Language/French/Culture/Education

The French education system is said to be one of the more successful in the world. Education is compulsory in France from the ages of 6 to 16, but a large majority of children start school often as young as 2 years old.

Ecole Maternelle (kindergarten)

Ecoles Maternelles take pupils from age 2 to age 6, and prepare them for entry into primary school.

Ecole primaire (primary school)

Five classes, ages 6 to 11.

There are five levels:

• Cours préparatoire (CP) or 11ème – age 6 to 7 years old
• Cours élémentaire (CE1) or 10ème – age 7 to 8 years old
• Cours élémentaire (CE2) or 9ème – age 8 to 9 years old
• Cours moyen 1 (CM1) or 8ème – 9 to 10 years old
• Cours moyen 2 (CM2) or 7ème – 10 to 11 years old

Collège (Middle school)

Four levels, normally for pupils aged 11 - 15. The four classes, corresponding to grades 6 to 9, are called sixième, cinquième, quatrième and troisième.

Lycée (High School)

The traditional French lycée covers the last three years of secondary education. There are two main types of traditional lycée, the lycée général or lycée classique, and the lycée technique.

The main function of the lycée is to prepare pupils to take the "baccalauréat" (or "bac") exam. The three classes (grades 10 to 12) are known as seconde, première and terminale.

The baccalauréat

The baccalauréat is a unitary exam, that pupils pass or fail. It is impossible to pass in one subject and fail in others. The only mark that counts is the final weighted average, which must be at last 10/20 for a pupil to pass.

Grading

Grading in the French education system is standardized. All marks or grades are out of twenty, and the pass mark is 10/20.

France has a dual university system : the "Universités" and the "Grandes Ecoles".

Universités

France has 82 state universities and 5 Catholic universities and a large number of private "institutes".

Grandes Ecoles

After High School, the best students apply to "Classes préparatoires" to prepare in 2 or 3 years for the "Grandes Ecoles" : Ecoles d'Ingénieurs (Sciences), to Business Schools.

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