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Bilingual Education for Kids near Paris

(Versailles, Jouy en Josas, Buc, Les Loges, Saclay, Saint Remy les Chevreuse, Orsay, Voisins le Bretonneux, Montigny les Bretonneux, Bievres, Vauhallan, Villiers le Bacle, Magny les Hameaux, Toussus le Noble, Guyancourt, Chateaufort, Velizy Villacoublay)

 

Survey Still Open - Links Available Below

Get Latest Survey Results Below

New Anglophone CM1-CM2 sections (elementary school) opened Sept 2008 in
Voisins le Bretonneux and Buc

 

Finding a high quality bilingual education for one's children is a major concern of families coming or returning to France.  For foreign expatriates it is often absolutely necessary to help their school-aged children integrate successfully into the French culture and find friends at school.  For French families or dual nationality families returning from a foreign posting it is often very important to help their children retain their English fluency.

But bilingual education can be surprisingly difficult to find in France.  There are many fine private and public French schools that offer some English language instruction, usually 2 or 3 hours per week.  But these are sometimes poorly suited for children who already have a high level of fluency.  There are a few very well known private schools with excellent reputations but locating next to them or traveling to them each day can be difficult.  Clearly what is needed are more bilingual opportunities for our children.


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The Parent of Anglophone Students in BUC (in French the PSAB) is a voluntary association recognize by the French Education ministry.  It is equivalent to an American or Canadian style Parents-Teaching Association.  PSAB is actively encouraging the French government to authorize and fund more bilingual educational opportunities in the region southwest of Paris called the Saclay Plateau.  This area, roughly from Palaiseau to Saint-Quentin-en-Yvelines, is an area with a high concentration of research and development laboratories, universities, and foreign multinational firms.  It is therefore attracting an increasing number of expatriates and mixed nationality families.  The region offers a superb quality of life.  It is the largest open green area near Paris and is still largely agricultural with beautiful forests and valleys nestled across the landscape.  Hiking and bicycles trails crisscross the area weaving through lakes, golf courses, equestrian centers, and ancient chateaux.  Surprisingly, it is only minutes from Paris - not counting the high traffic periods - so it is an attractive alternative to living in high-density Paris.

To add to the success of opening the Bilingual International English Sections for students from 11 to 17 at Collège Martin Luther King and the Lycée Franco-Allemand, the PSAB is actively lobbying the French government to extend bilingual education to younger children, initially starting with the CM1 and CM2 sections (roughly 9 and 10 year olds) in BUC and some of the surrounding communities on the Saclay Plateau.  But we could use your help.  If you want your own children to be able to benefit from a bilingual education please complete the following online survey.  We will use it to show the demand for bilingual education.

Thank you for your interest in improving the educational attractivity of the Paris region for expatriate and mixed nationality families.

 

Click to show your support for bilingual education on the Saclay Plateau. By pre-registering your children with the association we can use your expressions of interest to lobby for more government-supported bilingual education.

(Please note:  this is not a formal application to any of the programs, there is no cost involved, and we do not send emails except to offer you an occasional update)

http://appli8.hec.fr/tk/psab-cm1-cm2.htm

Download Survey Results of Excel Data, Table, and Chart File

Announcement from the PASB concerning the opening of two Anglophone sections in Yvelines in Sept. 2008

MS Word or PDF

 

Paris Pole Sud Expatriate Survey

30 June 2007

Introduction

Thank you for your interest in improving the educational attractivity of the Paris region for expatriate and mixed nationality families. The survey is designed to gather information concerning the need for bilingual education for the children of expatriates, mixed nationality families, and French citizens with significant foreign experience wanting to offer their children a bilingual education.  This phase of the survey will be used to solicit improvements in the infrastructural attractivity of the area to the South and West of Paris.  This study is being conducted by HEC School of Management and will be discussed with leading French politicians and administrative decision-makers.  The online surveys will remain active until sufficient sample size is reached to draw reasonable conclusions.  Please help by forwarding information about this study to your personal and professional networks.

This page will be periodically updated with the Paris Pole Sud survey results.

Survey Links and Reports

Corporate Questionnaire Results

Preliminary Project Report (French)

French DOC, ZIPPED)
Link to Family Questionnaire

Individual Survey (English)

Preliminary Project Report (English)

English DOC, ZIPPED;
 

HEC Masters Thesis comparing the attractivity of Paris Pole Sud with other high tech centers in France (French DOC, ZIPPED)

Links related to attracting creative talent to France Attracting Talent to France

2007 European Attractiveness Scoreboard (English) (French)

2008 European Attractiveness Scoreboard (English)

 

Acknowledgements

HEC gratefully acknowledges the contributions of Patricia Comolet, Monique Masionneuve, Irene Tinagli, Johanne Solanet, Marie-Charlotte Vaissier, Vincent Fournier, Adrien Bouchet, and the anonymous respondents to the surveys.

Additional Survey Information

An initial analysis of the twenty five questions in the individual questionnaire is available above.  Below are a few of the questions of particular interest because they contain the open-ended responses not fully analyzed in the project reports.

