The French Education System
National Education
Ministry
Organise the primary
and the secondary
school
Higher Education and
Research Ministry
Organise the higher
education
CIO/CII Lyon Centre 25 mars 2014
The French Education System
• In 2012-2013, the French education system provided schooling for around 15
million pupils, students and apprentices (representing about 23% of the national
population); the total budget was of 139.4 billion euro, in 2012 (the equivalent of
6.9% of the Gross Domestic Product). (MEN-DEPP, RERS, 2013)
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THE FIVE GREAT PRIORITIES FOR 2013
Rebuild the training of the teachers
Renovate primary education
Bring the school into the digital age
Achieve ambitious targets for reducing dropout
Develop arts and cultural education
CIO/CII Lyon Centre 25 mars 2014
Keywords of the organisation
• Two ministry
• Highly centralised in terms of teaching staff, curricula,
diplomas but working towards a more devolved organisation
in terms of investments since the 1980s
• Divided into 3 stages :
• primary
• Secondary
• Higher education
CIO/CII Lyon Centre 25 mars 2014
Basic principles
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School is compulsory from age 6 to16
A right to education from age 3
School is free of charge and non religious
Around 20% in private education
A national curriculum for primary and secondary
education
• National diplomas (brevet des collèges,
baccalauréat)
• Pupils with disabilities are more and more
integrated
CIO/CII Lyon Centre 25 mars 2014
The Ministry of National Education
• Regulates and imposes all educational
programmes, curricula and guidelines
• Organises examinations, delivers diplomas
Brevet des collèges, Baccalauréat (General and
vocational A-levels), CAP (vocational diploma).
• Recruits staff (civil servants, teachers),
manages their careers and pay salaries.
CIO/CII Lyon Centre 25 mars 2014
The Higher education and research ministry
• In recent years universities have been given
greater autonomy in funding, staff and
building construction.
• But they have some requirements about:
-Following up cohorts and job insertion
-Teaching evaluation
-Organization of courses
-Skills learned
CIO/CII Lyon Centre 25 mars 2014
Who’s in charge of the costs?
Nursery and primary schools
→local councils
Lower Secondary schools (collèges)
→county councils
Upper secondary schools(lycées)
→ regional councils
University
→state
CIO/CII Lyon Centre 25 mars 2014
France is divided into 30 académies
One
« rectorat »
per Academie
which
organise at a
regional level
the education
ministry
policy
CIO/CII Lyon Centre 25 mars 2014
Nursury and primary
school
From age 3 to 11
6,7 million pupils
CIO/CII Lyon Centre 25 mars 2014
Nursury and primary school
Age
Class
Key stage
1011
Cours Moyen 1 (CM1)
9-10
Cours Moyen 2 (CM2)
Cycle des
approfondissements
(further learning stage)
8-9
School
Ecole Primaire
7-8
Cours Elémentaire 1 (CE1) Cycle des apprentissages
Préparatoire (CP)
fondamentaux
(basic skills)
Grande Section
6-7
5-6
4-5
3-4
Cours Elémentaire 2 (CE2)
Ecole
Maternelle
Moyenne Section
Petite Section
Cycle des apprentissages
premiers (first
knowledge)
One of the main purposes of the cycles is to emphasise the continuity of
education between years and between schools
CIO/CII Lyon Centre 25 mars 2014
Secondary school
From age 11 to 18
3,3 million pupils in junior secondary school
2,5 million pupils in senior secondary school (1,4 in general, 650000 in vocational)
CIO/CII Lyon Centre 25 mars 2014
Secondary school
CIO/CII Lyon Centre 25 mars 2014
Secondary school
 Lower secondary school
Age
school
Class
Key stage
11-12
Sixième (6e)
Cycle d’adaptation
(transition)
12-13
Cinquième (5e)
13-14
Quatrième (4e)
collège
14-15
Troisième (important
path)
Cycle central
Cycle
d’orientation(preparation
for upper secondary
school and National
Diploma of « brevet des
collèges »
CIO/CII Lyon Centre 25 mars 2014
Secondary school
 Upper secondary school
two types of lycée, each having a slightly different purpose, leading to different qualifications
The general and technological lycée
• General baccalauréat for general and long studies (5 years at least) in university
or preparatory classes for entrance to prestigious higher education institutions
called “Grandes Ecoles” ( Licence , Master, Doctorat)
• Technological Baccalauréat for vocational and short studies (2 or 3 YEARS) in
lycée or university (BTS, DUT)
The vocational Lycée or Apprenticeship Center
• Vocational Baccalauréat (professionnel, 3 years) or CAP (2 years) prepare people
for work and sometime, for some of them, to go on short and vocational studies
CIO/CII Lyon Centre 25 mars 2014
Secondary school
 Upper secondary school
The general and technological lycée
Age
school
15-16
16-17
17-18
Lycée général et
technologique
Class
Cycle
2nde (important
path)
Cycle de détermination(choose a
greater specialisation)
1ere
Terminale (T)
Cycle terminal (preparation of
the Baccalauréat)
CIO/CII Lyon Centre 25 mars 2014
Secondary school
 Upper secondary school
The Vocational lycée
Age
school
15-16
16-17
17-18
Lycée
professionnel
Bac
professionnel
Certificat d’Aptitude
Professionnelle (CAP)
2nde
1ére année
1ere
2ème année
Terminale (T)
CIO/CII Lyon Centre 25 mars 2014
Higher education
2.4 million students
University (1,5 million), CPGE ( 90 OOO) or Grandes Ecoles and BTS
CIO/CII Lyon Centre 25 mars 2014
Higher education
• The French system of higher education is distinguished by a
diversity of institutions, courses, organisational
arrangements and admission requirements.
• Over 3500 different institutions offer higher education
studies. 83 universities, more than 200 grandes écoles.
• In recent years universities have adopted the threefold
European wide system of qualification (Bachelor, Masters,
Doctorate) in line with EU agreements.
• Centralised application process “Admission Post Bac”
CIO/CII Lyon Centre 25 mars 2014
Higher Education
CIO/CII Lyon Centre 25 mars 2014
Higher education
University
Doctorat
Technological
University
Institute
Grande école
Master, Diplôme d’ingénieur
Master
Lycée
Licence
Licence professionnelle
Lycée professionnel or
training center
Bac professionnel
BTS
DUT
selectiv
CPGE
Non selectiv
selectiv
Bac technologique
Bac général
CAP
2deGénérale et technologique
3éme collège
CIO/CII Lyon Centre 25 mars 2014
Conclusion
• 84,5% of pupils who pass the Baccalauréat obtain it
• 73,5% of a same age group have the Baccalauréat
• Goals: 100% with a EQF level 3
80% of a same age group with the
Baccalauréat
• 2015 50% of a same age group with a higher
education diploma
CIO/CII Lyon Centre 25 mars 2014
Figures about employment
• about 66 millions people in France
• About 10 % unemployed people
• 26, 5 % of unemployed youth (under 25 ans)
CIO/CII Lyon Centre 25 mars 2014