19 dec2020
french school system
From age six onwards, education remains compulsory until age 16. France still operates what is effectively a primary, middle and upper school system, with pupils entering secondary middle school (collège) aged 11, before going to sixth-form college or high school (lycée) at 15 years old 9. if (width >= 1200) { You will then be given a registration form to take to the school. The school council is responsible for overseeing and making decisions that pertain to academic regulations, parent-teacher communication, what children eat at la cantine, provisions for post-school care, organization of extracurricular activities and school security. At both collège and lycée, children aren’t obliged to remain in school if they have no lesson. If you need to change your child’s school, you must obtain a certificat de radiation from his current school. The school week and the hours in the school day vary from region to region. "target": "_blank", Making your phone call, How to buy a car in France: A complete guide, 9 hacks to save money when you move to France, Christmas in France: French traditions, presents, money, and Santa, Mention tres bien (pass with distinction). Schools are also closed on public holidays when they fall within term time. Note that class numbering in French state schools differs considerably from the US and British systems. googletag.defineSlot('/1015136/Mobile_Leaderboard', [320, 50], 'div-gpt-ad-1319640445841-6').setCollapseEmptyDiv(true).addService(googletag.pubads()); This grading was set up as preparation for le bac in 1830. var parent = document.getElementById("tipafriend"); Table: Class Structure Those years at nursery and primary school are referred to as Enseignement du premier degré, whilst the secondary school years are referred to as Enseignement du second degré. France - France - Education: The organization of national education is highly centralized. State schools have special education sections (sections d’education spéciale/SES) for children with learning difficulties due to psychological, emotional or behavioural problems and for slow learners. Some schools also have classes on Wednesday mornings, others on Saturday mornings. Instead of counting from 1 to 12, the French start with the 11th form (grade) at the age of six and end with the first form, followed by the classe terminale, the last year of a secondary high school (lycée) at 17 or 18. ), philosphy and ethics, environmental studies and civics. Those costs are compounded by the price of school supplies, transportation and books. The French education system It is compulsory for all children resident in France to attend school between the ages of six and 16. Like preschool, primary school is government funded and parents aren’t required to pay a tuition fee for their children to attend. The year is made up of five terms, each averaging around seven weeks. In the middle they have a Christmas holiday, which starts in mid-December and lasts until the beginning of January, a winter holiday that lasts for a week in February, and a spring holiday which lasts for a week in April. ), a rent receipt, lease or proof of property ownership (, If your child is coming from another French school, a. Pencil case, pencils and crayons, stationery, etc.. Gym shoes, shorts and a towel for games and exercise periods. googletag.defineSlot('/1015136/MPU1_300x250', [300, 250], 'div-gpt-ad-1319640445841-3').setCollapseEmptyDiv(true).addService(googletag.pubads()); Fees are low and activities usually take place directly after school. Alternatively, parents of younger children (for whom language acquisition is still relatively intuitive) tend to send their non-French speaking kids to preschool as a way to help them both pick up the language and assimilate into local culture. googletag.defineSlot('/1015136/Sponsorship_200x50_NoAdsense', [200, 50], 'div-gpt-ad-1319640445841-0').addService(googletag.pubads()); googletag.defineSlot('/1015136/MPU2_300x250', [300, 250], 'div-gpt-ad-1319640445841-4').setCollapseEmptyDiv(true).addService(googletag.pubads()); The changes are now official, although a few départements still institute Saturday morning classes for primary school children and in the Paris area schools changed to a five-day Monday to Friday week in September 2002. I highly recommend France Langue Paris Notre Dame if you are planning to study French in Paris. Senior secondary School consists of grades eleven and twelve. At nursery school, children usually take snacks for breaks but either go home for lunch or eat at the school canteen (cantine), where gourmet-style meals are available for around €1.50 per meal, paid a month in advance. In cities, schools can be rather competitive, and students aren’t guaranteed entry to the school of their choice. Although French state-funded schools are called ‘public schools’ (école publique), the term ‘state’ has been used in preference to public in this book in order to prevent confusion, as a ‘public school’ in the UK is a private, fee-paying school. Contact your local education department or town hall to find out the position regarding school hours in your area. googletag.defineSlot('/1015136/Ribbon_990x45_NoAdsense', [990, 45], 'div-gpt-ad-1319640445841-2').setCollapseEmptyDiv(true).addService(googletag.pubads()); Note that class numbering in French state schools differs considerably from the US and British systems. While many of the major metropolitan areas have... Lucky you, moving to France! The typical school day lasts from 8:30 in the morning until 4:30 in the afternoon, though older students with a heavier courseload may stay longer. La grande section de maternelle ou GS (5 ans) = Kindergarden (Year 1 UK) Classes take up roughly 26 hours per week, following the same weekly schedule as preschools. In practice, pupils are frequently oriented during their collège years … Term dates may be modified to take account of local circumstances. If you do decide to send your student to private school and are funding their education from abroad, it’s important to save as much as you can on international transfer fees. googletag.cmd = googletag.cmd || []; Primary school consists of 26 hours per week, usually from 08.30 to 11.30 and 13.30 to 16.30. Primary school is called école primaire and children start in September of the year they turn 6 – so children born in 2010 all start primary school in September 2016 3. "learnMore": "privacy & cookie policy. Since 1968, however, following rioting among university students seeking a greater voice in their administration, a movement toward decentralization has been in progress in higher education. Pupils usually go to nearby nursery and primary schools, although attending secondary school often entails travelling long distances. The grade breakdown is: This grading system is used in school as well as on le bac itself. Where your child attends secondary school is largely chosen by the geographic region in which you live. In a collège, students attend school for 27 or 28 hours per week and in a lycée for around 30 to 36 hours (depending on the type of lycée). googletag.defineSlot('/1015136/MPU2_300x250', [300, 250], 'div-gpt-ad-1319640445841-4').setCollapseEmptyDiv(true).addService(googletag.pubads()); If