Why can a student write a correct French sentence but struggle to answer a simple question in a real conversation? Written exercises provide time to recall grammar and revise a phrase. A listener has to recognise speech, retrieve meaning, decide what matters and respond while another person is waiting. H1 French brings those skills together rather than treating the language as a set of translation worksheets.
For Singapore parents, H1 French is a distinct 2027 Singapore–Cambridge A-Level language subject. It assesses listening, reading, writing and speaking equally, so success depends on comprehension and independent communication across all four modes. The subject also introduces contemporary culture and society in French-speaking communities, including education, well-being, social life, the planet, science and technology.
This guide explains Why Study JC H1 French | How It Affects Your Child? using the 2027 SEAB H1 French syllabus 8831. We cover the four equally weighted 25% components, a 40-mark listening paper with transfer time, 90-minute reading and writing papers, the 100–150-word letter or email, the 200–250-word essay, the 15-minute speaking assessment and its strict dictionary and cue-card rules. The controlling source is SEAB’s official 2027 H1 French 8831 syllabus.
The quick answer for parents
H1 French develops the ability to understand spoken and written French, communicate useful information, explain opinions and participate in conversations. Language knowledge becomes genuinely useful when the learner can adapt it to an unfamiliar speaker, reader, situation or purpose.
It can widen access to culture and later language learning, but taking the A-Level does not automatically guarantee fluency, a university offer or a job in a French-speaking country. Real growth should be measured through the child’s ability to understand and express new ideas independently.
The exact 2027 four-component examination
| Component | Duration | Raw marks | Weight |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1: Listening | Approximately 60 minutes, including six-minute answer transfer | 40 | 25% |
| 2: Reading | 1 hour 30 minutes | 40 | 25% |
| 3: Writing | 1 hour 30 minutes | 40 | 25% |
| 4: Speaking | Approximately 15 minutes | 40 | 25% |
| Total | All four components required | 160 raw | 100% |
The four-part balance is one of the most useful facts for a parent. A child who writes accurately but does not practise live listening or spoken interaction risks losing large portions of the qualification. Conversely, someone confident in conversation may still need deliberate work on comprehension and formal writing.
The 2027 syllabus states that the examination is available in the October/November session. Students and families should confirm school registration and actual administrative dates separately from the subject’s teaching plan.
H1 French is not the same as H2 French
The 2027 subject directory lists H1 French as code 8831 and H2 French as 9735. H2 has a separate assessment including coursework and higher writing demands, so it is not simply H1 with additional vocabulary.
Before buying a practice book, ask whether the learner is entered for H1 or H2. A worksheet may be useful for language development without reproducing the registered examination’s marks, durations or word lengths.
The six contemporary topic areas
| Topic | Questions students might discuss |
|---|---|
| Culture | How are identities, arts and traditions represented? |
| Health and well-being | How do habits, leisure and services affect people? |
| Education and future plans | What choices and inequalities shape learning and work? |
| Community and society | How do communities include people with different experiences? |
| Our responsibility for the planet | What actions might support sustainability? |
| Science and technology | How do innovations change life and communication? |
The topic areas are language contexts, not six fixed essays with predetermined opinions. Students should learn to describe situations, compare alternatives and support views through relevant French expression. The precise examination material can vary within these areas.
French-speaking communities are diverse
France is an important context, but French is used in communities across several continents with different histories and cultures. A student should avoid equating every French-language text with one Parisian experience or assuming all Francophone speakers share identical values.
A useful cultural study names the place, source and relevant conditions rather than making broad claims about what ‘the French’ supposedly believe.
Component 1: Listening is 40 questions
The Listening paper lasts approximately one hour, including six minutes to transfer answers to the multiple-choice sheet. It has 40 multiple-choice or matching questions, and each recorded text is played twice under the published format.
Listening tasks include short announcements or messages, matched speakers, a gap-filled summary, an extended dialogue and a longer monologue such as a presentation or report. Understanding transitions and qualifiers matters as much as recognising a familiar word.
| Questions | Main task | Marks |
|---|---|---|
| 1–8 | Four short texts; comprehension | 8 |
| 9–14 | Six short monologues; match speaker to statement | 6 |
| 15–20 | Listen and complete a summary through options | 6 |
| 21–30 | Longer dialogue with multiple-choice items | 10 |
| 31–40 | Monologue with multiple-choice items | 10 |
What Listening really tests
A candidate must identify main points, important detail, emotion, attitudes and implied viewpoints. A speaker can sound positive about one aspect of a policy while expressing reservations about another. Answering by detecting only a familiar keyword can be misleading.
