You can find out about state schools though the schools’ information service (service des écoles) at your local mairie or you can write to the Inspecteur d’Académie of the département where you will be living. There are also other schools that teach solely in English. France has 60,000 primary schools catering to 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. 3. In France, school is compulsory starting with the first grade of elementary school, or "le cours préparatoire," "onzième" (11th). International schools are available to the international community, although French pupils can also attend. Wedn… The Ministry of Education is responsible for France’s state schools. The school day in France starts at 8.30 and finishes at 4.30 with a long lunch break. In primary schools, French kids spend more hours a year (almost 900, like Italy and the Netherlands) than other European countries (less than 700 for Austria, Germany and Finland) : in France, less days of school (vacations are a national value) and more hours per day. Some international schools offer boarding (useful if your job takes you abroad) but most are day schools. Student life in France doesn’t have to be expensive. International schools can cover age ranges from nursery up to the last year of high school. If you want your child to go to a school outside of your area, you’ll need to have a good reason and get permission from your local mairie (town hall) and the rectorat (schools inspectorate). Contact the service des écoles at your local mairie or arrondissement. 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). Expatica helps make your expat journey the experience you've always wanted. Many students from the USA to attend college in France. Avez-vous faim? The average tuition costs for attending a college in France will vary according to the school that you wish to attend, the courses that you are taking, whether you are a resident of the EU or a foreign student and other information. The standard of education is usually high, the class sizes small and the facilities are excellent. However, these schools often offer intensive tuition for non-French speaking students. The average rates for tuition vary from about 150 EUR per term to 900 EUR per term. If you are also planning to return home or move abroad again, it may be beneficial to continue in the school program offered in your home country or an internationally recognized program. Tuition in private institutions, and particularly in private business schools, is substantially higher than in public institutions, ranging from €3,000 to €10,000 per year. There is a wide range of options for foreign students. For information on homeschooling in France, see Expatica’s guide to the school system in France. They do have to be registered with the Ministry of Education, however. What examinations are set? Class sizes, however, can be large, with one teacher for 30 students or more. The higher education in France is termed enseignement supérieur. If you are planning a long stay in France, becoming fluent in the local language and accustomed to French culture will be beneficial when your child graduates. Some schools close on Wednesday afternoons which is when children participate in extra-curricular activities, 10 differences between French and British schools, Grand-Est (formerly Alsace, Champagne-Ardenne and Lorraine), Hauts-de-France (formerly Nord-Pas-de-Calais and Picardy), Nouvelle Aquitaine (formerly Aquitaine, Limousin, and Poitou-Charentes), Occitanie (formerly Languedoc-Roussillon and Midi-Pyrénées). end of term reports from the previous year. Moving Teenagers to a French School – Beth’s Story However, taking part in extracurricular activities in your local area can help with the language. 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). State-contracted private schools follow the French national curriculum and adhere to the same rules as state schools. There are a total of seven years secondary schooling, which is divided between four years at collège, followed by up to three years at lycée. In an international school, students may find it easier to continue within an education system they are familiar with, taught in a language they understand. What are the monthly cost of living in France? (Are You Hungry?) Social skills are pushed as well. Metropolitan French school holidays are scheduled by the Ministry of Education by dividing the country into three zones (A, B, and C) to prevent overcrowding by family holidaymakers of tourist destinations, such as the Mediterranean coast and ski resorts. The primary school curriculum in France is similar to that in other countries, and includes literacy and numeracy, with classes in French, arithmetic, but also geography and history, the arts, and more and more frequently a foreign language, usually English. Not all of France is strictly secular, indeed in one region religion is taught in the local schools. School pupils don’t wear a school uniform. It was formed in April 2010 by five prominent French institutions: the École Normale Supérieure, the Collège de France, the Paris Observatory, Chimie ParisTech and … However, in recent years some bemoan a perceived slip in French education, and according to the latest OECD/PISA world rankings (2012), France dropped three places for educational standards for 15 year olds. They have smaller class sizes, provide more individual attention and have better facilities than state schools. However, children in France are only obligated to attend primary school, middle school, and secondary/high school. To enroll your child into French education there is an array of schools in France to consider: state schools, private schools, or international schools. Sous contrat d ’ inscription to the school year starts in early September to July... 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