Rochechouart Colleges

[User no longer member.]

Hi, (I'm new to the forum so please be gentle with me!)

We are moving to the Limousin in a few weeks time and our 15 year old son will go to college in Rochechouart.  Our estate agent told us to visit the Mairie and be advised which college they recommend but as always I like to be well prepared.  Does anyone's kids attend schools or colleges in this area and can they give any pointers for me please.  He speaks French by the way and is so keen to get started in the French system - although I'm more worried than he is that he may not be able to keep up, especially with the written work ... so I am hoping they will speak at least some English!

wish I had this great opportunity as a child, although its never too late as they say.

 

[Frosty]

Hi

My 2 girls go to college in Rochechouart,(it is the only college) and we have just worked out between us that there are around 30 english pupils of all ages in the school. Not all the teachers speak english though.My girls are happy there, but then we have lived here 5 years and they have gone through primary school so went up with all their french friends and have since made new ones. I have abit of an issue with the fact that the english kids seem to stick together as a bit of a 'clique' and this causes some resentment but its not just this year it's been happening for a while.

The only problem I can see is that if they put your son into 3eme, (which is the last year) he will be expected to take his 'brevet' at the end of this school year, and this exam is based on the previous 4 years scool work. So maybe its worth asking if he can be held back a year.

Anyway good luck with the move. Maybe I'll see you at the gate. Any questions feel free to pm

Regards

Karen

[Tourangelle]

[quote user="Frosty"]

The only problem I can see is that if they put your son into 3eme, (which is the last year) he will be expected to take his 'brevet' at the end of this school year, and this exam is based on the previous 4 years scool work. So maybe its worth asking if he can be held back a year.

[/quote]

Can I advise against this if when you say he already speaks French you also mean he writes it?  It's not really based on the last four years except in the sense that in maths, say, they aren't going to teach them how to multiply if they are supposed to have learnt that in 6eme, they aren't going to review past participles if they did it in 5eme and so on.  I mean it is not like GCSEs with coursework or anything like that, and the history and geography syllabus is just the year of 3eme. Also, and this is recent, for the continous assessment, in all the other subjects it is now only the marks in 3eme that count, whereas before it used to be those in 4eme as well.  And of course he will sail through the certification in English!

[User no longer member.]

Thanks for that. I'm glad to hear there will be some English pupils at the college although my son is not phased by it at all and can't wait to make new friends, both French and English!

He has already suggested that he be put back a year although this is something we will have to discuss at the school.  anyway looking forward to seeing you at the gate!