First time mum looking for guidance - French Schools in London Post Reply

[NigerianMama]

Hi,

We currently live in the south Croydon area, But plan to move to Streatham, Streatham Hill or West Norwood before our son is old enough enough to begin school. We are a multicultural and multilingual household with four languages being spoken between us. One of these languages is French as my husband is from a frank African country, and I am from an Anglophone African country.

We plan to do African languages at home and European languages at school and so would really want to send our son who is currently a baby at four months old to a bilingual school from nursery through to at least the end of primary education. I have been told that getting into French calls in London is insane, competitive and that I may be running behind as I’m only just looking into registering him now. But I also know that as a first time Mum, I’m probably overthinking many things. I have reached out to several of the schools for registration and he’s also already on the waiting list for Ecole du park. I was just wondering, is there any advice, any schools in which you think are overhyped or should be avoided?

Does my son have any chance of getting into any of the Lycee’s in London? We’re not citizens but my son and my husband of citizens of a nation in addition to their British citizenship and my son is also a citizen of my country as well. Are there any tips and tricks into helping with admission? Are there any things we should be doing? Are there any nurseries which are really well-known for being feeder schools and having strong ties to the Lycee’s and other French schools. Are there any schools to stay away from?

I’m currently really interested in Ecole de Battersea, Ecole de Wix and Marie d’Orliac, and Ecole du Parc. I’ve also seen École Cadet Rousselle which looks like a lovely nursery. I will throw my hat in the ring at applications for the states in Wandsworth with bilingual streams for primary when the time comes but as we’ll likely end up in Lambeth I doubt we have a shot. Any advice welcome! I really want to give him the best chance to have a true bilingual education.

[NigerianMama]

Anyone there who can help?

[Mom2TrilangueBoys]

Hello Nigerian Mama,

I am an Anglophone bilingual mom to two boys currently at Marie D'Orliac. My understanding is that Marie D'Orliac has places. I initially applied to a nursery in Clapham and Ecole d'Battersea and attended Ecole d'Battersea last year in 2023 at the Open Day. The school only offered me a place for my CE2 child i.e. Year 4 equivalent. I was not enthused as it is not ideal to take the kids to two different schools. There is nearly a 5 year age gap with my two boys so I declined the school. Then I found Marie D'Orliac in Fulham. I live in SW London so it is not an issue. The building itself is a bit old but wonderfully located across the street from South Park. I find the teachers helpful though classes are on the full side (I believe there are nearly 30 students). Both my kids are in Francophone  only stream but they speak English as well. The school has a 1 lesson per day of English (except Wednesdays I believe, and since your husband is from a Francophone country he will know Wednesdays are half days). My kids had spent a few years in Switzerland so have been more or less educated in French. I was keen not to lose French. Feel free to ask away on any other questions.

[Mom2TrilangueBoys]

Also, following Marie D'Orliac your children can make the switch to South Kensington at Lycee Charles de Gaulle after CM2.  

[kidzibuzi]

Hello,
School admissions change every year so it will be difficult to predict so early. 
My kids went to Wix bilingual primary school through Wandsworth admission even if we lived in Lambeth, but really close (5 minutes walk). So usually you have to live close to the school for council admissions, however if you are looking at admissions through the French Lycee in bilingual or French streams, there is definitely more flexibility on distance, some people live in Streatham and go to Wix. 
Good luck with it and you will usually get what you want, it just takes some planning time in the year ahead of primary and secondary schools, and sometimes a few months on a waiting list.


 

[NigerianMama]

Ah thank you! I’m a big nervous about the Lycee after reading thie Ofsted reports and some former pupils negative experiences but we do have ages before we make any decisions. Would you recommend it?

[NigerianMama]

Thank you so much! Marie d’Orliac is a school I love from what I’ve seen online so amazing to see they may have places! I’ve always been told that the lycees are all so oversubscribed if you’re not French chances are very slim. How did you find the big class sizes and the french system? Is it as harsh as some describe it? My son is already on the waiting list for Ecole du Parc (which I really like so far) and I put him down for Ecole Jaques Prevert as well, trying to add him to the waiting list for a few more schools. Is the diversity at the Lycee’s quite good? I thought seeing as they are true international schools then the diversity is likely better than in the bilingual privates in London.

[NigerianMama]

Ahh we will definitely live around a 15 minute drive away from the school so I won’t get my hopes high but I’ll still apply as you never know! Thank you for the good luck I’m trying to get stuck in now so we have the best chances for him.

[Eclo]

Va