Schools in Duras 47120

[Parkysam]

Hi,

I just wondered if anyone had any experience of the maternalle and primaire schools in duras? My boys are 3 and 6 and I'm really nervous about them starting school in January .

Thank you,

Sam

[idun]

This is a strange old question. There are plenty of posts on the Education thread about schools. You say 'schools', well if they go to state school it will have to be the one most local to you. Or you can chose to pay and they go to private school.

Maternelle IMO is usually very good, in fact I would say excellent. Primaire is OK. And then it goes down hill from there. That should be anywhere in France.

[SC]

It's understandable that you are concerned. I have no experience of French schools in Duras, but I do have the experience of our daughter, who went through the French system very successfully to call on. It's probably fair to say that not all Brits have had the same experience.

There's a few points that are undeniable.

The private (Catholic, but you don't need to be one) system is not expensive, costing a about 500 euros a year in primaire.

In both systems you will be given a list of books and materials to buy. If you are hard up you can get help if you're in the system.

Pupils in France must be insured against damaging school property, most home insurance policies include this.

Teachers in the private system rarely strike.

The school year is Sept-Sept as in the UK, but the intake for the year is Jan-Jan.

This is a personal view, but I think that the main difference between schools, colleges and lycees here is between "private" and public, rather than between different schools in the same regime.

Steve