So, with children all over France returning to school this week, I have decided to compare the two education systems. Like in the UK, the school year starts in September. However, the entrant age runs according to the calendar year of birth; from January to December.
So for example, all the children born in will be going into the first year of primary school this week. The compulsory age for education has just changed from 6 years to 3 years.
However, even before the change it was very unusual for children not to attend school. This means that for children born late in the year — September, October, November and December they will only be 2 years old when they start school. My daughters both fall into this category. My oldest was 2 years old when she started school! However, it has recently become compulsory and although it is is a lot of learning through play, it is more structured than pre-school in the UK.
This includes reading, writing, numeracy and a foreign language. In our case the foreign language has always been English which is not so useful for a British child! The primaire or primary school runs from the age of 6 to 11 years. The school years within the primaire are:.
Some have a strong academic focus and others lean more towards trade or vocational options. In contrast to A-levels, le bac still covers a wide range of different subjects. Students are not required to narrow down their options at such as early age as they are in the UK. Further information about the school system and school life can be found on the French Entree website. Although this will depend on the age of a child, the length of the school day is a big difference between school in France and the UK.
In France, the school day may run from am to pm. However, often children in the maternelle and primaire have no school or only half a day on a Wednesday. The exact hours and days vary from region to region.
Many schools also have a lunch break of 2 hours. As well as allowing for a long mealtime, this also enables the younger children to nap.
A lunchtime nap is in place up until the age of 4 years old but French children tend to stay up a lot later than British children. Children that eat in the school canteen benefit from a 3 or 4 course meal each day. Nutritionists prepare a well-balanced menu which offers a great deal of variety. Fish fingers are also not a staple in France, but rather a fillet of fish in a parsley sauce with green beans and boiled potatoes! I have even seen rabbit, grouse and kangaroo on the menu.
I love looking at the canteen menu each day. Honestly, the children eat better than I do! In my experience, the canteen food on offer is a huge difference between school in France and the UK. A standard school lunch will consist of a salad or appestiser, followed by a main course, with a side of vegetables, then a cheese course and a dessert which will often be fruit, and occasionally an eclair or pastry. As you would expect in France, fresh bread is offered daily.
However, if children do not wish to eat in the canteen, a packed lunch is not usually an option. Your email address will not be published. This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed. Graduation is May 22 at 5pm.
Clue performances are set for May 15 and The Meridian Daily. RSS Feed. Submit Search. Navigate Left. Navigate Right. Search this site Submit Search. Meridian football playoffs, English 2 speech unit finishes for Meridian sophomores. Hawks Hot Spot, the process. Bernie meme takes front row seat. Alyssa Anglin. Upperclassmen finally get their night under the stars.
Share on Facebook. Share on Twitter. Share via Email. Search Submit Search. Close Menu. Activate Search. Scroll to Top. Close Modal Window. Read our simple guide to the different schools for different ages.
A guide to childcare in France. How to move to France with children. Higher education in France. Living in France. Published: PM July 9, Updated: PM November 12, Most Read. Brits in France 10 3 key things you need to know about visas for France.
0コメント