SchoolsystemFrench&English

THEFRENCHEDUCATIONSYSTEM

InFrancechildrenstartschoolgenerallyattheageof3.Theyearofbirthisgenerallytakeninto
accountinordertostartschool.Allthepupilsofthesamecalendaryearareputinaparticular
yeargroupwiththeexceptionofsomespecialcasesorifthechildrenareretakingayear.For
exampleinSeptember2010childrenbornin2006willbeadmittedtothe2ndyearofthenursery.

ThedifferentstagesoftheFrencheducationsystem
PrimarySchool(coleprimaire),Lowersecondaryschool(Collge)andUppersecondaryschool
(Lyce).

Nursery/Infants(maternelle)

PetiteSectionfrom3yearsold
MoyenneSection
GrandeSection

Infants/Juniors(lmentaire)

CPfrom6yearsoldReadingistaughtfromthisage(oneyearlaterthanintheenglish
educationsystem)
CE1
CE2
CM1
CM2

Lowersecondaryschool(collge)

6mefrom11yearsold
5me
4me
3meBrevetnationaltestsatendofyear

Uppersecondaryschool(lyce)

2ndePupilschoosebeetweenLitterature,EconomicsorSciencesfortheBaccalauratat
theendofyear
1re1stpartofBaccalauratexamsatendofyear
TerminaleBaccalauratatendofyear

THEENGLISHEDUCATIONSYSTEM
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IntheEnglisheducationsystemtheageofthepupilisgenerallytakenintoaccountfrom1st
Septemberto31stAugust(notasinFrance).Asaresulttheremaybedifferencesbetweenthe
startingageswhenchildrenmovefromtheFrenchsystemtotheEnglishorfromtheEnglishtothe
French.Thisespeciallyconcernschildrenbornbetween1stSeptemberand31stDecember.

FrenchEducation EnglishEducation
System System
Childrenbornbetween
CE2 Year4
1/1/2002and31/8/2002
Childrenbornbetween
CE2 Year3
1/9/2002and31/12/2002

TheLyceFranaisCharlesdeGaulleacceptschildrenfromtheBritishsystemaccordingtothe
numberofplacesavailable.Tobeeligibletheapplicantmayneedtotakeanentrancetestinorder
fortheschooltoascertainthelevelofthepupil.

ThedifferentstagesoftheEnglisheducationsystem

PrimarySchool
KeyStage1:Year1&Year2
KeyStage2:fromYear3toYear6

Nurseryfrom3yearsoldbetween2and3hoursperday(a.m.orp.m.)
Receptionfrom4yearsoldwholedaysfrom9a.m.to3.30(timingsvary)
Year1from5yearsoldthepupillearnstoreadandwrite(ayearearlierthaninFrance)
Year2from6yearsold
Year3from7yearsold
Year4from8yearsold
Year5from9yearsold
Year6from10yearsold(SATSendofyearnationalteststaken)

SecondarySchool
KeyStage3:fromYear7toYear9

Year7from11yearsold
Year8from12yearsold
Year9from13yearsold
Year10from14yearsold(BritishSectionstartsherewith3meGCSE)1styearof
preparationforGCSEnationalexaminations
Year11from15yearsold(2ndeGCSEintheBritishSection)GCSEnational
examinationsinupto11subjectstakenfromMay
Year12from16yearsold(PALinBritishSection)ASnationalexaminationstakenfrom
Mayinupto5subjects
Year13from17yearsold(TALinBritishSection)Alevelnationalexaminationstaken
inupto4subjectsfromMay
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StudentseducatedattheLycemayrequesttostudyintheBritishSectionfromYear10.Aplaceis
offeredbasedonstudentsresults,theadviceofformtutorsandEnglishteachersataspecial
AdmissionsCommitteemeetinginJune.

AfterGCSEstudentschoosethesubjectsinwhichtheywishtospecialiseandtheytakeAS
(AdvancedSubsidiary)levelsandthenA(Advanced)levelswhicharetheequivalentoftheFrench
baccalaurat.IntheBritishSectionFrenchiscompulsoryinallyears.

ExternalstudentswhowishtoapplytotheBritishSectionareverywelcome.
Theofferofaplacedependsonavailability.Anentrancetestistakenforthosestudentswhodo
nothaveGCSEorAlevels.AllapplicantsarealsointerviewedinEnglishandFrenchbytheHeadof
theBritishSection,KelvinZane.ForplacesinPAL(Year12)studentsneedtohaveaminimumof5
BgradesatGCSEand1CgradeplusBgradesinthesubjectschosenforAlevel.
FormoreinformationabouttheBritishSectionpleasecontactMrsRicciorMrsBellance:0207584
6314oremailmricci@lyceefrancais.org.ukortbellance@lyceefrancais.org.uk

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Tel : +44 (0)20 7584 6322
Fax: +44 (0)20 7823 7684
http://www.lyceefrancais.org.uk