Schooling in France

A MAJOR worry for parents thinking of moving to France is what if the children don’t settle into their new school?

The French system is recognised as being one of the best educational services in the world.

Its weakness is that it is rigid, uniform and dominated by central government but the school plays a very important role in the community.

From organising charity events to music festivals, the interaction between teacher, parent and child is often very involved.

Nursery schools are available for children aged three to five years old, but some start earlier and you will usually find the schools close to the mairie.

Attendance at school is compulsory for six to 16 year olds and is free.

Primary schools cater for pupils during their first five years of formal education: the first three years (CP – cours préparatoire – and CEl/CE2 – cours élementaire 1 and 2) provide a grounding in the basic skills.

The next stage – CM1/CM2 (cours moyen 1 and 2) includes the chance to learn a foreign language and takes the children up to the end of primary school at 11.

Secondary schooling, college, is divided into two stages, known as cycles, with the first from 11 to 15 years, almost all children now attend a collège, taking them from form 6 (sixième) to form 3 (troisième).

These colleges are mixed ability schools and at 15 further decisions are made on whether the child will continue academic study at the lycée or undertake vocational courses.

These prepare pupils for the corresponding baccalauréat examinations, which they usually take at the age of 18.

Visit the French Education Ministry (in French) website.