Best schools in Paris
Education in Paris
Paris has more than its fair share of socio-demographic problems. These, coupled with years of government cutbacks, have made state schools less pleasant places to be. But thanks to government contributions, the private sector’s promises of smaller classes, smarter facilities and better standards all round, can be delivered at surprisingly affordable prices.
The schools catering to English speaking families are only a sub-set of this sector, but quite a large one nonetheless. On the demand side, not only are there huge clusters of anglophone (and partially-anglophone) families living here, but also swelling ranks of well-travelled French families keen to give their children all the advantages of a second language.
And, since in France just about anyone can open a private school, you find all manner of organisations and individuals rushing in on the supply side. Some are experienced educators with the noblest of motives; others are much more commercially minded and won’t necessarily have an academic background.
All this helps explain both the sheer number of international schools out there, as well as the huge variation in standards. It hardly helps that oversight for some schools is minimal.
Choosing a school in Paris
International schools
International schools faithfully follow the curriculum of your home country, or alternatively offer the IB. In addition, certain elements of French language and culture are emphasised, so that your child will be fast-tracked in this area, if desirable and possible. Typical examples might be sitting GCSEs, AS or A levels earlier than usual, in French language and/or literature.
From an academic viewpoint, this transition may seem easiest on your child, but they will still face certain adjustments: their classmates may come from a spread of cultures, and not all of them will have English as a first language. For a handle on the linguistic mix, get an idea of the numbers of children receiving ESL support.
These schools are not subsidised by the French government, nor are they inspected by them (other than for periodic and sometimes quite cursory, health and safety checks). The best ones are inspected by, or are members of, bodies such as COBIS or CIS which make their findings available to parents.
Bilingual schools
Students in bilingual schools are prepared for variations on the French Bac, called ‘Bac Français International’ (BFI), not a separate diploma but rather a specialisation within the framework of the French Baccalaureate, or ‘Mention Européenne’, which are examined in two languages.
Quite apart from the obvious advantage of producing a number of highly-cultured, bilingual students, these schools are prized by many for the way the French learning style (with its emphasis on rigour, structure, retention of information) combines nicely with, and balances out, the more creative and holistic Anglo-Saxon approach.
In sous-contrat schools (subsidised by the state and follows the national curriculum), the French Ministry of Education keeps tabs on what’s going on in the French teachers’ classrooms only, while hors-contrat schools (not subsidised by the state with pedagogical freedom) are not inspected other than for basic health and safety standards.
Bilingual: sections internationales
These are basically French state schools, mainly following the French National Curriculum, but with some additional subjects taught in English (usually language, literature and history/geography), and following a specially adapted version of the curriculum from back home (UK or US).
New arrivals usually follow a special ‘adaptation’ programme of study during their first year, designed to bring them quickly up the curve in French language. A child can start in a section internationale (there are as many as 14 sections at the Lycée International in Saint Germain en Laye from as early as primary school) or feed into one (ideally by 6ème) from either a pure French school or a bilingual one. Children will sit a combination of the French Brevet with some GCSEs or equivalent, going through to sit the prestigious Bac Français International (either US, British or, say, German option).
These highly regarded schools particularly suit motivated, academic students who are bilingual (or close enough, or who start young enough) to become fully up to speed in time for the final baccalaureate. Fees are low, covering just the non-French part of the programme; the remainder is paid by the French state. At lycée level, these schools are selective.
Bilingual private schools
Think of these as private versions of sections internationales schools — often partly subsidised by the French government, although some choose to remain hors-contrat in order to preserve complete autonomy of teaching programmes and methods. In addition to being popular with expats, these schools attract well-off French families with international backgrounds or aspirations, so the mix of nationalities in these schools is one thing to check. On the one hand, this may bring your child quickly up-to-speed in French (depending on how ‘segregated’ the playground feels); on the other hand, if there is no proper streaming, it could slow things down a little in the English-led lessons. Some schools will offer classes with different levels of English.
Bilingual: sections européens and French plus
These two categories of schools cater mainly for French families returning to France or French families believing in the added-value of English fluency.
Sections européens
Not quite bilingual, but very nearly so and becoming more and more popular with French families wishing to give their children a broader education. A few schools, some of them very prestigious and progressive in their approach, offer sections européennes (usually alongside Langues Orientales, hence the acronym SELO). ‘European’ students can choose between German, Spanish, Italian, Dutch, Portuguese, Russian and English streams. They study for the mainstream French Bac with just one non-linguistic subject (for example, history-geography, biology or maths) examined in their chosen language. A good performance in the assessments and final exams earns you a bac with ‘mention européenne’, opening doors to many good universities abroad. And, if you're staying in France, it's a sure ticket into the classes préparatoires, giving students a good stab at the Grandes Ecoles or Sciences Po.
French-plus
Our roundup of schools includes a handful of establishments offering what you might call ‘near-bilingual’ education. These are French schools where children prepare the straight French Bac, with the added option of studying for (and sitting) extra exams in English. The English-language exam most usually offered is the Cambridge First Certificate in English (FCE)*. Sometimes the odd GCSE will feature.
French-plus is a very good option for bilingual, French-dominant kids. It was ostensibly created for French families returning from Anglophone postings. Nonetheless, there are examples of anglophone or bi-cultural children, very strong in French, doing extremely well in this system. The proviso being, of course, that they respond well to the French teaching style.
Special education needs in Paris
The Paris SEN landscape is unfortunately bleak and scarce. It is a complicated set-up at the best of times but there are some English-speaking associations, such as Sprint France and Ekipp, that will be of great assistance. French state schools rarely have the required support — obtaining it can be an extremely lengthy and difficult process. Very few bilingual or international schools provide professional assistance to children with special needs; the larger ones such as International School of Paris, American School of Paris, British School of Paris will have a certain level of support.
Pre-schools, kindergarten and nurseries in Paris
In a country where people have long resisted learning a foreign language, the explosion of bilingual nurseries is quite remarkable. Some are more traditional than others - the Montessori offering is quite en vogue at present. The amount of time dedicated to English tuition varies from one school to another; from half an hour per day to all day with a French and English teacher in the class at all times. It is also essential to check if the English teachers are native speakers, more often the case than not. Furthermore, the length of the school day will differ from one school to another. Lastly, many bilingual nurseries sit within well-established (hard to get into) renowned schools.
Be warned the application process is lengthy and some have waiting lists - it’s not uncommon for a school to receive between 200-300 applications for 50 places in nursery (so start early). Moreover, it’s worth casting a wide net when applying as there are many bilingual preschools in the immediate outskirts of Paris, areas such as EIB in Bougival, Open Sky Boulogne-Billancourt or Marymount International Neuilly-sur-Seine.
