Education in France: how does the French school system works

French schools are one of the most popular destinations for those who decide to spend a year studying abroad. But before deciding whether to leave, it is important to know every aspect of the French school system. Grades, schedules, subjects, and extracurricular activities: there is so much to discover. Here you will find everything you need to know. 

The strengths of the French school system 

Like many school systems around the world, the French school system has particular strengths. These can be summed up as: 

Assessment of skills and not grades 

The tendency is to evaluate students without the use of grades. Using this method, teachers avoid the spirit of competition and foster an interest in learning. 

Better infrastructure 

French schools are often in modern or renovated buildings, which are equipped with the most up-to-date equipment for learning: computers and tablets, laboratories with specific equipment, fully stocked gymnasiums… 

Teaching approach 

Teaching methods are more practical, especially regarding scientific subjects. In middle school, for example, during science class students examine the organs of animals, while university students can do internships. A method is preferred which introduces younger people to the workforce.  

Free education 

Public schools are free. Students only have to buy notebooks and pens. Textbooks and excursions are the school’s responsibility and are often paid for by funding or Erasmus projects. Even universities cost very little, almost a few hundred euros a year. 

Secular Education  

Studying the history of religions allows students to acquire greater knowledge of other cultures and promotes dialogue. Understanding various faiths allows you to comprehend the increasingly multi-ethnic world we live in. 

Less homework 

Children spend many hours at school, which is why there is less work to be done at home. Students are encouraged to learn and work during school hours.  

The variety of French schools  

In France, there are both public and private schools. However, this system vastly differs from the Italian school system.  

• The most notable difference is that our system guarantees the same quality of teaching and the same type of education for students. In both systems, the same subjects are taught, the same program is followed and the same scholastic reforms are applied. 
• Even the professors have the same training: they are all state civil servants and must take a single qualification competition, even if they are required to report for which types of institutes they compete. 
• A third difference is that most private schools are Catholic. Public schools are completely secular and the teaching of religion is included in history. While in private schools additional hours are foreseen for teaching religion. To be more precise, in both types of schools religious history is taught during history lessons, but in private schools, the more spiritual aspect of the subject is also addressed. However, these are not compulsory and students can choose not to attend them. 

So what are the reasons for choosing a private school instead of a public one? 

In addition to classes on religion, parents often hope that children will be given more individual attention and receive a more thorough education. Furthermore, given that in France people attend the school assigned according to their residence, to guarantee social mixité , some families who live in disadvantaged or difficult areas prefer to place their child in a school other than that of the area in which they live.  

Education in France

The educational path in the French school system goes from kindergarten to doctoral studies. Let us see what the various steps are and how they differ from each other.  

École maternelle (Nursery school) 

French nursery school is compulsory and starts at the age of three and lasts for three years. Primary school is managed by the municipalities. 

• Petite Section – age: 3-4 years 
• Moyenne Section – age: 4-5 years 
• Large Section – age: 5-6 years 

École élémentaire (Elementary school) 

French elementary school begins at age 6 and lasts for five years.  

• CP – Cours Préparatoire – age: 6-7 years 
• CE1 and CE2 – Cours Élémentaire 1 and 2 – age: 7-9 years 

• CM1 and CM2 – Cours Moyen 1 and 2 – age: 9-11 years 

College (Middle school) 

French middle school begins at the age of 11 and lasts for four years.  

• Sixième – 6ème – age: 11-12 years 
• Cinquième 5ème – age: 12-13 years 
• Quatrième – 4ème – age: 13-14 years 
• Troisième – 3ème – age: 14-15 years 

Lycée (high school) 

High school begins in France at age of 16 and last for three years. 

• Seconds – 2nde – age: 15-16 years 
• Première – 1ere – age: 16-17 years 
• Terminal – age: 16-18 years 

In regards to the types of school, there are mainly three high school tracks, all identified with the term “Lycée”. Let’s see what the various high school tracks are in France. 

• Voie/Lycée Général 

This roughly corresponds to our high school and has three curricula: scientific (S – Scientifique), classical (L – Littéraire), and economic-social (Économique et Social – ES). The three subjects are always found in the same building, that of the Lycée Général precisely. 

• Voie/Lycée Technologique 

This corresponds to our technical institutes. There are many branches: sustainable development industry (IT, architecture, energy, and the environment…), industrial design, laboratory techniques (chemistry, biochemistry, physics…), socio-health techniques, management techniques (marketing, communication, accounting… ), music and dance techniques, agronomy, the hotel sector… 

• Voie/Lycée professionnel 

This corresponds generically to our professional school. It is an option for those who intend to specialize in a profession and start working as soon as possible. It allows you to take the CAP at the age of 16 (the final age of compulsory education), which is a certificate that allows you to stop studying before taking the final exam at 18. In these schools, students are often engaged in internships which are useful for becoming aware of the working world. 

Université (university) 

After the attempt to standardize the European systems, the French university track does not differ much from the Italian one. However, there are some differences for those who decide to attend French universities.  

As is already the case for the choice of high school, to be accepted into universities depends on the type of institute attended and the school grade point average. 