A learner should ask who is speaking, what the conversation aims to achieve and how the speaker’s conclusion relates to the earlier details.
A French qualifier can change the answer
Compare Le voyage est confirmé (‘the trip is confirmed’) with Le voyage pourrait être confirmé demain (‘the trip could be confirmed tomorrow’). Both concern the trip, but only one states confirmed status.
Words such as peut-être, pourtant, seulement or conditional verb forms can reverse an answer’s implication. Listening practice should focus on these relationships, not merely collecting nouns.
An original listening practice scenario
Original fictional announcement: A community centre plans a French-language film evening on Saturday. The venue is confirmed, but the start time is provisional until a technician completes a check.
A question asking whether the event’s start time is final should be answered carefully. Recognition of ‘Saturday’ and ‘film’ is insufficient if the relevant information is that the time remains provisional.
A two-pass listening method
On the first hearing, identify topic, speakers and the general direction of the message. On the second, check the decisive details and possible distractors. The examination itself controls playback; this is a practice strategy, not permission to replay indefinitely.
Train the student to explain why a selected answer fits and why a competing option, though using similar vocabulary, misrepresents the information.
Common audio distractors
| Heard phrase | Possible mistake | Correct focus |
|---|---|---|
| Pas encore confirmé | Assume confirmed | Not yet |
| Sauf le dimanche | Ignore exception | Except Sunday |
| À partir de lundi | Assume only Monday | Beginning Monday |
| Moins cher, mais plus loin | Hear only cheaper | Trade-off with distance |
Answer transfer needs preparation
The last six minutes of the Listening examination are reserved for transferring responses. A student who spends all their energy thinking through the audio yet forgets the transfer routine can lose marks for avoidable procedural reasons.
Practise writing answers on an appropriate question sheet and transferring them accurately under the specimen-paper requirements. The actual official candidate instructions take precedence.
Component 2: Reading has forty questions
The Reading component lasts 90 minutes and comprises 40 multiple-choice or matching responses across short and longer texts. Genres can include instructions, articles, blogs, reports, reviews, correspondence and other informational or narrative material.
Some tasks ask students to match related texts, others to choose sentence completions or fill gaps using contextual knowledge. Reading requires vocabulary but also logical relationships across sentences.
| Questions | Task | Marks |
|---|---|---|
| 1–6 | Short texts and direct questions | 6 |
| 7–14 | Four thematically linked texts; matching | 8 |
| 15–20 | Complete sentences using a longer text | 6 |
| 21–32 | Twelve-gap contextual completion | 12 |
| 33–40 | Longer comprehension multiple choice | 8 |
Reading is not word-by-word translation
A student may understand every sentence separately yet miss an argument’s change in position. Reading comprehension includes why a writer introduces a contrast, offers an example or qualifies a claim.
The goal is to map relationships among ideas while interpreting unfamiliar vocabulary in its context.
Why a word can change meaning across a sentence
The French word actuel generally concerns what is current, not simply what is ‘actual’ in English. The word éventuellement can convey possibility or an optional future eventuality depending on context, not just the English ‘eventually’.
These are examples of false friends. Students should avoid mechanical one-word substitutions and consider the surrounding syntax and purpose.
An original French reading exercise
Invented notice: La bibliothèque fermera exceptionnellement à 17 h vendredi, mais reprendra ses horaires habituels samedi. This means the library closes unusually at 5 p.m. on Friday but resumes its usual hours on Saturday.
A careless reader who recognises only fermera and samedi may claim the library closes on Saturday. The contrast and time expressions determine the answer.
How to identify the main argument
Read the opening and final position, then identify how the middle paragraphs support or complicate it. A writer may acknowledge a problem before endorsing a modified policy; this does not mean the entire article is against the policy.
Encourage the child to distinguish what the source explicitly states from an inference that needs additional evidence.
An original main-idea exercise
Imagine a fictional French article about school gardens. Its first paragraph reports that pupils enjoy gardening; the second notes access and maintenance difficulties; the conclusion recommends well-supported small projects rather than large unsupervised ones.
