In France, education is compulsory for children from the ages of 3 to 16, including foreign nationals.
The French education system
The French education system is organized into different levels corresponding to age brackets and learning stages.
In the same way as for higher education, there are state-funded school and private schools.
Education is free in state-funded schools and must be paid for in private schools, but the syllabus is the same in both because it is defined at national level.
In Grenoble, there are also several schools with international divisions.
In cities where there are several different schools, your child will be allocated a place in the school that corresponds to your home address.
The French education system has the following structure:
Preschool or nursery school (‘école maternelle’): 3 to 6 years
Elementary school (‘école élémentaire’): 6 to 11 years. There are 5 levels: CP (‘Cours Préparatoire’), CE1 and CE2 (1st and 2nd year ‘Cours Élémentaires’), CM1 and CM2 (1st and 2nd year ‘Cours Moyens’)
Middle school (‘collège’): this is made up of 4 year groups: 6th, 5th, 4th and 3rd (ending in the ‘Brevet des Collèges’ exam)
High school (‘lycée’): there are 3 classes: ‘Seconde’, ‘Première’, and ‘Terminale’ (ending in the ‘Baccalauréat’ exam).
The academic year, divided into terms, begins in September and ends at the beginning of July in the following year.
Bilingual welcome booklets
Information on the organization of schooling and the French education system is available in the form of bilingual welcome booklets. Download a bilingual booklet
Enrolling your child at a state-funded preschool or elementary school
You must begin your enrollment procedures at the ‘Mairie’ (town hall) or the ‘Maison des Habitants’ (citizens administration center), then continue them with the school your child will attend.
Enrolling your child at a state-funded middle school or high school
To enroll your children at a state-funded middle or high school, you must begin the process by making an appointment at the education information center (‘Centre d'information et d'orientation’ - CIO) that is nearest to your home.
If you wish to enrol your child in private rather than a state-funded school, you should contact the school directly for information.
Enrolment procedures and fees may vary from one school to another.
To find a private school near your home or your place of study or work, we advise you to use the French national education directory (under "Statut", select "Privé").
Your child must be vaccinated before you can enroll him/her in any public groups or services for children (day nursery, childcare providers, elementary school, etc.).
If your child was born before 2018, the 3 compulsory vaccinations are diphtheria, tetanus and polio.
If he/she was born after 2018, 8 additional vaccinations are compulsory.
Parents of children between the ages of 0 and 16 who live in Valence can find useful information about childcare, health, schooling and leisure activities in the practical guide “Grandir à Valence” (Growing up in Valence).
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