Living in France - Educational System

How schooling is organised

The school-going population of about 13 million pupils is educated within a unified education system, the general structure of which (schools, lower secondary schools and lycées) was gradually established in the 1960s and 1970s.

Since 1967, school is compulsory between the ages of 6 and 16.

Secondary education consists of two successive cycles.

Sixty thousand primary schools are attended by pupils during the five years ranging from preparatory classes to intermediate year 2 (6 to 11 years of age). Since the 1970s, France has also witnessed a very striking development in preschool education: all children aged between 3 and 5 years attend nursery schools.

From 11 to 15 years, almost all children undergo four years of education leading from 6th to 3rd classes, within a single lower secondary school since 1975.

After 3rd class, they attend lycées and concentrate on one of the three main streams (general, technical and vocational streams). This prepares them to sit the corresponding baccalauréat, which they normally take at the age of 18.

The direction taken (repeating a year, moving to a higher class, changing streams) involves a procedure based on dialogue, in each school, between the school institution (teachers and administration) and the families and pupils. Teachers give their opinions at staff meetings (the “conseil de classe”), and parents of pupils can appeal a decision they do not agree with.

Depending on the level of education, parents can demand that a pupil be moved to another stream rather than repeat a year, or ask that he/she repeat the year rather than move to an unwanted stream. Each school has a specialised group of career guidance instructors to help pupils, parents and teachers solve the problems they encounter.

The 3rd year at the end of lower secondary school currently constitutes the first important stage in the direction to be taken.

The vast majority of pupils attend schools supervised by the Ministry of Education. However, approximately 100 000 (mainly those suffering various forms of disablement) attend Ministry of Health medical-social institutions (technical and vocational courses). 

Lastly some 300 000 others, at least 16 years of age, are undergoing apprenticeships (employment contract) which, since the 1987 reform, prepare pupils for all types of vocational diplomas.

In addition to normal school education, there is also specialised or adapted education which is often intended to integrate children into primary and secondary schools, for instance school integration classes (CLIS) and adapted general and vocational sections (SEGPA), which are given in special schools (for instance health institutions). This type of education concerns approximately 5% of children in a given generation, and is aimed at allowing them to achieve a minimum level of qualification, the vocational training certificate (CAP).

The schools supervised by the Ministry of Education may be public or private. 

Private schools account for about 15% of pupils in primary education and 20% in secondary education, proportions that have remained stable in the past decade. Most private schools are Catholic schools, with partnership contracts with the State (which pays the teachers). Private schools with no such contracts account for under 50 000 pupils, and are dependent on considerable financial contributions by families.

Source: Prime Minister’s website

School holidays (nursery, primary and secondary schools): 

• Academic year starts during the first week of September
• Halloween break: a week between the end of October and beginning of November
• Christmas holidays: two weeks between the end of December and beginning of January
• Mid-term break: two weeks in February/beginning of March (varies according to geographic location of schools)
• Spring holiday: two weeks in April (varies according to geographic location of schools)
• End of school year: end of June

These dates change each year: contact the Ministry of Education.

Source: European Union
© European Communities, 1995-2006
Reproduction is authorised.