The main position is conditional support, not an unqualified declaration that gardens are wonderful or a complete rejection of outdoor learning.
Reading data and opinion
Texts may include numbers, dates and reported experiences. A percentage describes a measure under a definition, whereas an author’s evaluation expresses a judgement. The student should know which is which.
A statement like ‘three out of ten respondents preferred option A’ does not establish why they preferred it or represent a larger population unless the sampling allows that inference.
A reading evidence ledger
| Field | What to record | Reason |
|---|---|---|
| Text type | Article, letter, notice or review | Purpose |
| Author’s claim | One sentence in the student’s own words | Main idea |
| Decisive phrase | Relevant words from the text | Traceable evidence |
| Qualifier | Exception, condition or uncertainty | Accuracy |
| Possible trap | A similar but unsupported alternative | Exam readiness |
Component 3: Writing is 90 minutes
The Writing component comprises two tasks worth 40 marks: a 100–150-word letter or email worth 16, and a 200–250-word argumentative or discursive essay worth 24. The candidate answers Question 1 and chooses either Question 2 or 3.
Marking considers task completion, linguistic range and organisation, and language accuracy. A fluent but off-topic response may fail the communication requirement even if its individual sentences are grammatically sound.
Writing is purposeful communication
A formal email asking for information must make its request clear, provide necessary context and use suitable opening and closing conventions. A personal email to a friend can use a different register. The correct form follows the situation and recipient.
Parents should not train every email as though it were a speech to a government ministry or every discussion essay as though it were casual messaging.
Original functional-writing prompt
Invented task: Write a French email to the organiser of a community exhibition asking about accessible arrival options, registration conditions and opening hours. Stay within the official 100–150-word range when practising.
The student should not invent information about the actual organiser. The purpose is to request relevant details politely and make clear why the information is needed.
An original French email opening
New sample, not examination material: Madame, Monsieur, Je souhaite participer à votre exposition et j’aimerais obtenir quelques renseignements concernant les horaires et les modalités d’inscription.
The opening states purpose and register. A complete practice answer would add the required specific questions, suitable context and polite closing while meeting the assigned length.
Register and audience affect grammar
Je voudrais savoir can be suitable for a polite inquiry; Dis-moi may suit a familiar friend depending on context. Neither phrase should be ranked universally outside the communicative situation.
A learner should be able to explain why one form is more appropriate for a particular recipient and use the relevant pronouns consistently.
The 200–250-word essay needs a thesis
A discursive or argumentative response should interpret the issue, state a position or analytical direction, develop relevant points and reach a justified judgement. It should not contain only a long list of advantages and disadvantages.
At this length, selecting two substantive arguments with one counterpoint may be more effective than trying to include ten superficial ideas.
An original extended-writing exercise
Invented prompt: Les écoles devraient-elles consacrer plus de temps aux projets réalisés en groupe ? (‘Should schools devote more time to group projects?’).
A balanced essay could consider collaboration, unequal workload and the need for individual accountability. The key is to explain how and when the proposal would work rather than call group work automatically superior.
A compact argument structure
| Paragraph function | Question | Expected work |
|---|---|---|
| Introduction | What is the issue and central viewpoint? | Clear position |
| Argument | Which benefit follows and why? | Specific mechanism |
| Qualification | What genuine difficulty remains? | Reasoned limitation |
| Conclusion | Which approach is justified overall? | Supported judgement |
A connector must reflect real logic
Words such as cependant, par conséquent, en revanche and puisque can organise arguments. But inserting a connector without a genuine relationship may make the text less clear.
Ask the learner to identify whether a sentence expresses reason, consequence, opposition or condition. This develops syntactic accuracy and logical writing together.
An original argument-repair example
Weak relation: ‘Le projet est utile. Cependant, il aide les étudiants.’ The second sentence supports the first, so the contrast connector is inappropriate.
Better relation: ‘Le projet peut être utile. Cependant, son organisation demande du temps.’ Now the second statement introduces a limitation. The example is original and illustrates connective meaning rather than a prescribed answer.
French tense and aspect matter
The student should distinguish present, appropriate past forms, future and conditional expressions when communicating time or possibility. A wrong tense can change whether an event has already happened or is merely proposed.
