Understand the French school system in 5 minutes

In France, schooling is compulsory from 3 to 16 years old. The Jules Ferry laws of 1881 and 1882 mandated the French State to provide free and secular education for all. The Ministry of National Education therefore offers a single curriculum, followed by the 12,409,900 students who started school in September 2018.

To present the French school system, we will outline the 3 types of schools that exist in France, followed by the 4 main stages of schooling, which are themselves divided into educational cycles.‍

There are three types of schools in France:

Firstly, there are public schools, which are managed by the state. These schools are free and secular, and are obliged to welcome all children living within a specific school zone. The curriculum taught is dictated by the Ministry of National Education.

80% of students attend a public institution.

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There are also private schools under contract with the state. This contract, which links the school to the state, requires the school to follow the curriculum and general rules set by the Ministry of National Education. Teachers in private schools under contract are assigned to schools by the Ministry of National Education, and their salaries are covered by the state. Due to this contract, these schools receive financial support from the state. Private schools under contract are therefore neither free nor necessarily secular – 97% of these establishments are Catholic schools. Nevertheless, because these schools are under contract with the state, they deliver the national education curriculum.

19% of students are enrolled in a private school under contract.

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Finally, some schools are known as independent private schools (hors contrat). This means that these schools are not required to follow the curriculum or the pace set by the Ministry of National Education. Independent private schools therefore have greater freedom regarding the teaching methods they implement, but they do not receive any financial aid from the state. Consequently, the recruitment and remuneration of teachers are the responsibility of the school. Most bilingual, Montessori, and eco-responsible schools, among others, fall into this category.

Approximately 0.5% of students are enrolled in non-contract private schools.

école M is a private preschool with no government contract. Teachers are free to choose their own teaching methods(école M's pedagogical project), but follow the French Education Nationale curriculum.

Schooling is divided into four stages:

1. ‍Preschool(3-6 years): preschools are divided into 3 classes that are petite section, moyenne section, and grande section. These 3 classes make up cycle 1, which aims to deliver the first learnings (exploring the world, mobilizing language, etc).
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2. Elementary(ages 6-11): these schools are divided into 5 classes: CP, CE1, CE2, CM1 and CM2. The CP, CE1 and CE2 classes make up Cycle 2, which is the cycle of fundamental learning. During these three years, pupils learn to read, write and count. The CM1, CM2 and 6ème classes form cycle 3, which is the consolidation of knowledge. Preschool and elementary school make up elementary school (ages 3-11).
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3. Secondary school(11-15 years): Secondary school classes provide an opportunity to deepen the knowledge acquired. The 6ème class marks the end of Cycle 3, while the 5ème, 4ème and 3ème classes form Cycle 4, the final pedagogical cycle of the French national education system. The major difference for students entering scondary school is that they have one teacher per subject (compared with one teacher per class in preschool and primary school). The collège years culminate in a national exam, the Brevet, which certifies the knowledge and skills acquired).
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4. ‍Highschool(ages 15-17): there are 2 types of highschool in France: the general and technological highschool, which caters for the vast majority of students, and the professional highschool, which enables students to make an immediate commitment to the professional world through teaching alternating with work placements. Seconde, Première and Terminale make up the 3 classes of highschool. In Terminale, students sit the baccalauréat, which marks the end of 15 years of schooling. Students then have the choice of continuing their studies in higher education (university, preparatory classes, business school, etc.) or entering the workforce directly.