French Schooling & Education in France

Education in France is compulsory for children aged six to sixteen. State (public) education is free, secular with mixed-sex classes. Education is also available in private, fee-paying schools (which include most religion-based and international schools).

Below is information on: 

• The required vaccinations  
• The structure of the school year and the cantine, or school lunch
• Detailed information on pre-school facilities and enroling in primary education, the structure of secondary education (collège and the diploma, the brevet, and the lycée and baccalaureate qualifications)
• Special needs education in France, international schooling and the national policy on home schooling in France
• Guidelines on what to do about bullying and violence in the classroom and school with links to the Department of Education website and French Government information on schooling

Vaccinations

The Diphtheria-Tetanus-Polio (DTP) vaccination is compulsory for a child to have the following vaccinations. When enrolling, a certificates will be required to verify this.

In July 2007 the Tuberculosis (BCG) vaccine was declared to no longer be obligatory except under certain criteria. 

• For full details from the government: Click here (in French)

Note: Some schools may still operate to the pre-July 2007 rulings which meant that it was obligatory except for contra-indication or if after two injections the test is still negative. The child simply has to have regular tests to check that the negativity still holds. Homeopathic doctors (who prefer not to vaccinate for BCG) may issue a certificate stating that the child cannot have the BCG. This is acceptable to schools.

The School Year

The school year starts in early September, dates are set by the region (and in the case of private schools, by the school itself) and finishes for the long summer holidays in July. Traditionally many French primary schools have been closed on Wednesdays with classes Saturday mornings instead. As of the new school year of September 2008 there are no longer Saturday morning classes for kindergarten and primary age children.

The school week is 24 hours long. Some schools opt for a four day week with six hours of classes per day on Monday, Tuesday, Thursday and Friday; others adopt a five day week (Monday to Friday). 

The school day hours vary between regions but is generally 08:30-16:30 with two breaks.

Lunch hours vary from school to school and in general last one and a half to two hours. Children may either stay at school and eat at the cantine or return home for lunch. The price of a cantine meal can vary in each school and will depend on the local commune which subsidises school meals. Children at an école maternelle whose parents do not work are not always accepted at the cantine, the local Mairie will ask for proof that both parents work (pay slips or work contract). 

There is no charge for state schooling and books, however parents must supply stationery and additional funds for school outings. 

Insurance is generally requested to cover all risks at school and on school outings. A school doctor performs an annual medical check on all children.

Primary Education

Mothers' help, crèches, kindergartens and nursery schools fall outside the official school system

Halte Garderies are open to children under the age of 6. Children may attend a few days or half-days per week, as the parent chooses. Children are under the guardianship of a qualified midwife, paediatric nurse or teacher. The is usually a small fee to pay. Ask at your Mairie for details on local facilities.

Écoles Maternelles 

École Maternelle is comparable with nursery school or kindergarten in anglophone countries. While not compulsory it is considered essential in preparing a child for school. Maternelles are for ages two to six and provide optional education for children. Enrolment for the local école maternelle should be done at the Mairie. It is free of charge (aside from extras, including lunch).

Children who are two at the rentrée - the start of the new school year in September - are accepted provided they are sufficiently mature and "socialised". (This is gauged by a doctor who will issue a certificate). If the child turns two before the end of the year, and the school has space the child may be admitted.  If there is no Maternelle in an area, a child may start at the école élémentaire in the section enfantine from the age of 5 years.

The Maternelle is divided into:

• Petite Section: 2-3 years
• Moyenne Section: 3-5 years
• Grande Section: 5-6 years

Apply at the Mairie for a certificat d'inscription by June of the year you want your child to start. Late applications are technically not allowed but will probably be considered. 

You will need to show:

• the "livret de famille". If you don't have one, you will need to provide essential information including child's birth certificate 
• proof of up-to-date vaccinations supplied by the doctor
• proof of address

To register at the school, take:

• the certificat d'inscription issued by the mairie
• certificate of health and school readiness issued by the doctor 
• proof of up-to-date vaccinations supplied by the doctor

If there are fewer places available than applicants, older children will be given preference.

• Further information (in French) from Service-Public

Écoles Élémentaires 

École élémentaire is the equivalent of primary, junior or elementary school in anglophone countries. For ages 6 to 11, these deliver the beginning of compulsory education.

A child must be enrolled in the école élémentaire by the June prior to the September start of school. If a child is continuing in the same schooling area, there is no need to re-apply to the Mairie. 

