French Curriculum

The French Department of Education has developed a national curriculum called the Common Foundation of Knowledge, Skills, and Culture. This curriculum focuses on knowledge, skills, and attitudes essential for students to thrive academically and personally.

The French schools in Abu Dhabi deliver instruction in French and adopt the generic system classification used in schools within France. However, they do not offer Saturday schooling or half days on Wednesdays, as still practiced in some state schools in France.

Progression

The French education system consists of three stages: primary education, secondary education, and higher education.
The primary and secondary schools, the curriculum is standardized across all schools for a given grade and approved by the French Ministry of Education.
Formal schooling in France starts as early as age three, with many children attending kindergarten (école maternelle). Day care (pré-maternelle) is available for children starying from age two.
Although pré-maternelle and école maternelle are not mandatory, all children must be enrolled in school by the age of six. Elementary school consists of five years of study, usually from age six to eleven.
After elementary school, students move to the secondary level, which is divided into two stages.
The first stage is called the collège and covers four years of study for students aged eleven to fifteen (similar to middle school in the US). Upon completion, students receive a brevet des collèges.
Following the collège, students enter the lycée (high school) for the final three years of secondary education. They then take an exam to receive the baccalauréat (bac) qualification. The baccalauréat is equivalent to the US high school diploma but requires preparatory study.
When entering Première, students can choose from three baccalauréat streams: professionnel, technologique, and general. In Abu Dhabi French schools, only the général stream is offered. This is considered fundamental in the preparation of the more academic students for higher education.

The table below shows the academic journey that a student studying an American curriculum is expected to take

Age	Grade
3-4	PS
4-5	MS
5-6	GS
6-7	CP
7-8	CE1
8-9	CE2
9-10	CM1
10-11	CM2
11-12	6ème
12-13	5ème
13-14	4ème
14-15	3ème
15-16	2nde
16-17	1ère
17-18	Terminale

Assessments

Statutory assessments are conducted at the beginning of the academic year in Grade 1 (Cours Preparatoire), Grade 2 (Cours Elementaire 1), Grade 4 (Cours Moyen 1), Grade 6 (Sixieme), and Grade 10 (Seconde).
At the end of Grade 9 (Troisieme), students take four written assessments in French, Mathematics, History, and Sciences, along with a presentation project and an interview. Students must meet the statutory requirements; however, outcomes do not determine future educational options. Outstanding students are awarded the Diplome National du Brevet (DNB).
At the end of Grade 12 (Terminale), students take the Baccalaureat Général, a national standardized assessment necessary for higher education. After graduating, students receive a Baccalaureat certificate listing all subjects studied and their achievements in each.

Accreditation

To be accredited as a French educational institution, the Agency for French Education Abroad (AEFE) inspects schools outside of France. This ensures compliance with the standards and expectations of the French educational system.
Certification is granted for the whole school and is regularly reviewed through self-evaluation and inspection within a five-year cycle. Additionally, all schools in Abu Dhabi undergo mandatory inspections.

Further Details

More details on the French schooling system. Click Here

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