Right Age

[Beeky]

Hi All

Could anyone give me advise on what would be the ideal age plus time of year to get my daughter into a french school. She will be 5 this June !

Thanks in advance

[Cassis]

A lot, if not most, French children seem to go to a Maternelle from the age of 3 until they go to 'proper' school.  Compulsory schooling starts with CP in the September of the year the child turns 6. 

For the basics:

http://www.frenchentree.com/fe-education/

[TWINKLE]

My daughter started going to maternelle (nursery school) mornings only at age 3 1/2 years old,  then all day when she was 4 1/2 years old.  They do send them at an early age here (as soon as they're out of nappies) usually 2 years old!  I didn't want my daughter to start so early but I had a lot of pressure from my French family and friends to send her as early as possible -  I resisted. 

In my area, parents send their children to school at such an early age because the crèche alternative is so expensive and both parents are working either part or full-time.  I'm glad I didn't send my daughter to school until later, it's such a precious time in our lives.  I was lucky to be able to do this as I work mostly in the evenings. 

However, it did take her a while to adapt to 'communal' life.  She wasn't very happy about sitting at a desk with the rest of the class and at first spent a lot of time sitting under the table sulking. 

Another future prima donna I'm afraid!

[Teamedup]

I'd get her into grande section maternelle in September or even at the maternelle after the spring holidays. It would be better her knowing french before CP starts next year, CP is serious schooling.

[Panda]

Hi

I would agree with Teamedup, get her into school ASAP, in maternelle it is fine to take your child out for the odd day and so it is a much easier start for them than straight into primaire where they even frown if you want to leave for holiday a couple of hours early to catch the ferry. 

My son started in moyenne section maternelle and he too had the odd moment where he would 'pretend' not to understand the teacher and sit on the floor instead of where he was supposed to be, they catch on quickly and will play the english card more often than they need to even at 5!  He was caught out when he engaged in a long description of some toy or other in fluent french!  We were very lucky, his first teacher was fantastic and quite unusually, from what I can gather, was very 'mumsy' and supportive to the class, she still gives him a huge hug when we see her in the town, 3 years on.  In primaire things are a lot more formal and I almost feel a salute to the prof would be more expected than a hug!

So yes, get her into school quickly and she has a much better chance of being ready for 'real' school at 6 when things get a lot more serious.

Panda  

[TWINKLE]

[quote user="Panda Bear"]

he too had the odd moment where he would 'pretend' not to understand the teacher and sit on the floor instead of where he was supposed to be, they catch on quickly and will play the english card more often than they need to even at 5!  [/quote]

Sorry - I didn't mention that my daughter was born in France so although I speak English to her, she is completely fluent in French so she really was just being a prima-donna[:)]  Because she started school later than her class mates it took her a while to get 'institutionalised'.  They soon get the hang of it.