There are also three different paths: 

• Université: provides for a three-year study cycle (Licence) and a two-year study cycle (Master) and in principle does not include admission tests because it is not limited to enrolment. Alongside the classic universities, mostly public, there are professional training courses that end with the Diplôme Universitaire de Technologie (DUT) or the Brevet de Technicien Supérieur (BTS), after which one can continue for a year and take a professional degree with a thesis focused on the compulsory internship experience foreseen by the study plan. 
• Grandes Écoles: these are high-level institutes in various fields – mostly related to the sectors of economics, politics, and engineering – which can be accessed after passing a competition. They are mostly private and public with limited positions. To be admitted, it is often necessary to follow two years of preparatory courses. 
• Écoles Normales Supérieures: training of high-level teachers and researchers; in this category some specialized institutes such as the Écoles de Management, Écoles d’Ingénieur, Écoles d’Art et d’Architecture and the Instituts d’Etudes Politiques. 

Doctorat (Doctorate) 

To do this, you need to submit an application for enrollment accompanied by a thesis project agreed upon with a professor, who follows the student throughout the entire project. The doctorate lasts from three to five years and ends with the defense of a thesis before a commission. 

Each doctoral student is also required to follow various experimental activities spread over the entire duration of the doctorate, such as complementary courses and the writing of scientific articles. 

The French school calendar 

The French school calendar is very different from the Italian one because there are many holidays, often every six/eight weeks. They always last two weeks except the for the summer break when you have two months off from school. 

• First Monday of September: start of the school year. 
• End of October-beginning of November: All Saint’s Days. They are on the same days throughout France. 
• Late December-early January: this includes Christmas and New Year’s Eve, not necessarily King’s Day (considered a weekday in France). They are celebrated on the same days throughout all of France. 
• February-early March: the so-called “winter holidays” begin every week in each of the three French zones defined by the state. The choice was made to encourage tourism and to ensure that the hotel facilities have customers for the entire season. 

• April: even the “spring holidays” are divided by area. 
• Early July-early September: summer holidays. They are planned for the same period throughout France. 

The daily timetable 

As far as timetables are concerned, nursery school children attend from 8.00-8.30 to 11.30-11.45 and resume from 13.45-14 until 16.30, except for Wednesdays, which is a day dedicated to leisure throughout France. 

In elementary school, the timetables are very similar, with Wednesdays a free day. As far as middle school is concerned children generally stay at school from 8.00 to 17.30, with Wednesdays dedicated to sports. This system is also the same and does not change in French high schools, although there are significant differences depending on the institution attended. We must also bear in mind that in middle and high school it is possible to have free hours, some days that end earlier or entire half days off. 

As far as absences from school are concerned, the institute is notified in case of absence and a justification is presented (with a possible medical certificate) upon return. Thanks to the electronic registers and the office that deals with attendance and absences, the school can monitor who is present or not, calling the families of those who are not in class for no reason in the morning. 

School subjects in France 

As one progresses along their track, the number of subjects increases and, once the basic skills have been acquired, there is a tendency toward greater specialization. 

In French high schools, the subjects and the related number of hours vary according to the type of school chosen; except for mandatory subjects such as mathematics or French.  In vocational schools, for example, specific studies are of great importance, i.e. those which allow one to learn the profession one intends to carry out. 

Study plan and extracurricular activities 

Much like in Italy, in the French school system, there is not much choice and the study plan is created by the school. Even in high school and university, once the course has been chosen, the subjects and courses envisaged are followed. 

In addition to the school timetable, there are some extracurricular activities (for example, reading club or Chinese class) but, as the weekly timetable is very dense, students often have no free time to devote to anything else. Some young people are also inclined towards paid private courses. 

Unlike Italy, however, a school dance is scheduled at the end of middle school and high school. The students also participate in numerous interdisciplinary projects in which they are personally involved: setting up exhibitions, and research that has practical implications such as visits and trips… 

French Grading System  

A trend that has slowly begun growing in the French school system is student assessment not with grades and evaluations on a single test, but on the skills acquired throughout the courses.  

At the university, on the other hand, the evaluation system from 1 to 20 has been maintained and each exam, as in Italy, requires the achievement of a certain number of credits. 

It should also be noted, that as their training course progresses, the students are assessed almost exclusively on written assignments and not on oral presentations or questions. 

Finally, it is important to remember, that while failing a course is unlikely it is indeed possible. It is preferable to direct the students to another training path instead of repeating the year. 

Final exams

In France, as in Italy, students must take the exam at the end of middle school and the one at the end of high school.

The final exam is called Bac, short for Baccalauréat. Unlike in Italy, the first part takes place at the end of the penultimate year and the second part at the end of the last year. At the end of the Première, there is a written test for all optional subjects, a written and oral test in French, and a science test for L and ES streams; instead at the end of the Terminal, all the other subjects (oral compulsory and optional) must be given. 

Exams are held in June and take about a week. The vote is scored up to twenty. Usually, scores between 12 and 14 correspond to an Assez Bien , those between 14 and 16 to Bien , and between 16 and 18 to Très Bien . Those who get a mark between 18 and 20 can also receive the Félicitations du jury . 

Both in middle and high school, the mark obtained in the final exam is defined by evaluating the various tests and taking into consideration the average obtained during the last three years of study. 

Studying in France: test yourself and make a dream come true 

The French school is certain ways very different from the Italian one. Approaching new teaching methods, getting used to unusual routines, and learning about new subjects enriches not only your CV, but your personality in general. 

Experiencing the French school system with a year abroad means broadening one’s horizons by stepping out of one’s comfort zone, putting oneself to the test, and accepting new challenges.