Living in France
Finding
an apartment, Finding a school, finding a job
Finding a
School
Choosing the right School
Finding the right school is
undoubtedly one of the top priorities of any expatriate moving to France with their kids,
and consequently “Living in France” continues to be inundated with questions on
the subject. A big question for many parents is which language they want their child to be
taught in. Should the school you choose be bilingual, multi-lingual, monolingual… or
just plain old French! Much of what is on offer will depend upon your particular
circumstances, and here we offer you further information on international schooling to
help guide you through the maze of options available.
If you are looking at the
possibilities in France for schooling in English then a good starting point could be to
contact ELSA FRANCE. This is a non profit making association composed of schools which
offer advanced programmes of study in English and they aim to provide up to date
information on the subject; just the kind of information that could prove very helpful on
arriving in a country where you are not familiar with the education system. When living
abroad, a whole new dimension is added to the prospect of finding a school which is
suitable for your child’s needs.
Presuming that the option of boarding
school in your home country has been ruled out then the usual questions still need to be
addressed:
- Would it be a great inconvenience to
travel a long distance each day in order to do the school run?
- What suitable transport services are
available to make life easier?
- Do you prefer the private or state
education system? If you prefer single sex schools, you will almost certainly have to opt
for the private sector.
- What facilities and extra curricular
activities does the school provide? Consider what is available after school if you are
both working full time.
- What is the total cost going to be when
everything is included; lunch, transport, after school activities .?
The added dimension.
Most parents would find the idea of their child becoming bilingual appealing. Coming from
an English speaking country you may be inclined to integrate your kids into the French
system while they are still young – this way the possibility of them learning French
quickly becomes a reality. However, even if one or both parents speak English, you may
find that as children get older their French becomes increasingly dominant and their
fluency in English deteriorates. So it may be wise to choose a school which is either
wholly bilingual or one where a significant number of hours are taught in English. To get
a clearer idea of which language is most commonly spoken within a school, it is a good
idea to find out what percentage of the students are anglophone, francophone or
anglo-french. Bear in mind that the number of hours taught in English can vary greatly,
and may be few, even in schools which describe themselves as bilingual. An increased
number of hours taught in English may, in turn, increase the school fees.
Whether you are intending to
stay in France for a temporary or indefinite length of time it is important to think in
the long term. For example, you may prefer the idea of your child being integrated into a
French school, from a cultural point of view, but your child may wish to go on to further
education in your home country. In this case you should consider whether the school will
equip them with the necessary qualifications to do so. Some schools which may not run on
an entirely international basis still offer students the opportunity to take an
international option such as the British or American national curriculum. The
International Baccalaureat (I.B) itself is taught all over the world and is widely
accepted as a valid entry qualification for many foreign universities. In addition to
this, the French Baccalaureate has a demanding ‘Option Internationale’ (O.I.B)
which is a fully bilingual program and enables its students to go on to higher education
in France or abroad.
Whatever your particular circumstances,
the options will be narrowed down immediately by the age of your child and their level of
French.
Paddy Salmon, the Pres ident
of ELSA highlights some of the difficulties that parents can face: “French Primary
schooling is, generally speaking, of a very high standard. Where young children are
concerned, if the parent wants the child to be integrated into a fully French system
regardless of the fact that they don’t speak the language then this is still a
perfectly feasible option. The problem comes after the age of about eleven (sixième) the
first cycle in secondary school. If the child speaks none or just a small amount of French
then it can prove to be too much for the student to cope with, unless they are
exceptionally bright or have a real aptitude for languages.” He goes on to say
however that: “Some schools at Secondary level offer clear, well resourced programs,
commonly known as ‘Français Langue Etrangère’. This provides the student with
intensive teaching in French in order to facilitate the integration process into the
mainstream curriculum”.
Despite your desire to
immerse your child in French culture, they might be happier in an international or
monolingual school where they will still have the opportunity to learn French anyway. This
is particularly so if you are planning to be in France for a relatively short time so that
they can continue their curriculum without interruption.
