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Home > I’m Not French > Why a French Curriculum

WHY A FRENCH CURRICULUM

With historical roots as far back as 1789, the French education system has a reputation for having one of the best education practices in the world. With a nationally set curriculum, tested methods of teaching and learning, high academic standards and a structured approach to learning, more and more international families are considering the French national system as their choice of international education.

Structured: meets the requirements of French National Education programmes

Academic: cultivates knowledge, communication, understanding & critical thinking

Humanist: values tolerance, equality, opportunity & intellectual curiosity

Transferable: education without interruption – Kindergarten to Baccalaureate


A NEW STANDARD IN INTERNATIONAL EDUCATION

1

INTERNATIONALLY RECOGNISED

The French Baccalauréat or Bac is an internationally recognised qualification that enables students to apply for and study at, the best universities and schools in France, Australia, the United Kingdom, the US and throughout the world.

The French education system from Kindergarten to the Bac provides students the opportunity to gain an education in two languages in a multicultural atmosphere.

This makes French-educated students highly sought after by higher education institutions. Students are encouraged to think independently and drive their learning, take part in a structured programme of education that leads them to the highest-ranking universities around the world.

2

HASSLE-FREE, TRANSFERABLE EDUCATIONAL CONTINUUM

The universality, but also flexibility of a French education is guided by the requirements, programs, educational objectives and organizational rules of the French education system. Consisting of a transferable continuum of education from Kindergarten to Baccalaureate, the French system is united by the Ministry of National Education’s objectives and approaches to teaching and learning.

France is the only country that has chosen to have a national teaching system abroad supported by the world’s largest school network, assisted by the

Agence pour l’Enseignement Francais a l’Etranger, or AEFE. This worldwide network of schools offers one unique program, the French national curriculum, of high quality both in terms of teachers and syllabus. Easily transferable from one French school to another in any country, (no test required), within the AEFE network. AEFE students have access to over 500 schools in 139 countries with the same teaching philosophy and curriculum should their family choose to relocate.

3

BROAD AND BALANCED

The French curriculum provides all pupils, whatever their background, the same educational opportunities. Structured as an education that is broad and balanced the French system fosters imagination and creativity while at the same time is encapsulated within a structured and rigorous national programme.

Students are taught to question, investigate and reflect always in reference to real-world contexts.

French education is about thinking of solutions to daily problems. The system develops multilingual students who become culturally aware. Learning a second or third language enables students to engage with communities in an increasingly globalized and rapidly changing world. A French education fosters inquiring, knowledgeable and passionate young citizens who are motivated to succeed.

4

STRUCTURED, REGULATED, VALIDATED, RIGOROUS

The French education system is regulated by the Department for National Education, Higher Education and Research. The French curriculum is structured and state-validated through the ministry of education. Utilising both traditional and modern teaching methods, a nationally standardised curriculum, combined with high academic standards and rigorous discipline, French education is considered of a high standard worldwide.

To be authorised by the French authorities, a school needs to follow the French curriculum set by the French Ministry of Education. The school fills an extensive application and gets audited by the French authorities. The application, together with the results of the audit, is then reviewed by the French Ministry of Education and the French Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Paris who will grant authorisation.

5

TRADITIONAL STYLE WITH MODERN APPROACHES

Students that have opted for the French system get an excellent grounding in the three Rs, Reading, Writing and Arithmetic. This more traditional approach to teaching is supplemented with modern pedagogical practices including research, problem-solving, analysis and synthesis. Teachers vary their teaching style depending on desired outcomes, utilising group work, pair work and individual work all within a structured curriculum.

The French curriculum encourages students of all ages to consider both local and global contexts, stimulating students to think critically and challenge assumptions. Taught to truly respect academic prowess and independent, analytical thinking, the French curriculum has an emphasis on cultural knowledge in particular through language acquisition. Students within an international French education system ask challenging questions, think critically and develop research skills proven to help them in higher education.

OUR DAUGHTER THRIVES ON THE VISUAL, EXPLORATORY AND EXPERIENTIAL LEARNING STYLE THAT IFS AND THE FRENCH NATIONAL CURRICULUM OFFER.

PARENT
KINDERGARTEN