The grammar should be learned in meaningful contexts—announcements, personal accounts, forecasts—rather than only by rewriting isolated verb tables.
An original time distinction
| French | Approximate meaning | Time |
|---|---|---|
| L’activité a commencé. | The activity has begun. | Completed beginning |
| L’activité commence demain. | The activity begins tomorrow. | Scheduled future in present |
| L’activité pourrait commencer demain. | The activity might begin tomorrow. | Uncertain possibility |
Agreement matters, but meaning comes first
Gender and number agreement, article selection, pronoun reference and verb forms contribute to accurate communication. An error can be minor or can change the meaning; both are worth understanding.
A child should know why a correction applies and test it in a new sentence rather than copy a teacher’s polished paragraph as proof of learning.
An editing routine
First review the task’s completeness, then argument or narrative organisation, then accuracy. If the email forgot the central question, perfect accent marks will not make it fully relevant. Conversely, good ideas lose impact when sentences cannot be understood.
Reserve a small but realistic final check for agreement, verb form, accents and word count in timed Writing practice.
Component 4: Speaking lasts about fifteen minutes
Speaking includes a prepared presentation, an ensuing topic conversation and a general conversation. A separate pronunciation/intonation mark applies across the whole test. The total is 40 marks, worth 25% of the entire subject.
| Task | Approximate time | Raw marks |
|---|---|---|
| Presentation | About 2 minutes, maximum 2½ | 10 |
| Topic conversation | About 6 minutes | 12 |
| General conversation | About 6 minutes | 12 |
| Pronunciation and intonation | Assessed across all parts | 6 |
| Total | Approximately 15 minutes | 40 |
A prepared presentation is not a memorised script competition
The candidate chooses a suitable topic within the official areas and prepares a short presentation. The 2027 syllabus allows a small French cue card no larger than a postcard with at most five concise headings, plus limited relevant illustrative material. It does not permit a complete presentation script in the examination room.
Students should know their chosen issue well enough to speak flexibly when interrupted or asked to explain something unfamiliar.
An original presentation topic
A fictional candidate might present the question: ‘How can libraries attract young readers without excluding older visitors?’ This allows discussion of culture, community and technology with clear examples and genuine debate.
The topic should not become a list of statistics without sources or a rigid monologue that fails when an examiner asks a related question.
An oral topic must invite conversation
The official guidance recommends selecting a topic that can be discussed from multiple angles. The candidate should anticipate possible questions about reasons, challenges, alternatives and consequences.
If every follow-up would require a prewritten script, the subject may be too narrow or too unfamiliar to the child.
An original spoken argument example
Original French response: À mon avis, les bibliothèques devraient proposer des activités variées, mais il faut aussi préserver des espaces calmes pour ceux qui souhaitent lire ou étudier.
This offers a viewpoint and a qualification. A follow-up may ask how limited space should be allocated or what kinds of activities are suitable; the student should be able to extend the conversation rather than repeat the same sentence.
Topic conversation is responsive
After the presentation, the examiner asks follow-up questions. Students should listen, answer the exact question, explain a reason and use a relevant example. A rehearsed paragraph unrelated to the follow-up may sound fluent but fail to advance the exchange.
The syllabus explicitly warns that pre-learned chunks in conversation can be penalised. Independence and spontaneity matter.
The general conversation can broaden the issue
The second conversation may begin with familiar matters such as education, work, leisure or community, then move toward mature issues. Candidates cannot predict every topic, so general communicative flexibility is more important than memorising one prepared debate.
A useful practice is to answer a surprising but age-appropriate question and ask what information would be relevant. Short initial replies can be developed into substantive explanations.
A simple spontaneous-answer framework
| Step | What to do | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Listen | Identify the actual issue | Avoid off-topic reply |
| Respond | Give a clear initial answer | Shows understanding |
| Develop | Explain why and use one example | Adds substance |
| Qualify | Acknowledge another perspective if relevant | Shows maturity |
| Continue | Be ready for the next question | Maintains interaction |
Pronunciation is communication, not imitation of one speaker
Pronunciation and intonation matter because listeners need to distinguish words and understand the speaker’s intentions. The aim is intelligible, controlled French, not adopting a stereotype of one national accent.
Regular feedback on sounds, word stress, liaison where relevant and phrasing can help. Real spoken language varies across communities, so a learner should be exposed to understandable authentic styles.