you wish to arrange your child’s education before arriving in France, you should write to the Inspecteur d’Académie of the département where you’re going to live, with details of the child’s age, previous schooling and knowledge of French. googletag.pubads().collapseEmptyDivs(); Students in France typically begin their academic year in the first week of September, and finish at the beginning of July. If pupils fall behind at secondary school, they’re often required to repeat a year (redoubler), although this is seldom the case i… The French system is almost the exact reverse of the US system. Students who don’t pass le bac but receive a grade above eight are allowed to retake the exam. Having made the decision to send your child to a state school, you should stick to it for at least a year to give it a fair trial. Lycée usually lasts until age 18 in the cycle long, where students prepare to take the baccalauréat (le bac) exam. Secondary school consists of grades seven through ten. Grading in France is standardized across regions, and remains the same through school levels starting in college. Note that this is the first major difference between French and English-language school names: The French count school years in descending order (11,10, 9, 8, 7, 6, 5, 4, 3, 2, 1, and a final year called terminale). Whether you’re moving your family to France to start a new business, take a job or just for a change of pace, it’s important to understand the educational structure, timeline and cost of sending your children to school in the European country. If your child was born in France, you must take along your family record book (, Proof of immunisation. Most French elementary and secondary schools, as well as a large number of universities, are public institutions that have highly centralized administrations. Most schools have a (free) bus, which collects children from outlying regions and returns them home at the end of the day. }; This is usually followed by up to three years in lycée. First, let&#… By the time students are in primary school, their academics begin to take on a more distinct structure. Classes take up roughly 26 hours per week, following the same weekly schedule as preschools. It has remained unchanged since that time. This can be hard on low-income families, although they may qualify for a ‘back to school allowance’. All Leggett agents live in the area in which they work and so have excellent local knowledge. Primary School: 1–5: 6–11: 5: Education is mandatory for children between the ages of 6 and 16 and provided by the government. Primary school children require the following articles: Be warned that children are expected to bring a lot of books home every evening for their homework; these can be heavy and it’s widely believed that carrying them can damage children’s spines. In France, school is compulsory starting with the first grade of elementary school, or "le cours préparatoire," "onzième" (11th). Controversially, pupils aren’t allowed to wear any ‘signs of religious affiliation’ such as crucifixes or headscarves. There has recently been some debate over the introduction of uniforms, as in any case children usually devise their own ‘uniforms’, which can cost far more than a conventional school uniform. The class structure of the system by age is shown on the following table. googletag.pubads().enableSingleRequest(); The "collège unique" is the backbone of the French school system. if (typeof(child) != 'undefined' && child != null) parent.removeChild(child); The state school system in France differs considerably from the school systems in, for example, the UK or the US, particularly regarding secondary education. To enrol your child in a French school you must compile an ‘enrolment file’ (dossier d’inscription) at your town hall (for primary schools) or at the rectorat school service (for secondary schools) and must supply the documents listed below. Schools may provide lockers but seldom enough for all pupils, and lockers are often broken into in some schools. The three levels of school attended in France are called maternelle (lasts 2-3 years, children aged 2 or 3 to 6 years old); ecole primaire (lasts 5 years, primary school, for ages 6-11) and collège (lasts 4 years, ages 11-15). The French education system provides compulsory schooling free of charge for children aged 6 to 16 and a right to education starting at age 3. After nursery school or kindergarten (école maternelle), which is optional, the French compulsory education system is divided into three stages or ‘cycles’: 1. primary school (école) 2. middle school (collège) 3. high school (lycée) Preschool/nursery (école maternelle) Preschools or nursery schools – écoles maternelles – provide care for children from two and three years old until they are six. The Education System in France The Preamble of the French Constitution of 1946 sets out that “the Nation guarantees equal access for children and adults to education, vocational training and culture”. Middle school is called collège and children attend from the age of 11 to 15. It’s a country that’s not just the ideal tourist destination - it’s also a great place to make a home. The rules apply to tertiary level students and students in secondary and technical schools aged 16 or more, although those in secondary education aged 14 or 15 are eligible for a permit for part-time summer employment, provided it’s only light work and for not more than half the summer holiday period. A general criticism of French state schools often made by foreigners is the lack of extra-curricular activities such as sport, music, drama, and arts and crafts. The school council is respo… new Date().getTime(),event:'gtm.js'});var f=d.getElementsByTagName(s)[0], googletag.enableServices(); All schools have classes on Monday, Tuesday, Thursday and Friday. The Ministry of National Education, Youth and Sport is responsible for most of France’s state education system, which divides the country into 28 regions or districts (académies), each of which is a group of several départements headed by a superintendent (recteur) and attached to at least one university. While a typical international wire through your bank can rack up significant costs, a service like TransferWise can help you find the real exchange rate, and reduce those fees by breaking your international transaction into a series of local ones. Lunch at a secondary school costs around €100 per term. State schools have no school clubs or sports teams and, if your child wants to do team sports, he must join a local club costing around €150 to €200 per year. Wherever you are in your transition to France, you’re sure to enjoy the relative freedom and ease of living that comes with life in the European country. The final year is called la terminale and the first year is known as la sixième. Be approved by the time students are in primary school, in seventh grade primary... To ferry children back and forth for games and social events ( Americans will be introduced centralized.... Nursery and primary schools created by the town or city, however, although attending secondary often! 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