Schools and Education in the Charente Region

Schools in France have some of the highest standards in Europe and the Charente is no exception. Since 1967, an education has been compulsory for children between the ages of 6 and 16 and all children aged between 3 and 5 are able to attend nursery schools.

The majority of French students attend state school, which are entirely secular. But a significant percentage of pupils (around 15% at primary level and 20% at secondary) attend private institutions. Many of these are Catholic schools, which have a partnership contract with the state.

Generally, schools in the Charente are very supportive of English families and will arrange a programme of extra French tuition in order to get them up to speed. The emphasis is very much on integration and your children will be expected and encouraged to mix with their peers.

Even though children are allowed home for lunch, you may find that their Head Teacher requests them to stay at school, as this is an important time for socialising and practising the all-important art of French conversation. Your child may very well object to this initially, but it is highly recommended. The long lunch breaks are a good opportunity to get involved with school life and your child could find him or herself very isolated if they don’t take part.

For further information on schools in the Charente, follow the links below.

But, please remember between us we have decades of experience with sending children to schools in the Charente, so you are welcome to contact us if you need practical help with:
~ arranging appointments at school
~ attending parents evenings
~ correspondence to or from school, etc..

Other links:
Conseil Général
Charente Development
Poitiers Academy

Or search the net with Google