in September, or the Preparation for A Level course.
Francesco has taught Italian language classes and literature at City Lit since 2014. He also works as Head of the Classics Department. After graduating with honours in Modern Languages and Literatures (English, German and Serbo-Croat), he moved to London and started teaching Italian at various adult education colleges, which gave him the opportunity to share his interest in Italian language, culture and traditions to a diverse range of students. During this time, he also acquired experience in curriculum management. Francesco currently prepares students for Italian exams. His passion includes philology, Dante, early Italian literature and the history of Italy (primarily the Northeast, where he grew up and was educated).
Please note: We reserve the right to change our tutors from those advertised. This happens rarely, but if it does, we are unable to refund fees due to this. Our tutors may have different teaching styles; however we guarantee a consistent quality of teaching in all our courses.