People new to an area, or if the child did not attend the maternelle, must apply to the Mairie for a certificat d'inscription to the assigned school in the area. Take:

• the livret de famille or birth certificate 
• proof of up-to-date vaccinations for the child
• proof of residence in the commune 

It is not compulsory that a child attends the local, assigned école élémentaire, but if a "non-local" school is preferred, specific applications must be made through the Mairie. A dérogation must be requested to apply to a school outside the catchment area. Parents may approach schools directly for enrolment (in addition to the Mairie) and in some primary schools it is the director's discretion that allows entrance for a pupil from another catchment area.

Grades/years of the écoles élémentaires

Secondary Education

Secondary education is broken into two phases. It begins with the compulsory first cycle  for ages 11 to 15 at collège after which, on completion a successful scholar receives a diploma (brevet des collèges). This is followed by the post compulsory second cycle for ages 15 to 18 at a lycée. This is completed with the Baccalauréat. As with the elementary schools, registeration must be made at the local Mairie by June, or sooner if a child is to be schooled outside of the commune of residence.

Collèges 

Collège is the first cycle for scholars aged 11-15 years. On completing the CM2 cycle and receiving a brevet the pupil is ready for admission into sixième (6ème). 

The child should be registered at the local college for the geographic area (exceptions do apply where the local facilities do not cater for specific studies) and applications should be made before the spring holiday. School director's are able to help with the completion of the applications.

Enrolment requirements vary between schools although generally the following will be required:

• Application form
• End of term reports for the past year
• Exit certificate from the school
• Certificate of admission to 6eme
• Vaccination certificates for BCG, DT-Polio
• Two passport photographs with name and class requested

Further information is available from the departmental school inspectorate and from colleges in the commune.

Lycées

For ages 15 to 18. The final three years are the seconde, première and terminale. It is at this point that the scholar specialises in a chosen area. The final exams are the Baccalauréat (the "Bac"). The Baccalauréat and the "International Option" Baccalauréat (OIB) are globally recognised qualifications for university entrance. 

The "bac" subjects are grouped by discipline:

• General bac include: Arts & Literature (BAC L), Science (BAC S), Social & Economic (BAC ES)
• Technological bac includes: Science & Industrial Technologies (STI), Science & Laboratory Technologies (STL), Medical & Social Sciences (SMS)

Lycée d'enseignement professionnel (LEP/LPA)

The LEP and LPA are technical or professional school alternatives to lycée which can be followed after receiving a brevet des collèges. 

Special Needs

Provision for special needs students in French schools in on the increase. While generally French schools have not had "special needs" departments, much depends on the school and the needs of the child, and some schools are able to cater to certain needs - whether a physical or learning disorder - by accommodating the child in regular or "integration" classes. 

SESSAD (services d'éducation spéciale et de soins à domicile) deal with children and teenagers with mental, motor and sensory disabilities ensuring early education and support for the family (counselling and accompaniment to treatments) through to the end of compulsory education (and in cases through to university). SESSAD provides a bridge between the traditional schooling and the extra-school treatments and rehabilitation .

CLIS (classes d'intégration scolaire) is for children with disabilities too severe for schooling in regular classes, but not requiring special facilities. CLIS is a special class within an ordinary elementary or secondary school (although seldom available in pre-school facilities). The teaching is adapted to students needs but the curriculum taught is essentially the same as that taught in the regular classes

There are 4 categories of CLIS:

• CLIS 1 (D): Cognitive learning disorders, severe mental development limitations
• CLIS 2 (A): Hearing impairment (troubles auditifs: sourds, malentendants)
• CLIS 3 (B): Visual impairment (troubles visuels importants: aveugles, malvoyants)
• CLIS 4 (C): Physical disability/severe motor deficiency

Admission to CLIS is decided by the CCPE (commission préélémentaire et élémentaire).

UPI (unités pédagogiques d'intégration) units accommodate children with cognitive learning disorders from age 12 to 16 years (generally coming from CLIS 1). The UPI provides adapted school integration and partial participation through the teaching and activities. This system is being expanded to incorporate children with sight, hearing and physical disabilities.

Commonly, learning assistance is, handled outside of school hours by relevant therapists (and if the child is not coping at their level they may be held back). If the child needs constant or specific assistance, then they will be admitted to a specialist school. A family doctor will be able to advise further, as will the Mairie and the school in the relevant catchment area.

