Has anyone else heard of this??

[frenchaddict]

Hi, we're moving to France in August with four of our children.My French friend has just informed me that the schools my children will be attending, want a letter from their current schools here in the UK, just to confirm that they are definately leaving the school. The mairie apparently told her this when she went to see him on my behalf (I was still in the UK when she went). Has anyone else ever had to supply this piece of info to the school and if so, what sort of info did it have to contain? I'm presuming it will have to be in French of course. Any advice will be greatly appreciated. Thanks.

Sheila

[Paul Bradford]

Hi Sheila,

Probably won't help much, but we registered our children just after Easter having visited the Marie and the schools (Monflanquin 47). Neither of the schools (our daughters are 7 & 5) required any letter, just confirmation their vaccinations were up to date. We have just had the TB one done at our local NHS School Clinic as this was a requirement.

Regards

Paul Bradford

 

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[Kitty]

Three of my four children starting three different French schools: all enrolled with forms filled in etc.  None needed any such proof.  In fact, none of the schools expected much information.  As the children were English, the head teachers crossed out most of the questions and any that I didn't understand, I left blank with no come-back.  They are all going to private schools and I don't know if this makes a difference.

[SaligoBay]

Yes, when my son changed primary schools within France we were asked for this. 

If it's really a problem for you to get this from the UK school, just take the "no I don't have that because that's not how it works in England" line. 

[Suze01]

We were also asked to supply a letter from the UK school, four years ago so maybe they're not bothered any more.

[Mistral]

It's called an "exeat" it's proof that the child is 'unregistererd' from one school and in france it is technically necessary to register at the next school. You are more likely to be asked when you change schools mid-cycle and for secondary schools. My school asks for it from pupils coming from other collèges but not from pupils coming into 6eme from the primary sector (unless it was in the file sent directly from the primaire and I didn't see it.) So saying, I have loads of pupils who have just appeared without that sort of paperwork and the school has never refused them (if they are between 6 and 16 and live in the sector, it can't)

You could either go SB's way and just say it doesn't exist in the UK, or get your children's schools to wite out a letter with names, date of birth and saying that they have been removed from the lists and don't owe any money to the school (another use of the exeat- it's about the only way to get some parents to pay the cantine)