The role of the State : The Ministry of Education determines the curriculum determines the curriculum determines the teaching methods determines the teaching methods determines the status and functioning of every school determines the status and functioning of every school recruits, trains, appoints & manages the workforce (teachers & administrative + service staff) recruits, trains, appoints & manages the workforce (teachers & administrative + service staff) provides teachers and administrative service staff for every school provides teachers and administrative service staff for every school organizes the national exams baccalauréat – A-levels- a passport to higher education organizes the national exams baccalauréat – A-levels- a passport to higher education THE FRENCH EDUCATIONAL SYSTEM

Towards more power to regional authorities Today: decentralization for more flexibility and diversity Since 2006, most of the means and fundings are assigned by the Recteur - Commissioner of Education in each académie – school district or regional authority Since 1999, appointments are made locally by the Recteurs dacadémie

30 académies Regional authorities

National figures Primary schools TeachersPupils Secondary schools TeachersStudents junior secondary students senior secondary students vocational college students

Nursery school Attendance not compulsory From 2 to 3 : 10% From 4 to 5 : 96% 5 general aims and objectives The curriculum of nursery school was defined in January 2002, on the basis of 5 main areas of activity, consisting in... Weekly timetable 26 hours Living together Speaking, discovering the basics of writing and reading in French Imagining, feeling and creating. Acting in the world (Body language…) Exploring the world (Arts) STRUCTURE OF THE EDUCATION SYSTEM IN FRANCE

Number of hours New hours and curricula for primary school were decreed on January 25, 2002 The class hours are weekly and divided up per subject and per cycle Basic learning cycle Last class of pre-elementary school, Preparatory class (CP), Elementary class 1 Weekly timetable 26 hours Elementary school A– From 6 to 7 Compulsory schooling starts at 6

Elementary school – 8, 9 and 10 year-olds Consolidation cycle: Elementary class 2 (CE2), Middle class 1 (CM1) and Middle class 2 (CM2).

High Schools (Collèges) From 11 to 15 (4 grades) From 11 to 15 (4 grades) A unique system for all pupils (Collège unique) with a national curriculum A unique system for all pupils (Collège unique) with a national curriculum A final assessment (« Brevet des Collèges ») with no real consequences. A final assessment (« Brevet des Collèges ») with no real consequences.

Secondary education is divided into three distinct branches General education Technological education Vocational education Upper Schools 16 to 18

General branch: 3 options L for Literary, based mainly on French, philosophy and modern languages ES for Economics and social sciences S for Sciences, based mainly on mathematics physics and natural sciences. Technological branch: 7 options Industrial sciences and technology Laboratory sciences and technology Business sciences and technology Medical and social sciences Agronomy sciences and technology Catering management and tourism Music and dance Vocational branch: mainly tertiary and industrial (office management, accounts, catering, joinery, mechanics, hairdressing, textiles, etc…)

Buildings are mostly funded by regional and other local authorities StateRegionDépartement (County)Town UNIVERSITIES UPPER SCHOOLS HIGH SCHOOLS PRIMARY SCHOOLS

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Foreign language teaching in numbers in the académie FL chosen in High SchoolFL chosen in Upper School