• Extensive information with contacts to organisations and support groups on the ONISEP website
• The Association of American Wives of Europeans (AAWE) group based in Paris has information on education in France and facilities for students who learn differently.
  Tel: 01 40 70 11 80
  Fax: 01 47 23 32 97
  e-mail

International Schooling

There are three types of school that offer schooling in English:

• Monolingual National or International Schools:
  The entire curriculum is in English and the school follows the home country syllabus.
• Bilingual Schools or French Schools with an International Section:
  A percentage of classes are given in English by a native English-language teacher, within the French Curriculum. The scholar is qualified to take the OIB exam, the English equivalent of the French Bac.
• French Schools with a high level of English:
  In these schools a high percentage of teaching is given in English by native English-language teachers.

The Paris-based organisation ELSA (English Language Schools Association of France), provides up-to-date information for those seeking schooling in English, in France. There are American and British Schools in Paris, which follow the exact curricula of their home countries.

• ELSA (English Language Schools Association of France)
  Tel: 01 47 09 62 73
  e-mail
  Website
• The Council of International Schools, an international not-for-profit body, lists of most international schools in France (and worldwide): Click here
• International Schools Worldwide lists and describes some international schools in France

Baccalaureate

At high school level, students can opt for either: 

• the International Baccalaureate (IB) Diploma 
• the French Baccalauréat International Option (BOI) also known as the Option Internationale du Baccalauréat (OIB).

The IB Diploma follows the syllabus of the home country. Many, but not all, of French bilingual schools make this option available.

The BOI is a baccalaureate qualification which forms an optional part of the French baccalaureate examination and as such allows the student to enter higher education in France. 

• The Centre international d'études pédagogiques (CIEP) has comprehensive information on the BOI in English: Click here

International schools (such as British or American schools) offer the curriculum and qualifications of the home country. For example, students at a British international school are prepared for the GCSE and GCE examinations while American schools provide testing for examinations including SAT I & II, and PSAT.

Home Schooling in France

Home schooling in France has been legal since December 1998; annual registration is compulsory. A declaration must be made each year at the Mairie of the place of residence and at the school inspectorate (inspecteur d’académie or rectorat). 

For children from the age of six to sixteen in home schooling an annual visit will be made by the school inspector (inspecteur d’académie) and at a minimum every two years by the mairie. In the event of two unsatisfactory inspections, the parents can be ordered to send the child to school. In the event of a change of address, a declaration must be made at the marie of the place of residence within eight days of the move.

Various methods exist for teaching children at home, for example correspondence classes or Montessori. However the law requires that children acquire the following knowledge and reach a level of education that can be compared with that of children in school:

• Good command of written and spoken French
• French literature
• Principles of mathematics
• One foreign language
• Basics of science and technology
• Basics of history and geography of France, Europe and the rest of the world
• Artistic education 
• Sports

National exams can be taken by registering at the rectorat.

Further information is available from the government education website and Les Enfants d’Abord, a French organisation for home schooling families.

Bullying & Violence in the Classroom & School

In the case of violence in a French school (bullying, a violent incidence, problems with teachers), a concerned parent should contact the FCPE of the school concerned.

The FCPE (Federation des Conseils de Parents d'Eleves) is the French equivalent of the Parent Teacher Associations (PTA). FCPE are recognised by law and are now official members of the educational community.

• FCPE (Federation des Conseils de Parents d'Eleves)
  At: 108-110 avenue Ledru-Rollin, 75544 Paris Cedex 11
  Tel: 01 43 57 16 16
  e-mail
  Website

There are a number of different FCPE associations, the main ones being PEEP (Fédération des Parents d'Elèves de l'Enseignement Public) and Apel Parents (websites in French).

Information on these and other associations is available from schools, either directly from the teachers or from notices posted on a bulletin board outside the school.

It may also be necessary to contact the Inspection de l'Academie Nationale, to find the FCPE concerning the region.

• To find local FCPE see this page of the Ministry of Education website (in French)

The Académie is the local Education Administration, which facilitates the application of the national education policy within each French region. Policy depends on the local context and on the local partner institutions such as:

• town administrations for primary schools
• county administrations for general secondary schools or collèges
• regional administrations for higher secondary schools or lycées

Student and Scholar Helplines

• Free helpline for students: Jeunes Violence Ecoute Tel: 0800 20 22 23

Further Information

• Department of Education (in French)
• Service-Public (in French)
• A concise reference page prepared by the PES on the US Department of Education website.
• European Council of International Schools
• EURYDICE, the EU's education information network in Europe, produces reliable, readily comparable information on national education systems and policies. EURYDICE also acts as an observatory, highlighting both the diversity of systems and their common features.
• ONISEP