“ THERE ARE STRONG ACADEMIC OUTCOMES FOR BILINGUAL STUDENTS. THEY OUTPERFORM MONOLINGUAL STUDENTS OVER AND OVER, INCLUDING IN MATHS AND LITERACY.”
GINA BIANCHI, HEAD OF SCHOOL, ICS COTE D’AZUR
Above: Students from ICS Paris
only about 25% of the population currently have that,” says Bianchi. There are two main approaches
to bilingual education. These are referred to as the 90:10 and 50:50 models. The former involves 90% of instruction in the first year or two in the target language and 10% in English. At each grade, the amount of English rises by 10% until the ratio is evenly divided. In the 50:50 model, both languages are used for the same amount of time. “We use the 50:50 model and
have separate French and English teachers. Our students alternate all lessons in French one day and English the next, right down to specialist subjects like sports and music,” says Bianchi. In France, public schools and
private schools that are under contract with the State can offer up to 25% of classes in English, but private schools can offer a true bilingual education. Hattemer Bilingue, a prestigious,
private bilingual school established in 1885, has two schools in the 8th and 16th arrondissements. Classes are equally divided between English and French in kindergarten. In elementary, pupils are taught in English for 1h30 per day when they are introduced to different disciplines. For example, the school’s year 5 and 6 pupils have geography and science classes in English. A bilingual education is also at
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the heart of Ecole Internationale Bilingue (EIB). Its six private schools in Paris include EIB Grenelle for nursery and primary (which opened in 2021 in the 7th arrondissement close to Les Invalides), and EIB de la Jonchere for nursery, primary and middle school students set on a leafy campus 30 minutes from central Paris. Both follow the French National Curriculum incorporating daily English lessons from the age of three. “We use the French National Curriculum because it provides a structured framework. Students spend 50% of their school time in English, preparing them for international exams like the Cambridge Young Learners English exam,” says the school’s Grace de Miramon.
WHICH IS THE MOST POPULAR CURRICULUM – THE FRENCH BACCALAUREATE, THE IB OR THE BRITISH? According to ISC Research, the IB is the most popular exit exam in international schools in France, although A levels are still highly regarded. “The IB is becoming very popular in France, particularly among international schools,” says Mel Curtis, head of the International School of Nice, which offers a K–12 IB curriculum. “Its global recognition and holistic approach present an attractive alternative to the
traditional French Baccalaureate.” “The IB emphasises holistic interdisciplinary
development,
learning and multilingualism. In contrast with the French Bac, it provides a balanced education across disciplines, fostering research skills and creativity.” Some schools, including
Ermitage International, offer both the French Baccalaureate Bilingual programme and the IB. “They both have their advantages, but the educational approach is entirely different so students can choose the type of learning that works best for them,” says the school’s Amélie Griel-Chaix. The choice also depends on where they plan to continue their studies. “The IB is recognised worldwide, which is not always the case with the French Baccalaureate.” At Globeducate, which has
ten schools following an adapted British curriculum, A levels are still well recognised. “The IB remains less well-known than the British system when we speak to families, but the more they learn about it, the more they find its broad approach very attractive,” says Véronique Martinet, Globeducate France’s director of admissions. For families that relocate with older children, the French Bac can also be harder to access if families aren’t familiar with the French language, meaning it is often a less popular choice.
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