Selected Result Tables (next update scheduled for Sept 2010)

In which city do you live?
Paris 23
Versailles 5
Châtenay-Malabry 3
Buc 2
Chevreuse 2
Clamart 2
Jouy-en-Josas 2
Le pecq 2
Le Vésinet 2
Neuilly-sur-Seine 2
rueil-malmaison 2
VILLE D AVRAY 2
Antony 1
Collégien 1
Colombes 1
Dampierre 1
Garches 1
La Celle St Cloud, Yvelines. 1
Le Chesnay 1
L'Hay-les-Roses 1
Maisons-Laffitte 1
Meudon 1
Saclay 1
Saint Chéron 1
Saussay - 80km West of Paris 1
St Nom la Breteche 1
St Rémy lès Chevreuse 1
Thorigny-sur-Marne 1
Vaucresson 1
ville d'avray 1
Villemoisson sur Orge 1
Voisins le Bretonneux  

 

In which economic sector do you work?
Response options Number of responses Distribution (%)
Fast Moving Consumer goods  5 8.1
Manufactured Industrial Products  3 4.8
High tech (equipment and software)  18 29.0
Consulting and other business services  21 33.9
If other, specify  15 24.2
Total: 62 100.0
No. of missing replies: 7
If other, specify
International organisation
International organisation
law
Legal firm in Paris
fashion
stay at home parent
education
Teacher
education
pharmaceutical
pharmaceutical
training
Relocation
Primary School Teacher
plastics industry

 

What is your major job responsibility?
Response options Number of responses Distribution(%)
General Management  10 16.1
Sales  6 9.7
Customer Service  3 4.8
Research/Product Development  8 12.9
Marketing  8 12.9
Legal / Audit  8 12.9
If other, specify  19 30.6
Total: 62 100.0
No. of missing replies: 7
If other, specify
translation
Training
communications
Project management
Communications
HR
Legal Secretary
communications/public relations
teacher
Accountancy
Teaching
Communications
investment banking
journalism
CEO
Teaching elementary school aged children
purchasing
Finance
Project Management

 

What is your principal nationality ?
Response options
American 23
British 21
French 7
Two or more 4
Canadian 4
German 3
Irish 2
Australian 2
New Zealand 1
Italian 1

 

How likely are you to change schools if you are not satisfied?
Response options Number of responses Distribution(%)
highly likely  22 36.1
somewhat likely  22 36.1
not certain yet  14 23.0
somewhat unlikely  0 0.0
unlikely  3 4.9
Total: 61 100.0
No. of missing replies: 8

 

Where will you probably send them? (School name / location)
Ecole Martin Luther King, (section anglophone) Buc
Local French Public School with Summer school or external classes at ASP
Lycée Balzac, Paris 18
St Pierre Dreux (ecole prive)
Ecole Colbert
Collège Paul Bert, Villemoisson if no bilingual possibilities
Steiner/Waldorf in Verrieres-le-Buisson
Cours Secondaire D'Orsay, Orsay
ANYWHERE BUT FRANCE!  I hate the french educational system
La Source, Meudon, for maternelle, then hopefully the international section in Sevres
Versailles
College Sevres section international, College franco-allemand buc
International school or lycée in the western suburbs
Not sure for the moment
don't know
EAB 15th
We will try for the international section at Honoré de Balzac for College and Lycée
Versailles,
Ecole aujourd'hui
english section in private french school
Somewhere in the 16th Arrondissement
EAB
Lycee Intl St Germain en Laye, Institut de la Tour
One major reason I moved back to Paris from the SW of Paris (Bievres) is for my children to have the opportunity for a bilingual education and wider range of bilingual activities.
no idea
Don't know
Magny-le-Hongre (If the catchment area is widened)/ Montry Bilingual school, Marne la Vallee
the international school in Buc (78)
current researching bilingual schools
American school
NOT SURE
Would like a bilingual school in suburbs
Undecided
LFA, Buc
Ideally a bilingual (equal emphasis on two languages AND cultures) - as local as possible
see above; Ecole de Sèvres; later also: Ecole franco-allemande de Buc (if child passes entrance test at école primaire)
American School of Paris in Saint Cloud
Section Internationale de Sèvres
A bilingual school to teach them more French
Mallerb School - La Vesinet

 

In terms of infrastructures and quality of life, what should be improved in your region? (please check the three most important improvements)
Response options Number of responses Distribution(%)
More bilingual kindergardens or "garderies"  39 56.5
More bilingual elementary schools  52 75.4
More bilingual college/lycees  48 69.6
Spouse cultural integration services  7 10.1
Quicker access to work permits for spouses  3 4.3
More household workers (maids, gardeners, nannies, etc.)  8 11.6
More international press (print, radio, TV)  17 24.6
More entertainment venues  8 11.6
Better public transportation  14 20.3
Less traffic congestion to and from work  25 36.2
If other, specify  7 10.1
If other, specify
more choices of schools
More sociable population
more indoor activity centers for kids for wintertime eg Ludimax
more public creches, halte garderies for non working parents
Better weather !
MORE OPEN GREEN SPACES
Less noisy public services while kids sleep. i.e. excessive refuse collection and street cleaning - all very noisy and at unsociable hours.

