French Education System - Definition and Explanations
The French education system has greatly democratized during the "XX" th century. Since 1959 (Berthoin reform), education is compulsory from 6 to 16 years old. It is provided in all kinds of schools, most of which come under the authority of the Ministry of National Education, and sometimes within the family within the legal framework of homeschooling.
The total number of pupils and students reaches 15 million, that is to say, that a quarter of the population is studying. The cost of education represents 6.6% of the GDP of France in 2008 (7.6% in 1995), of which 54.1% depends on the Ministry of National Education in 2008 (against 61% in 1980). In 2008, according to INSEE, 69.2% of French people had a diploma equal to or lower than the bac in France and 19.9% a diploma higher than the baccalaureate.
According to the PISA program for comparing national education systems, the results of the French education system are down compared to other OECD member states.
School organization
The education system is divided into several levels: primary (nursery and elementary), secondary, vocational, apprenticeship and higher. Continuing education must also be taken into account.
Primary education
Before 1881, there was no nursery school. institutes which welcome children from 2 to 6 years are called "rooms of asylum" and take load a too low number of children. But families can also choose, at this time, to have their young children looked after in classes called "children's sections", directly integrated into primary schools.
Children can enter kindergarten the year of their three years in the month of September. The teachers are the same as in the primary. The nursery school follows a precise and detailed national program. In kindergarten where the pupil spends three or four years (he is then between 2 and 6 years old) in very small sections, small sections, middle sections and large sections. Schooling at two years is very variable depending on the regions and zones (it is thus more frequent in ZEPs). It most often concerns the oldest children in their age group, those born at the start of the year. A survey carried out for the Minister of Education shows that children attending two years of age integrate rather better into the school curriculum and repeat CP and CE1 less often, but contrary to stated ambitions, two-year-old classes are mostly attended by children of wealthy families or teachers. As a result, the survey results are somewhat biased. It would appear that early schooling has no real beneficial effect on children. In addition, most of the school hierarchies are already in place at the end of the major section.
Elementary school
It is divided into three cycles and often takes place in different establishments. Attendance at school is not compulsory but the instruction of the child is from the age of six and therefore does not concern nursery school pupils, except those born at the beginning of the year, for the large section.
The large section straddles two cycles.
Repetition is introduced at this stage of the French education system, but it is also possible to skip a class.
Management of educational difficulties
The customized programs Educational Success (PEEP) are implemented punctually on localized difficulties, particularly revealed by national assessments.
In the event of more severe difficulty, educational teams can be set up to assess the student's needs and respond to them as closely as possible or to direct them towards the therapeutic sector. An orientation specialized class can also be proposed. The request must then be made to the Departmental House for the Disabled (MDPH). This one examines the file by asking for educational, pedagogical, therapeutic, social assessments and proposes an orientation. In no case is a decision taken without the consent of the family.
The enrollment of students in situations of disability in primary
As regards specialized education, the French system was inefficient before 1882, and the law on primary education was compulsory. Indeed, before this date, there is no institute really able to welcome and instruct deaf-mute or blind pupils. It was not until the 20th century that further training schools were created for the mentally handicapped.
Several types of schooling are possible
The mainstream education, with or without development (hardware, auxiliary of life school). This type of schooling is always privileged, "as long as it is possible and beneficial for the pupil".
schooling in a collective integration system, school integration classes (CLIS). Integration into an ordinary environment is then done either collectively on projects including several classes or groups of students, or individually in subjects where this is possible.
schooling in a specialized establishment (such as IME, ITEP) allowing comprehensive care (therapeutic, educational and school). Integration into a mainstream environment can always take place, part-time, according to the needs and capacities of each student.
Secondary education
College education lasts four years, in the sixth, fifth, fourth and third grades. The sixth corresponds to the adaptation cycle, the fifth and fourth to the central cycle, and the third to the orientation cycle. The national diploma of the patent is given, after examination, to the pupils having acquired the general knowledge of the college. Education is compulsory up to the age of 16, but this age does not correspond to the end of the cycle, education generally continues in high school. The transition to high school occurs independently of the results of the Brevet diploma.
In a general and technological high school, teaching lasts 3 years, in the second, first and final classes. The general and technological second alone constitutes the determination cycle, it is also called determination second because one prepares for his choice of baccalaureate (the series). The first with the year of terminal corresponds to the terminal cycle. At the end of these 3 years, students take the general or technological baccalaureate.