Nevertheless, private
international schools such as these do not come cheap. You are looking at anywhere between
40,000 and close to 90,000 francs per year, depending on the school year your child is in.
As an expatriate you may be fortunate enough to be working in France for a company that is
willing to foot the entire, or at least part of the bill for your children’s
education as part of your contract. Otherwise private international schooling may not be
an option simply because of its financial constraints. All is not lost ! There are a
number of French schools which offer accelerated learning programmes to varying degrees
while maintaining a traditional French outlook. Many are private but government recognised
and supported institutions, therefore the subsidy makes the fee far more affordable. You
may even be fortunate enough to be living close to a state school with an international
section. These sections are usually private within the school, in which case a fee will
apply, but it will undoubtedly be more cost effective than an entirely private education.
ELSA FRANCE can be contacted on: (33) 01 45 34 04 11 or by e-mail on: elsa.france@wanadoo
Issue number 11 of
‘Living in France’ provides more ‘School Talk’, including advice on
how to register and detailed terminology for the education system. Get your copy by
phoning us on 01 45 44 11 66
You may also find it useful
to refer to the schooling section of the ‘Yellow Pages’ in this magazine, where
several schools advertise.
The AAWE (Association of
American Wives of Europeans) publish what is the most comprehensive guide to international
schooling in France. They can be contacted on 01 47 28 46 39 at B.P 127.
92154 Suresnes Cedex.
The following is a list of a
number of schools around France that offer a variety of international programs.
The Lennen Bilingual
School - 7th Paris.
Pre-primary and primary (Private ).
The educational program here is completely bilingual, that is to say that there is one
English teacher and one French teacher in every class and the curriculum is divided half
and half between the French and the American. Extra-curricular activities include
computers and a swimming program starting at the age of four, plus a specialist pony club
for five year olds and up.
The Bilingual Montessori
School - 7th Paris.
Pre-primary, plus a toddler program for
2-3 year olds (Private).
Many parents choose this school for its bilingual aspect even more than for its Montessori
curriculum. Barbara Porter of the school explains that the school is not
“teaching” the language but rather “it is offering a bicultural experience,
allowing the child to assimilate a second language in a comfortable, non-threatening
fashion”. Each class is directed by a French trained Montessori directrice and an
English or American assistant. The children represent 14 nationalities and many arrive
speaking neither French or English.
Ecole Active Bilingue -
8th Paris.
Primary and Secondary (Private under contract with the French Ministry of State).
As an international, co-educational school it aims to teach with an exchange of ideas and
cultural interaction. English classes start at the youngest age and by junior high
students are taking 6-9 hours of English per week. French, British and American curriculum
are all available along with exchange programs to the USA, Ireland and Hungary.
L’Ecole
Aujourd’hui - 14th Paris.
Pre-primary and Primary (Private under contract with the state).
English is included as part of the program for all ages although French is the language of
instruction. During the extra-curricular time open class activities allow the children of
different ages to group together.
Ecole Active Bilingue
Jeannine Manuel -15th Paris.
Pre-primary, Primary and Secondary (Private under contract with the state).
About a quarter of this school is anglophone and studies are directed toward the French
National and the International Baccalaurate. English is taught 10-12 hours per week and
other subsiduary languages include German, Spanish, Italian, Japanese and Latin. On
graduating, about 30% of the class leave France to study abroad.
Eurecole - 16th Paris.
Pre-primary, Primary and Secondary (Private and first grade under contract with the
state).
Although the curriculum here is French there is daily practice of German and English from
kindergarten through to secondary level. There is a strong representation of cultural
diversity within the school, with 35% of the students being foreigners to France. School
fees work out as 11,500 FF per trimester.
Institut de la Tour, The
Anglophone section - 16th Paris.
Secondary (Private under contract with the state).
This Catholic high school offers a traditional French education but has an Anglophone
section for bilingual students which has an English program of about 6 hours per week. It
also runs foreign exchange programmes and students have the opportunity to study a range
of languages including Japanese, Greek and Russian.
The International School
of Paris - 16th Paris.
Pre-primary, Primary and Secondary (Private).