 

What other concerns do you have about expatriate integration that were not addressed?
Maybe I shouldn't have completed this survey (feel free to erase my answers) because I actually came to France on my own. Having a French mother allowed me to obtain an ID card and therefore a job. I stayed on because I met my husband and then had a family. This situation is not uncommon as you may already know. Your survey doesn't address this specific category of people. My daughter (14 yo) is unhappy in French schools because she has many friends in the US and she hears about the schools over there and can't help but compare the two systems. Both systems are far from perfect but the encouragement and support the students get in the US are what seems to be missing the most in the French system.  
modernise the whole system of Napoleonic Education Nationale! improve school timetables, get rid of 'concours' 'prepa', change to enquiry-based learning rather than rote-learning, etc  
Well I came here to Marry and live with my French husband so not really here with an ex pat job. I have been here 10 years and love France and the US and find the best of both. I suppose for true expat families more family and spouse integration necessary. 
Better assistance with administrative procedures... the prefecture tends to be unfriendly, inefficient and monolingual. A multi-lingual ombudsman, who could aid foreigners as they wait in line, deal with bureaucrats, etc. would be very helpful.

Also, PLEASE REFORM THE DRIVING LICENSE EXCHANGE PROCEDURES! Right now, Americans can only use their US licenses for one year and can only exchange their US licenses for French ones if their licenses are from one of nine (out of 50) states. This is absurd. I have been driving for 15 years, but can't drive in France without undergoing a lengthy, expensive and time-consuming (difficult for working parents) procedure. ABSURD! And I know many expats who drive on their "home" licenses even though they're not supposed to do so, simply because it's too complicated to get a French one. (NB I don't do this - too risky) 
The southwest area of Paris is a lovely area to live in - close to city centre yet very green with lots of parks and forests. The absence of international schools is a major drawback as is English language activities and support -cinema, medical community. 
I was the trailing spouse. My husband found a job here (we are not on an expat contract), and I was continually blocked in getting work authorization. Now I consult from a home office and bill through the United States--too bad for the French, who lose taxes on my high income!

My son is in a lovely primary school right now, but we really don't know what we'll do in a few years when we need to find a college. If he is not accepted to one of the bilingual schools, I expect we will move.

I am really astonished by the low number of schools with good English programs. Everyone wants their children to learn English nowadays, not just the Anglophone expats. It's near impossible for native English speakers to get our children into the Paris-based bilingual schools, as they are full of monolingual French children! There are not even enough Wednesday programs for English speakers. 
We once considered an overseas move and the single most important factor in our choice of location would have been bilingual education (English/French). 
It can be extremely difficult for the expat employees to integrate with the local employees, so perhaps more social functions where the two can mix. eg Christmas parties that include spouses, a family day of some sort, a work team sport etc 
French administration is very difficult for new arrivals - especially if you don't speak good French. Prefecture refuse to speak one word of English. 
my biggest one is education for my daughter - I want to ensure she has option to have higher education in US if she chooses 
I think that the French Educational System should realise the importance that expatriates place on their children been exposed to their own culture and language and keeping it "alive' for them. I have family in Ireland and I want my children to create a bond with them therefore they 'need' to be fluent in English and just speaking with me is honestly not enough, my children enjoy attending Open Doors and speaking English with other children of their own age. Also they get to experience another way of been taught and that been in school can be enjoyed. So far my experience of French teachers has been more positive than negative but there are always the few bad 'apples' in the barrel. 
Generally speaking, bilingual education is expensive. In France it is considered "elite", and access is limited, based on "dossier" and money. Moreover, you have to live close to school, in order to manage daily life, and real estate is just way out of range in the Southwest of Paris -- so educating children bilingually is a real luxury only available to those fortunate enough to have two salaries. As a single mom, I have to compromise a lot more to enable my son access to what I consider good education. 
French administration is a maze to a non speaker. Perhaps it would help to have a service in English that would explain the health and social systems.
More support for bilingual children. They should be encouraged at school and anglo phone families normally expect to be more actively involved with their children's education - the staff at the schools can seem a bit abrupt.
Also it's really unnerving to smile automatically at people and have them frown back at you as if you're mad - I'm just British not crazy!
And everyone should drive on the left. 
more options for French language courses 
A central reference point for understanding local services, schools, language learning facilities, shops, activities for kids etc.. accessible to those who have not yet learned much french. 
Lack of English speaking babysitters 
Would be useful for example tourist offices could provide more information on bilingual schools etc, good medical specialists and so on. I have relied much on the talks and information given from 'message' the mother support group for anglophones in and around Paris, which Paediatricians do not even have information on. I have found the integration of bilingualism in maternalle system not welcomed by the higher authorities ie the Inspectorate, and to me this shows a jealous side of something which should be very much encouraged and made use of for non bilingual children, to encourage greater cultural diversity and understanding, which I believe helps in the fight against racism. Town hall could also provide more help and services/advice as again in questions of building work they have not been very efficient in explaining process, rules and so on.