The dictionary restriction is specific
SEAB permits a dictionary while preparing for the Speaking test, but not during the Speaking test itself and not during Listening, Reading or Writing. Candidates should practise retrieval independently under the relevant conditions.
This is important because French candidates who rely on a dictionary throughout home Writing practice may overestimate readiness for the actual examination.
The six topics can be studied through one meaningful event
A local community exhibition might involve culture, volunteer work, technology, education, accessibility and environmental choices. Practising different questions about one event can create useful vocabulary connections without memorising one stock answer for all topics.
Students should still learn beyond that familiar event, because the examination can use unfamiliar people, places and issues.
An integrated topic practice matrix
| Area | Original question | Communication skill |
|---|---|---|
| Culture | Which art forms should be represented? | Express preferences with reasons |
| Well-being | How should visitors’ comfort be considered? | Explain needs |
| Education | What could students learn? | Develop benefits and limits |
| Society | Who may find access difficult? | Discuss inclusion |
| Planet | How could waste be reduced? | Recommend measures |
| Technology | Would digital guides help? | Evaluate trade-offs |
Vocabulary improves through retrieval, not only recognition
A word recognised in a multiple-choice option may remain unavailable when speaking or writing. Students should repeatedly use it in new sentences with accurate grammar and appropriate register.
A small set of reliable, relevant expressions used across several tasks is often more valuable than hundreds of isolated translations never recalled under time pressure.
An original vocabulary notebook
| Field | Student records | Reason |
|---|---|---|
| French expression | Accurate word or phrase | Correct form |
| Meaning in context | The intended sense | Avoids false friends |
| Grammar | Gender, preposition or construction | Reliable use |
| Original sentence | One context | Retrieval |
| Second setting | A different communicative purpose | Transfer |
Grammar learned through real meaning
Verb tense, agreement, articles, pronoun position and negation should be practised in sentences where they change communication. A rule memorised without use may fail when the child is asked to describe an unfamiliar event.
A helpful pattern is to begin with a simple correct statement, then change its audience, time or certainty while preserving the intended message.
A meaningful conjugation exercise
Start with the original sentence Nous organisons une rencontre (‘We are organising a meeting’). Change the statement into a past report, a future plan and a conditional suggestion, while checking that the verbs and time expressions remain coherent.
The purpose is to make grammar a tool for expressing relationships, not merely fill a verb table with forms.
Listening, Reading, Writing and Speaking reinforce one another
A short French article can supply vocabulary for a discussion; a discussion can expose gaps in reasoning that later improve an essay; listening can teach authentic phrasing that makes speaking less artificial.
The four skills should be rotated throughout the week, not treated as separate subjects studied only before each paper.
A balanced weekly H1 French plan
| Day | Skill emphasis | Independent evidence |
|---|---|---|
| Monday | Listening and note checking | Explains decisive audio details |
| Tuesday | Reading and contextual vocabulary | Justifies selected answers |
| Wednesday | Functional email or letter | Completes relevant information in 100–150 words |
| Thursday | Short essay development | Presents a 200–250-word argument |
| Weekend | Presentation plus spontaneous questions | Continues without a memorised script |
How to diagnose the child’s first bottleneck
A child may have strong grammar but weak auditory segmentation, or read confidently yet be unable to organise an essay. Identifying the actual problem makes extra practice efficient. Do not prescribe ten more vocabulary lists when the main issue is understanding how speakers connect sentences.
Correct one recurring error, then test the idea with new material. Improvement is transfer to a fresh task rather than perfect reproduction of a corrected answer.
An error log for H1 French
| Observed difficulty | Possible cause | New task |
|---|---|---|
| Listening misses exceptions | Qualifier or negation not recognised | Another announcement |
| Reading option seems plausible | Inference exceeds text | Explain evidence for a new item |
| Email too polished but incomplete | Task instructions missed | Write a changed request |
| Essay lists advantages only | No judgement or counterpoint | Different argumentative prompt |
| Oral answers sound scripted | Weak spontaneous retrieval | Unpredicted follow-up question |
| Dictionary used in Writing practice | Habit inconsistent with exam rules | Timed no-dictionary response |
Common H1 French misconceptions
- Assuming H1 French is entirely a grammar examination.
- Practising only writing because it feels easier to mark.