This is the only anglophone school in the centre of Paris which starts at
Kindergarten and goes through to secondary school. Students acquire a truly international
experience and although the anglo-american and international curriculum are taught in
English, students have the opportunity to study everything from French, German and Spanish
to Russian, Japanese and Korean.
Institut de la Tour, The
Anglophone section - 16th Paris.
Secondary (Private under contract with the state).
This Catholic high school offers a traditional French education but has an Anglophone
section for bilingual students with an English program of about 6 hours per week. It also
runs foreign exchange programmes and students have the opportunity to study a range of
languages including Japanese, Greek and Russian.
Collège Lycée
International de Balzac - 17th Paris.
Secondary (State).
Education is free at Balzac making it unique amongst bilingual schools in Paris. There are
also international sections aside from the standard French curriculum with 6-8 hours per
week of English in language, literature, history and geography. Facilities include
computing labs, a swimming pool and a gymnasium.
The British School of
Paris - Croissy sur Seine.
Primary and Secondary (Private).
The school is divided into a junior and senior section both of which offer a curriculum
based upon the British national system. Students therefore study GCSE’s and A-levels
after which 98% go on to British Universities. Nevertheless, the school provides a very
international environment for the students, who represent more than 31 different
nationalities.
Ecole International
d’Etampes – Etampes.
Secondary, plus boarding (Private).
The school is multinational both in the composition of its students and the teaching body
and all children are expected to take part in a three week exchange program to a foreign
country. Bilingual classes are offered for up to six hours per week and there is the
option of studying toward international qualifications.
Centre Actif Bilingue -
Fontainebleau.
Primary (Private).
Montessori and Freinet are amongst the teaching methods used at this school where 40% of
the students are bilingual. The children’s development is aided by the small class
sizes and there are six hours per week of English for everyone.
Collège International de
Fontainebleau - Fontainebleau.
Primary and Secondary (Private section within a French State School).
The reputation of this school draws many expatriate parents to the area. It includes an
Anglophone section which represents an English speaking stream that is incorporated into a
French state primary school, collège and lycée. Anglophone class sizes are small and
children often go on to UK, US and French universities.
L’Ermitage -
Maisons-Laffitte.
Pre-primary, Primary, Secondary plus boarding school for ages 8 – 18 (Private under
contract with the state).
This is a co-educational boarding and day school situated in the delightful surroundings
of the Parc de Maisons-Lafitte just 14 kms from Paris. The French curriculum incorporates
a bilingual section with an accelerated learning program and offers excellent sporting
facilities including a swimming pool and gymnasium as well as two highly equipped computer
labs. The composition of the school is reflected in the fact that 95% of students go on to
French universities.
Ecole Internationale de
Marne-La-Vallée - Marne-La-Vallée.
Primary and Secondary (Private).
French is the language of instruction here but English is taught through physical,
creative and artistic activities and then reinforced in a more formal context. A third
language is offered at secondary level with the choice of Spanish or German. Daily
physical education is held at the sports facilities at the “Centre Regional
d’Education Physique et Sportive”
Marymount School -
Neuilly-sur-Seine.
Primary (Private).
This is a co-educational, international school which provides quality education for
students of diverse cultures, religious beliefs and abilities. The age range covered is
the equivalent of grades 1-8 in the US and although the program is based on the American
curriculum, French is taught daily. Spanish is also available as a foreign language and
there are opportunities for a range of extra-curricular activities.
Vive l’Enface
International Montessori school - Noisy-le-Roi.
Pre-primary, primary and secondary (Private).
This is a totally bilingual school which operates on the basis of the French and English
National curriculum. Half the day is taught in English and half in French. Spanish is also
offered for children of a good standard in both the main languages. Soccer, tennis and
golf are among the extra-curricular activities which are available.
Section International de
Sèvres - Sèvres.
Secondary, Primary Wednesday morning only (Private section within a French State School).
The school offers a bilingual/bicultural education allowing the students to switch
between, and enjoy the advantages of both a French and an Anglophone system. As for higher
education, 60% go on to French institutions and the rest to the UK and the US. Extra
curricular activities include a major school production every year and numerous school
excursions.
