Note: It is compulsory for your child to have the following vaccinations. When enrolling, you will need to provide certificates to verify these:

• Tuberculosis (BCG).
• Diphtheria-Tetanus-Polio (DTP).

[An AngloINFO reader adds: Re: the tuberculosis vaccination: it is obligatory except for contra-indication or if after two injections the test is still negative. The child simply has to have regular tests to check that the negativity still holds. I wanted to mention this because a lot of parents don't wish their children to have the jab, particularly those, like me, who use homeopathic doctors. These doctors are able to give out certificates stating that the child cannot have the BCG (for whatever reason) and therefore your child is covered at school.]

Primary Education

Mothers' help, crèches, kindergartens and nursery schools fall outside the official school system

Halte Garderies are open to children under the age of 6. Children may attend a few days or half-days per week, as the parent chooses. Children are under the guardianship of a qualified midwife, paediatric nurse or teacher. The is usually a small fee to pay. Ask at your Mairie for details on local facilities.

Écoles Maternelles 

For ages 2 to 6, these provide optional education for children. Enroll for your local École Maternelle at your Mairie. It is not obligatory for a child to attend a Maternelle. It is free of charge (aside from extras, including lunch).

Children who are 2 at the rentrée - the start of the new school year in September - are accepted provided they are sufficiently mature and "socialised". (This is gauged by your doctor who will issue a certificate). If the child turns 2 before the end of the year, and the school has space the child may be admitted The Maternelle is divided into:

• Petite Section: 2-3 years
• Moyenne Section: 3-5 years
• Grande Section: 5-6 years

Apply at your Mairie for your certificat d'inscription by June of the year you want your child to start. Late applications are technically not allowed but will probably be considered. You will need to show:

•  your "livret de famille". If you don't have one, you will need to provide essential information including child's birth certificate 
• proof of up-to-date vaccinations supplied by your doctor
• proof of your address

To register at the school, take

• the certificat d'inscription issued by the mairie
• certificate of health and school readiness issued by your doctor 
• proof of up-to-date vaccinations supplied by your doctor

If there are fewer places available than applicants, older children will be given preference.

• Further information (in French) from Service-Public

Écoles Élémentaires 

For ages 6 to 11, these deliver the beginning of compulsory education. If there is no Maternelle in your area, your child may start at the École Élémentaire in the section enfantine from the age of 5 years.

Your child must be enrolled in the École Élémentair by the June prior to the September start of school. If your child is continuing in the same schooling area, you do not need to re-apply to the Mairie. 

If you are new to the area or if your child did not attend the Maternelle, you must apply to the Mairie for a certificat d'inscription to your assigned school in the area. Take:

• your livret de famille or birth certificate 
• proof of up-to-date vaccinations for the child
• proof of your residence in the commune 

It is not compulsory that your child attends your local, assigned École Élémentaire, but specific applications must be made through your Mairie if you do choose a "non-local" school. You must request a dérogation to apply to a school outside your catchment area. Parents can approach schools directly for enrolment (in addition to the mairie) and in some primary schools it is the director's discretion that allows entrance for a pupil from another catchment area.

• Cours Préparatoire CP: 6-7 years
• Cours Élémentaire CE1 7-8 years
• CE2 8-9 years
• Cours Moyen CM1 9-10 years
• CM2 10-11 years

Secondary Education

For ages 11 to 15. French grade levels are named in descending order from sixth to second (compulsory) followed by post compulsory grades first and final. Schooling can be taken at a collège d’enseignement général (general secondary school) or a collège d’enseignement technique (technical secondary school).

As with the elementary schools, register at your local Mairie by June, or sooner if you want your child to be schooled outside of your commune.

Collège Enseignement Secondaire 

Secondary school, first cycle for scholars aged 11-14 years.

• Sixième 6ème: 11-12 years
• Cinqième 5ème: 12-13 years
• Quatrième 4ème: 13-14 years
• Troisième 3ème: 14-15 years 

Lycées

For ages 15 to 18. The final three years are the Seconde, Première and Terminale. It is at this point that the scholar specialises in a chosen area. The final exams are the Baccalauréat (the "Bac"). The Baccalauréat and the "International Option" Baccalauréat (OIB) are globally recognised qualifications for university entrance.

• Seconde: 15-16 years (compulsory education)
• Première: 16-17 years
• Terminale (Bac): 17-18 years

Special Needs

Provision for special needs students in French schools in on the increase. While generally French schools have not had "special needs" departments, much depends on the school and the needs of the child, and some schools are able to cater to certain needs - whether a physical or learning disorder - by accommodating the child in regular or "integration" classes. 

SESSAD (services d'éducation spéciale et de soins à domicile) deal with children and teenagers with mental, motor and sensory disabilities ensuring early education and support for the family (counselling and accompaniment to treatments) through to the end of compulsory education (and in cases through to university). SESSAD provides a bridge between the traditional schooling and the extra-school treatments and rehabilitation .

CLIS (classes d'intégration scolaire) is for children with disabilities too severe for schooling in regular classes, but not requiring special facilities. CLIS is a special class within an ordinary elementary or secondary school (although seldom available in pre-school facilities). The teaching is adapted to students needs but the curriculum taught is essentially the same as that taught in the regular classes

There are 4 categories of CLIS:

• CLIS 1: Mentally handicapped
• CLIS 2: Hearing impairment
• CLIS 3: Visual impairment
• CLIS 4: Physical disability

Admission to CLIS is decided by the CCPE (commission préélémentaire et élémentaire).

UPI (unités pédagogiques d'intégration) units accommodate mentally handicapped children from 12 to 16 years (generally coming from CLIS 1). The UPI provides adapted school integration and partial participation through the teaching and activities. This system is being expanded to incorporate children with sight, hearing and physical disabilities.

Commonly, learning assistance is, handled outside of school hours by relevant therapists (and if the child is not coping at their level they may be held back). If the child needs constant or specific assistance, then they will be admitted to a specialist school. A family doctor will be able to advise further, as will the Mairie and the school in the relevant catchment area.

• Extensive information with contacts to organisations and support groups on the ONISEP website
• The Association of American Wives of Europeans (AAWE) group based in Paris has information on education in France and facilities for students who learn differently.
  Tel: 01 40 70 11 80
  Fax: 01 47 23 32 97
  e-mail

International Schooling

There are three types of school that offer schooling in English:

• Monolingual National or International Schools:
  The entire curriculum is in English.
• Bilingual Schools or French Schools with an International Section:
  A percentage of classes are given in English by a native English-language teacher, within the French Curriculum. The scholar is qualified to take the OIB exam, the English equivalent of the French Bac.
• French Schools with a high level of English:
  In these schools a high percentage of teaching is given in English by native English-language teacher.

The Paris-based organisation ELSA (English Language Schools Association of France), provides up-to-date information for those seeking schooling in English, in France. There are American and British Schools in Paris, which follow the exact curricula of their home countries.

• ELSA (English Language Schools Association of France)
  Tel: 01 47 09 62 73
  e-Mail
  website

Further Information

• Official Government Education Department site, in French
• Service-Public (in French)
• A concise reference page prepared by the PES on the US Department of Education website.
• European Council of International Schools
• EURYDICE, the EU's education information network in Europe, produces reliable, readily comparable information on national education systems and policies. EURYDICE also acts as an observatory, highlighting both the diversity of systems and their common features.
• ONISEP

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