- Treating H1 8831 as the same assessment as H2 French 9735.
- Writing a 300–400-word H2 essay when H1 requires 200–250 words.
- Assuming the Speaking test can be read from a full script.
- Using an unrestricted dictionary during Written papers.
- Memorising long oral paragraphs instead of learning to respond to questions.
- Using one stereotypical account of French culture for all Francophone communities.
- Confusing the meaning of a false friend from its English appearance.
- Neglecting answer transfer on the Listening paper.
What parents can ask
- Which exact word changed the meaning of the announcement?
- Can you explain why the Reading option is supported?
- Who is the audience for your email and what action do you want?
- Does your essay develop a defensible position?
- Can you explain the same idea without using the prepared sentence?
- What did the oral examiner ask that you had not anticipated?
- Which grammar correction will you test in a new sentence?
- Which of the four 25% components needs the most focused support?
How H1 French relates to further study
French can support cultural access, travel, education and communication in several professional contexts, but actual university or programme admissions have separate requirements. The subject does not by itself establish professional interpreter-level competence.
Parents can value the language’s educational worth while making subject-combination decisions based on workload, interests and official prerequisites.
When a tutor may help
An effective French educator needs appropriate French competence, familiarity with the 8831 scheme, and the ability to diagnose listening, reading, writing and spontaneous interaction separately. Teaching should use authentic-style material and independent responses to changed prompts.
The immutable eduKateSG Secondary 1 Mathematics Tutor Clementi reference demonstrates small-group Mathematics teaching, not verification of an H1 French 8831 class. Families should check French-language expertise, school eligibility, fees and available lessons independently.
Parent checklist for 2027 H1 French
- Confirm the national 2027 subject code is 8831.
- Prepare all four equally weighted components: Listening, Reading, Writing and Speaking.
- Practise the Listening format of 40 items including transfer time.
- Prepare the 90-minute Reading paper and its five question ranges.
- Write a 100–150-word email/letter and one 200–250-word argumentative/discursive essay.
- Know the Speaking presentation, topic conversation, general conversation and pronunciation marks.
- Use dictionaries only where the syllabus permits, including Speaking preparation, not the actual test.
- Study all six topic areas and Francophone contexts without stereotypes.
- Practise under the actual no-script and time constraints.
Frequently asked questions
What is the 2027 H1 French code?
8831 according to the SEAB school-candidate directory.
How much is each skill worth?
Listening, Reading, Writing and Speaking are 25% each.
How long is Listening?
About 60 minutes including six minutes to transfer responses.
How many listening questions?
40 multiple-choice and matching items.
How long is Reading?
Ninety minutes for 40 questions.
How long is Writing?
Ninety minutes, with two mandatory writing tasks.
What is the functional-writing length?
100–150 French words in a letter or email, worth 16 marks.
What is the extended-writing length?
200–250 words in a discursive or argumentative essay, worth 24 marks.
How long is Speaking?
Approximately 15 minutes.
What is the Speaking presentation limit?
About two minutes, and no more than two and a half.
What are the oral mark allocations?
Presentation 10, topic conversation 12, general conversation 12, pronunciation/intonation 6.
May students bring a speaking script?
No. Only the prescribed small cue card and limited relevant illustrative material are allowed.
Are dictionaries permitted in Writing?
No. They are permitted during Speaking preparation only, not during the test or other components.
What are the six topic areas?
Culture, Health and well-being, Education and future plans, Community and society, Our responsibility for the planet, and Science and technology.
Does H1 French have a separate coursework component?
No. Coursework belongs to the distinct H2 French scheme.
What shows genuine progress?
The learner independently understands new French input and communicates relevant ideas in all four modes.
The lasting reason to study JC H1 French
Learning a language is learning to make meaning with other people. It demands both the ability to understand unfamiliar speech and writing and the confidence to express ideas with appropriate words and grammar.
For parents, progress becomes visible when a student moves from recalling isolated phrases to reading, listening, writing and conversing independently. That is a useful intellectual achievement beyond the H1 examination.
Official requirements: SEAB 2027 H1 French syllabus 8831 and 2027 A-Level school-candidate directory. Related eduKateSG guides: A-Level French H1/H2 2027 syllabus guide, JC1 French education, and Why Study JC H1 Japanese. Use the registered code and current school instructions.