Bienvenue à l'école en France! If you are new to France or putting kids in a French-speaking school for the first time, here are the words you will hear and see the most.
French School Organization:
The names of all the French grades and schools can be a web of illogical numbers and letters, so here is a general categorization with each grade explained. Don't worry, you will memorize it eventually!
L'école maternelle
L'école maternelle comprises the three grades of petite section (or PS, ages 3-4), moyenne section (referred to as MS, ages 4-5) and grande section (you guessed it... GS, ages 5-6), which is roughly preschool, pre-K and kindergarten in US/Canada
L'école élémentaire
L'école élémentaire is elementary schoole, it is made of the five grades after maternelle, comprising grades CP (ages 6-7), CE1 (ages 7-8), CE2 (ages 8-9), CM1 (ages 9-10) and CM2 (ages 10-11).
L’école primaire
L’école primaire includes all the grades in maternelle and l'ecole elementaire and some towns have both the maternelle and ecole elementaire on the same campus.
Le collège
Le college is secondary/junior high/middle school and is made of four grades: 6ème (ages 11-12), 5ème (ages12-13), 4ème (ages 13-14), and 3ème (ages14-15). Collèges are generally in their own location in a town, separate from the lycèe.
Le lycée
Le lycèe is high-school/secondary school and made of three grades: seconde (ages 15-16), première (ages 16-17), and terminale (ages 17-18).
Centre de loisirs / Accueil de loisirs
France supports working parents by offering subsidized child care at public schools on Wednesdays (when elementary schools close), after school, and during school holidays (sometimes only the first week, check your mairie's website for more information). The Paris mairie offers all children from ages 3-14 whether they attend private or public school a place at the centres de loisirs, read more on its centre de loisirs website. The staff are hired by the city and are obliged to structure activities around a pedagogical project rather than
simply offer a drop-off centre. Centre de loisirs will also offer day trips or outings, depending on the day or center.
Assorted School Vocabulary:
arithmetic l’arithmétique
art class les arts plastiques, le cours de dessin
bell la sonnerie, la cloche
biology la biologie
boarder un(e) interne
boarding school un internat
chemistry la chimie
civics l’éducation civique
classroom la salle de classe
cloakroom le vestiaire
college l'université, la fac (coll.)
competitive (entrance) exam un concours
computer science l’informatique
corridor/hallway le couloir
course un cours, un stage
desk un bureau, un casier
detention la retenue, la colle (coll.)
dining hall, canteen/cafeteria la cantine
diploma un diplôme
distinction une mention
economics les sciences économiques
English l’anglais
exam un examen, une copie d’examen
field trip (residential) une classe verte
first class honours (Grade A) une mention très bien
French le français
geography la géographie
German l’allemand
grade, mark une note
grammar la grammaire
Greek le grec
gym la gymnastique, le sport
gym room (maternelle) salle de mototricité
hall le préau
handwriting le graphisme
headmaster/principal (primaire) le directeur/la directrice
headmaster/headmistress le principal, le proviseur
(college/lycee)
high school students les lycéens, un(e) lycéen(ne)
history l’histoire
homework les devoirs
International Baccalaureate (IB) le baccalauréat international
laboratory le laboratoire
Latin le latin
lesson le cours
librarian le/la documentaliste
library la bibliothèque centre documentaire
literature la littérature
map une carte
marks/grades une note
mathematics les mathématiques
middle/secondary school student les collégiens, un(e) collégien(nne)
mock exam un examen blanc
music la musique
notebook le cahier
nursery school l’école maternelle
parent teachers association (PTA) une association de parents d’élèves
(APE)
philosophy la philosophie
physical education (PE) l’éducation physique et sportive (EPS)
physical science les sciences physiques
physics la physique
playground la cour de récréation
primary school teacher un instituteur, une institutrice
private school une école privée
professor un professeur
pronunciation prononciation
public/state school une école publique
schedule, timetable un emploi du temps
school une école
scooter (step scooter) une trottinette
smart board le tableau blanc interactif (TBI)
afternoon snack le goûter
Spanish l’espagnol
speech therapist l'orthophoniste
spelling l’orthographe
sports ground le terrain de sport
staff room la salle des professeurs
students (primary school) les élèves, un(e) élève
study-time l’étude
subjects les matières
teacher la maitresse, l'enseignant(e), un professeur
teacher's assistant (maternelle) L'ATSEM (l'agent territorial spécialisé des écoles maternelles)
teenagers les ados (adolescents)
term un trimestre
test un contrôle
to fail échouer, recaler
to go to school aller à l’école
to know (a subject) savoir, (a person) connaître
to learn apprendre
to memorize mémoriser
to pass a test réussir un examen (do not use "passer"!)
to practice répéter
to repeat a year redoubler une classe
to study étudier
to take a test passer un examen-careful, this confuses Anglophones!
to teach enseigner
university une université, la fac, une grande école
whiteboard le tableau
workshop un atelier
written paper un écrit
We will be adding a vocabulary list for school supplies soon! Why is this a thing in France? Older students are given a long list of ultra-specific school supplies before school starts, so prepare yourself for an annual scavenger hunt.
If you have any questions about schools in France, you can ask other English-speaking parents in our Members Forum.
Do you have any words you found to be unique to school in France? Comment below!
This article was originally published in 'The ABC's of Parenting in Paris' -curated by our members, and filled with insiders' tips and practical information. As part of our drive towards greater sustainable practices, the book is no longer available in print form. This article was updated for 2023 by Annie Kamp.
The opinions expressed in this article are solely those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the opinions or beliefs of Message. Message cannot be held responsible for any information contained in or omitted from this article.
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