an overview The French education system The French

an overview… The French education system

The French education system Organization

Founding principles o Compulsory schooling : from 6 to 16 o Free education o Secularity: religious, political and phisosophical neutrality

The role of the State o o o Defining the syllabus at every school level Organizing exams, delivering certificates, diplomas and degrees Recruiting, training, assigning, paying and managing the teaching and administrative staff

Sharing out responsibilities: building and maintenance State Region council « Département » council (chief admisnistrative division) UNIVERSITE LYCEE COLLEGE Town council ECOLE

The French education system Structure

2 major divisions o Primary school = nursery school (2 to 5) + « élémentaire » school (6 to 11) o Secondary school = « collège » (11 to 15) + « lycée » (15 to 18)

Primary school (after 6) o 5 years → → → o First year infant class (CP) Primary class I (CE 1) Primary class II (CE 2) Intermediate class I (CM 1) Intermediate class II (CM 2) CP (cours préparatoire): beginning of compulsory schooling

Collège: secondary school between 11 and 15 o 4 years: - Sixth class Fifth class Fourth class Third class o Brevet des collèges: general exam taken at the end of third class o 16: end of compulsory schooling

General and technical high school (15 to 18) o o 3 years : second class (determination year) first class final year 3 channels in first and final classes sciences (S) arts and humanities (L) economics and social studies (ES) Technological subjects in many fields : management, industrial, health… End of final year: Baccalauréat examination qualifying for entry to university

Vocational and professional high school o 2 training programmes 2 years n Vocational diploma (BEP) n Vocational training certificate (CAP) o 1 training programme 4 years n Baccalauréat professionnel : Professional secondary-school-leaving certificate

The French education system School year organization

Students’ timetable Primary school Different systems according to the town n 6 hours a day, n 4 days a week (Monday, Tuesday, Thursday, Friday) and holiday shortened or 4 days plus Saturday morning. n 8. 30 -11. 30 -4. 30 or 9. 00 -12. 00 -5. 00 Secondary school n n Between 28 and 35 hours per week maximum: 8 hours a day 8. 00 -5. 30 or 8. 30 -6. 00 Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday a. m. , Thursday, Friday Some classes on Wednesday afternoons or Saturday mornings

Teachers’ timetable o o o Primary school teachers : 27 hours per week Secondary school teachers (certifiés): 18 hours per week 20 hours for the P. E. teachers Successful candidates of advanced professional competitive examinations (agrégés): 15 hours per week

Number of students and employees o n 363 285 primary school teachers 6 626 500 pupils n 520 736 secondary school teachers 3 248 500 collège students 1 512 900 lycée students n 724 000 lycée professionnel students o n

Holidays o o o o Beginning of new school year: beginning of September Toussaint (all Saint’s day): 10 days (end of October, beginning of November) Christmas: 2 weeks Winter: 2 weeks Spring: 2 weeks Summer: July and August Principle : 7 weeks at school / 2 weeks on holiday

The French education system Curriculums

Subjects o o o French Mathematics History-geography Biology Physics chemistry Modern language 1 Physical education Fine arts (collège) Music (collège) Technology (collège) Civics (collège) Philosophy (final year) o o o o Modern languages 2 / 3 Ancient languages Social sciences Economics Arts Data-processing Extra-curricular subjects

Diplomas and certificates o National examinations n n n Brevet des collèges Baccalauréat professionnel CAP BEP o Road safety certificate o Data-processing and Internet certificate

The French education system Administration

High school organization chart Headmaster or Principal Bursar Teachers Deputy headmaster or principal Documentation and information department Secretariat Careers officer Psychologist Social worker School life: Education adviser Supervisors Nurse

The French education system Current issues

Debate topics o o o o o Special help in education Prevention of illiteracy Equal opportunity for girls and boys Increasing the value of vocational teaching Providing education for sick and handicapped children Civic education Students’ health Information and communication technologies Education to the environment for a sustained development The education system European openess

Projects 2007 o o Success for every student Setting up of a common base of knowledges and competences n Basic knowledge : reading, writing, grammar, mental arithmetic n Adapted syllabus of educative success n Renovation project of the foreign language teaching n Mastery of information and communication technologies Equal opportunities : girls / boys, handicapped students Individualized course of study and a successful integration into the job market

Updating 2007 adapted from an original slide show by Amélie Castets from the French Embassy

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