How do I understand the French in listening exams when they speak so much more quickly than GCSE?

As fast as they sound, there is a simple solution when it comes to Listening exams. The more you listen to spoken French, the more familiar you get with it and the more at ease you are with the speed. It is just a question of immersing yourself in spoken French. There are lots of French podcasts on Spotify that are at an easier level to understand, and if you choose subjects that correspond with topics you are studying, you will get more used to the vocabulary at the same time. Instead of music on the way to school, try to listen to a podcast and note down words that you don't understand. There are also more and more French films online such as on Netflix - you can put on English subtitles (or French subtitles if you're feeling confident) and you will be surprised at how much it will help you adjust to the speed of the spoken French. As ever, vocabulary is also crucial as knowing key words can be the difference between understanding a sentence and being completely lost, so make sure you learn the topic vocabulary as well as you possible can.