SCHOOLS & EDUCATION
The French system is praised by many for its rigour and emphasis on the three Rs - ‘Reading, Writing and (a)Rithmatic’ – while others lament the tendency to teach by rote and the strict conformity to a standard curriculum. The lack of in-school time on arts, music and sports is also a problem for some. On the other hand the broad base of the en d-of-school baccalauréat exam and the greater emphasis on vocation-orientated studies are praised. Education in France is obligatory by law from the age of six to sixteen.
CHILDCARE FOR UNDER SIX YEAR OLDS
The first port of call is the mairie (townhall) which will give you a list of the many options available. These include several types of crèche (collective, parentale, familiale). Assistante maternelles look after children in their own homes and you are their employer. Contracts have to be drawn up. Halte garderies are nurseries where parents can leave children for several hours.
FRENCH STATE SYSTEM
- Mater nelle (nursery school ages 3-6). These are free and not compulsory. You need to go to the mairie to register.
- Primaire (ages 6-11) Equivalent to forms 2 to 6 in the UK system and grades 1 to 5 in the US, this is primary school.
- Collège (ages 11-15) Equivalent to forms 7 to 10 in the UK and grades 6 to 9 in the US, this is the first level of secondary education. Students sit an exam (le brevet) at the end of this to enter the lycée.
- Lycée (ages 15-17) Equivalent to forms 11 to 13 in the UK and grades 10 to 12 in the US, this is the final stage of secondary education, finishing with the baccalauréat (le bac). There are three types: générale, technologique (more hands on) and professionelle.
OTHER OPTIONS
- French private schools (three types):
- Hors contract: 100% privately run and funded, and do not have to follow the state programme.
- Sous contract: run by a private body but with some state funding. They can adapt the timetable but remain within government framework. Fees are usually well under 3,000 euro a year.
- Écoles confessionnelles: private religious schools (mainly catholic) that follow the state curriculum. Fees are minimal and you don’t have to practice the religion (for a list see www.fabert.com
- IB (International Baccalauréat of Geneva): the organisation that runs the IB was founded in 1968 and around 1,966 schools are authorised to offer one or all of its three curriculi: Diploma, Middle Years and Primary Years. The private international schools in Sophia Antipolis, Nice and Aix-en-Provence all offer the diploma, in English. The school in Monaco, also private, offers all three programmes. In the state school system in Monaco pupils can follow the Baccalauréat Français Option Internationale (BOI). This initially follows the French syllabus with some subjects taught in English. It prepares students for anglophone, as well as French, universities.
- UK system up to A’levels is offered by the private international school in Mougins.
