Comments on: Choosing a school in France

By: Boris

Boris — Fri, 12 Dec 2008 16:22:01 +0000

Kelly, after great deliberation…we ended up choosing the closest – which is also the one with the best results locally. The first choice would have been different but they had stopped doing the Italian language option that our daughter wanted to do.
We know a couple of people at the Bordeaux International school but not at the others – their parents seem to think it seems pretty good, but as for how it compares with other international schools I couldn’t say. I would guess all three you mention are good if you want an International school.
‘League tables’ of results and other information are published each year in newspapers which is quite useful, the only version I can find online is at http://www.lexpress.fr/palmares/lycees/default.asp which isn’t presented in a very ‘easy to use’ form (edit: see also http://www.letudiant.fr/etudes/etudes—palmares/palmares-des-lycees.html which is slightly easier to use ‘at a glance’) – or search in ggole for something like ‘lycee classement’ and you should find other lycee performance tables.
Just to confuse things further, there are a lot of changes afoot in the French lycées and for the BAC (many of the schools are on strike at the moment to try and stop the changes) so anyting you read now about the courses and options available might perhaps be subject to change in the near future!

By: Kelly

Kelly — Thu, 11 Dec 2008 23:57:47 +0000

“The next important factor is the reputation of the school. Every lycee has a different reputation according to who you speak to. Almost every lycee we’ve investigated has been accused in whispered tones of violence, drugs, racism, disciplinary problem etc among the students – only for the same accusations to be laughed away as ridiculous by someone else – usually someone who actually knows children at the school… the choices have been made (three are chosen in order of priority).”

I’m an American high school student looking at French boarding schools, and I’m having as much difficulty assessing them as you did. All of the reviews contradict each other. So far, I’m considering the IBS of Provence, The Bordeaux International School, and l’Érmitage. Have you heard of any of these? Also, I was wondering what your three choices were when you looked at lyçees.

Thanks for your help!

By: Boris

Boris — Mon, 01 Sep 2008 03:06:51 +0000

Hi, I was not being serious to suggest tea-drinking was actually a big issue at lycée, that was an attempt at ‘British humour’ (taking an insignificant event, making a big thing out of it, and ignoring that which is obviously actually important). And I wouldn’t be able to persuade her to drink fizzy drinks even if I tried, she only ever drinks water at home (and one cup of tea a day!).
Anyway lycée starts today so I’m sure I’ll have more tales to tell and exaggerate shortly.

By: Yann

Yann — Mon, 01 Sep 2008 01:15:53 +0000

Oh, come on!

Wait another year, and you’ll find out that French lycées offer one bit of extra hardship anglophone schools don’t require : excellence.
Your daughter surely will have much more trouble with that than with drinking tea.

French lycées offer only water for lunch/dinner, which is good for kids and healthy. God forbid French kids ever become butterballs hooked on drinking those sweet fizzy pops made in the US!
As for breakfast, most lycées offer also water, milk (optional chocolate), and orange juice. If that still don’t suit your finicky daughter, maybe the problem is her, not the school.

By: Jean

Jean — Thu, 05 Jun 2008 11:18:33 +0000

We are also just entering the lycee stage of our lives although I’ll be glad when the Brevet is over first! Good luck. I’m sure she’ll find the work a cinch after mastering the tea drinking!