Brevet

[Annhopkins]

Could anyone please clarify the age at which children take the brevet.

Taylor is 13 and currently in year 9 (English system) she will be 14 in May 2005.  Exactly what age would she be and what time of year would she take the brevet?  If we were to move to France in January would she only have the rest of this academic year and the next before she sat the exams?  Would she have enough time to learn the language and the work needed to pass?

This is very important.  Answers please.

[Teamedup]

The pupils sit the brevet at the end of 3eme which is the fourth year of secondary education. I'm afraid your year 9 has no meaning to me what so ever.

It is based on the pupil's average in both 4eme and 3eme, 4eme being the 3rd year of secondary education, and an exam is sat at the end of 3eme (last few days of June).  Brighter kids with high scores will have actually passed this before they sit the exam, although they must sit this exam too in order to be awarded it.

If you came to France, usually kids are put down a year in order to learn french so your daughter would be likely be in 5eme and the results of that year would not count towards this exam.

 

 

 

[Val_2]

AND aren't they cruel here publishing those who have passed their exams whether it be the Brevêt or BAC and those who have failed too which dosn't give the child a lot of confidence. My kids did their Brevêts in 3eme and both were 16 because they re-did the last year of primaire to get their french upto speed for collège.

[Menetereau<P>http:www.thewritefrenchlife.com<P>]

[quote]Could anyone please clarify the age at which children take the brevet. Taylor is 13 and currently in year 9 (English system) she will be 14 in May 2005. Exactly what age would she be and what time o...[/quote]

Hi,

I have three children that are enrolled within French schools for the past eleven years.  My eldest son and daughter have both taken the Brevet.  The exam is at the end of 3éme (age 15) and the exam is in May/June - before the end of the school year.

 

To be honest it is an exam that has little value and I really wouldn't worry about whether or not your child passes - it won't stop her going on to higher education.

 

Wishing you all the best!

 

Susan

Interested in France & the French life style?  Download a FREE copy of our ebook, 'France: The Land of Legends, Superstitions, Curious Facts, Dreams & the Sheer Bizarre!'

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[Teamedup]

Could we have The Right French Life please. The brevet is last week of school in June and not May/June, or even towards the end of the year, it is the end of the year. In fact it is usually those very last few days of the school year.

It means that one cannot slip the kids out of school a few days early as in all the other classes they don't do anything in that last week. The only year I wanted to do this fell in with my son sitting it. And it cost us hundreds of pounds more for flights having to leave on the Saturday.

[Val_2]

Thats correct. All those not in 3eme finish a week early so that the last week of the school year is devoted only to those taking the Brevêt and not in May. Children should also be reminded that they need to collect their certificates from the collège at the beginning of the new school year,for which they sign for and will be required to keep for future reference. Collèges never send any qualifications out by post.

[Mistral]

The dates vary from year to year. Last year was the earliest I've ever known it, on the 24th/25th June if I remember right. This year I think it will be about the latest since the official end of term is 1st July. The brevet is usually on the Wednesday and Thursday so most schools give the 3emes Monday and Tuesday off (up to the head) and usually close the school Tuesday afternoon to set the tables up. Only the 3emes come in on the days of the brevet although all the pupils are supposed to come back after the brevet until the last day of term but most consider it to be the end. Most schools are very vague about this, they don't want them back.

Pupils can also take the brevet general which means an exam in every subject and no continous assessment. It's mainly taken by pupils who don't have grades for 4eme or 3eme for some reason or who have gone on to lycée without the brevet but want to have it. (a lot of parents seem to feel it is an important piece of paper-can't imagine why if you see how it's graded)