The American School of
Paris - St Cloud.
Pre-primary, Primary, Secondary (Private).
There are 750 students aged between 4 and 18 who study on this 12 acre campus west of
Paris. The school provides an American model of education but has adapted its curriculum
to the needs of its international student community. 98% of the graduating class go on to
university, two thirds of which go to the US. It offers a wide range of arts, music, drama
and sports as well as a program to increase fluency in English.
Lycée International,
American Section - St. Germain-en-Laye.
Pre-primary, Primary and secondary (Private section within a French State School, boarding
facilities are available).
Knowledge of French is not a requirement here since there is a program called Français
Spécial that enables non-francophone students to learn the language and mainstream after
one year. Ted Faunce, Head of the Section explains, “The school is multicultural and
multi-lingual to an unusual degree”. The American section alone comprises over 25
nationalities and the students are mixed to a large extent. The curriculum in English is
‘native level’ that is to say that it is commensurate with competitive schools
in the USA.
Lycée International,
British Section – St. Germain-en-Laye.
(Same as the American section above).
Like the American Section their principal objective is to make their 710 students of
different nationalities fully bilingual and bicultural with an adaption program available
if necessary. 75% of the curriculum is French National and the rest is British National.
Everything from drama to football and a jazz band are available as extra-curricular
activities.
Lycée Marcel Roby - St.
Germain-en-Laye.
Pre-primary, Primary, Secondary (Private section within a French State School).
A distinctly American teaching style and culture are maintained within the traditional
French educational system. The school uses American teachers, textbooks, programs and
activities as part of the effort to meet the educational needs of a truly bilingual
student.
Institut Notre Dame - St
Germain en Laye.
Pre-primary, Primary and Secondary (Private under contract with the state).
I.N.D was established over 200 years ago and offers highly specialised teaching for both
scientific and literary subjects. The bilingual section offers a varied curriculum taught
by qualified teachers whose mother tongue is French or English. English constitutes 3-6
hours per week in grammar, literature and history.
Lycée ND du Grandchamp -
Versailles.
Secondary and Les Classes Préparatoires (Private under contract with the state).
This is a Catholic high school working on the basis of the French national curriculum
which prepares its students for the Baccalaureate and other international options. German,
Spanish, Greek and Latin are offered as foreign languages as well as foreign exchange
programmes with the UK, Ireland, USA and Canada.
Ecole International
Malherbe - Le Vesinét.
Pre-primary and Primary (Private).
All activities are carried out in English but French classes are provided for non French
speakers as of the age of five for six hours per week. The school uses a variety of
methods but has a strong Montessori influence.
International Bilingual
School of Provence - Aix en Provence.
Primary and Secondary, plus boarding (Private).
English is the language of instruction in the international section and is used 30% of the
time in the bilingual section. The school offers a host of other foreign languages as part
of the curriculum: Arabic, Hebrew, Chinese, Japanese, Latin, Greek . . . 30% of the school
are boarders and roughly 55% of each class are foreigners.
Bordeaux International
School - Bordeaux.
Pre-primary, Primary and Secondary (Private).
Students are predominantly in the secondary section of the school, where the language of
instruction is English and the curriculum offered is British. The range of nationalities
amongst the student body make for a very international environment.
Collège Chevrus -
Bordeaux.
Secondary (Private).
The school includes an American section which seeks to develop bilingualism in children
who already have a good standard of English. The section is open to children of diverse
nationalities but the curriculum followed is the French national, so a good command of
French is still required.
Collège Cevenol
International - Le Chambon-sur-Lignon.
Secondary, plus boarding (Private).
Founded in 1938, one of the main attractions about this school is its beautiful location
in the Cévennes mountains, on a 40 acre wooded campus. Sports available therefore include
mountain biking and skiing. History and English Literature are taught in English for the
International Baccalaureate and the Option Internationale du Baccalaureate sections but
otherwise the language of instruction is French.
Ecole Internationale
Michelin - Clermond-Ferrand.
Pre-primary, Primary and Secondary, plus boarding facilities are available (Private under
state control).
The school was created for the families of Michelin employees but it is now open to other
companies and the individual. French, British and American curriculum are all on offer and
teaching in English constitutes 20-25 hours per week in Secondary and 10-13 hours per week
in Primary. Tuition is free for Michelin students and 22,000FF per year otherwise,
depending on the number of hours in English per week.
Lycée Polyvalent
International - Colommiers.
Secondary (State school with a private anglophone section).
The school has an outstanding record of academic achievement especially in the British
section, but is not a suitable choice for pupils who are in France on a temporary basis.
The British section itself aims to ensure that students maintain proficiency in their
mother tongue while progressing through the French curriculum.
La Cité International
Stendhal - Grenoble.
Secondary (Private).
At least half the students here are French and there are German, English, Italian and
Spanish sections for students who either speak the language as their mother tongue or come
from international primary schools. There†is a lycée and a collège on the site and
the syllabus takes into account the special needs of foreign pupils who will be returning
to their country of origin.
Lycée International
Ferney-Voltaire - Ferney Voltaire.
Secondary (Private section within a state school).
This is a large international school with over 2000 students. Both French and British
qualifications are offered and a broad variety of foreign languages including Dutch,
Swedish and Russian.
Ecole Active Bilingue
Jeannine Manuel - Lille.
Secondary (Private under contract with the state).
Just 15 minutes from the centre of Lille, this day and boarding school is easily
accessible by train from Paris, Brussels and London. Like it’s sister establishment
in Paris, the curriculum is French bilingual working toward the International
Baccalaureate. Bilingual classes are 3300FF per trimester, international classes are
5200FF per trimester and the boarding facilities are 15,000FF per trimester.
Cité Scolaire
Internationale - Lyon.
Primary and Secondary (Private within a French state school).
The school has an Anglophone section which enrols English speaking students, whatever
their nationality, but particularly those who will benefit from integrating into the
French state school system. 75% of students go on to French higher education with the rest
divided between American, British and other foreign institutions.
Mougins School - Mougins.
Pre-primary, Primary and secondary (Private).
The 200 strong student body study the British national curriculum at this English speaking
European school. Special emphasis is placed on French, business studies and information
technology and a range of extra-curricular activities are available.
Les Amis de
L’Enseignement International de Reims - Reims.
Primary and secondary (State).
The curriculum is French national but there are international options at qualification
level. German, Spanish, Italian and French are offered as foreign languages and History
and Geography are taught in English.
International school of
Sophia Antipolis - Sophia Antipolis.
Primary and Secondary (Private).
The school provides a multicultural setting in its representation of over 60 different
nationalities. French is the language of instruction but many other languages are
available as part of the curriculum, including Spanish, Arabic and Latin. There is a
strong focus on intercultural understanding and bilingualism.
Lycée – Collège
International des Pontonniers - Strasbourg. Secondary.
A bilingual education is offered for children with several hours per week in their
maternal language. Therefore the foreign students are divided between the four
international sections: English, German, Italian and Spanish. They have the opportunity to
learn French while maintaining links with their home country and it also gives French
children the chance to master a foreign language. The emphasis is on sport, theatre,
media, history of art and music.
Centre International de
Valbonne - Valbonne.
Secondary, plus boarding facilities (Private).
This school is situated on the Mediterranean conveniently close to a number of ski resorts
and is popular with parents living on the Cote d’Azur. It caters for French children
of families who are overseas, and foreigners in France, therefore there is a good
interaction between the English and the French. There are various international sections
which prepare students for the International Baccalaureate and the Option Internationale,
plus special preparation classes are laid on for Les Grandes Ecoles.
Ecole des Roches -
Verneuil sur Avre.
Secondary, plus boarding (Private).
Located in an attractive Normandy setting, this school is well known for its excellent
facilities and first class sports. The curriculum consists of the French Baccalaureate and
the International Baccalaur-eate in English and French. Overall it provides a bilingual
atmosphere for students to work and plenty of extra-curricular activities
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