Saturday morning French school / ecole du samedi Post Reply

[lauren]

Bonjour!

I am looking for a Saturday morning French school / ecole du samedi for my 4-year-old. I am trying to raise him bilingual but he is attending an English primary school. Any recommendations? Near Earlsfield would be great. Alternatively, if you know of any local French clubs, thanks for letting me know.

L

[Jenniflowers]

Hi! We are expanding Jenniflowers Childcare and opening a new preschool opposite Southfields tube station next month. We are having French and Spanish language classes. Children who do not attend Jenniflowers preschool are welcome to attend our language classes and extra mural afternoon activities - ballet/craft/drama/football/rugby etc. Jenniflowers children get priority but if there's space you can join with pleasure.

Not a Saturday though sadly.. Not sure this will help you?

[brihoney]

I've recently discovered the cadet rouselle playgroup on mondays in salters hill - lovely atmosphere, nice parents, doesn't break the bank...
Its a bit of a trek from wandsworth, but i'm free on mondays and my 2 1/2 year old absolutely loves it.

They also have a nursery school and they do afterschool french classes for reception and year 1 aged pupils in Herne Hill - not that close but seem nice.
worth having a look at, if the school is as nice as the playgroup...
http://www.ecolecadetrousselle.co.uk/#!nos-classes

[brihoney]

I presume you know club petit pierot - they are very good, but not cheap... should have something convenient for you.

[supergirl]

The problem with club petit pierrot is that the vast majority of children who attends do not speak french at home. Ok if you re happy for your child to learn french as a foreign language, not ok if you re looking for your child to mix with french speaking children (children learn from their peer) and therefore learning french as a native (bilingual).

[lauren]

Thanks for your comments. We are a Franco-British family so my son understands French reasonably well but needs to become more confident speaking it. If you know any suitable French/bilingual schools/classes/clubs, thanks for letting me know.

[brihoney]

Yes, you are right about the club - also, 3/4 of an hour a week is not enough - they say you need 20 hours exposure to a language. I am english but went to the french lycee as a child and am trying to bring 2 boys up bilingual. The playgroup on salters hill is great, all the adults speak french to each other, even when you know it is someone else more comfortable in english, and so exciting to see my 2 1/2 year old beginning to speak french to other children - even if it is me teaching him to say 'mon tour' and 'non' on the 'tobogan'

But it is a long way, so I am seriously thinking about trying to start one in wandsworth or fulham on a wednesday morning - would anyone else be interested in working on it as a project. I know a lot of the lycee mother's with school aged children take wednesdays off if they work, so might be a good day to get pre school children. I'd like to do it as a not for profit family run thing, the format of Cadet Roussell is great. For the moment I'm going to keep going there so I see how it works and get to know them...

[SabineMum]

Hi brihoney. Unfortunately I'm unable to help setting this u as I will soon be going back to work full time, so this is just to say that I would be very interested indeed in a similar class in Wandsworth/Battersea/Clapham.

[LondMum]

Hi
I would be interested in a french playgroup, or setting one up. I speak french to my daughter but would be keen to get her exposed to other french speaking people (and I'd also like to meet some french speaking people as well!)
Would anybody be interested? Wednesday would work well for me.

[FleurB]

Hi,

we would be interested in a playgroup or to meet other french mums for a playdate / coffee. My son is 7 months old and we live in Earlsfield.
Lokking forward to hearing from you.

[monaco]

I think several of us on Nappyvalleynet have posted before about French between the commons. This is where my daughter goes (we are a Franco-English family so I speak French to her at home but her English dad speaks English).

They offer classes in different schools after school time (Honeywell, Belleville, Wix). It's generally twice a week.

They go where there is demand so if you are several in the same area, you could probably manage to get a class going.
Contact Tinarabin@btinternet.com

Good luck

[FleurB]

Hi,

thanks for your answer. I didn t know that they are these afternoonclasses.
My son will visit a french nursery from next year. I was hoping to find some contacts before that for playdates /coffee.

[brihoney]

Hi Fleur

I was keen to organise a playgroup, but I've started going to one in Salters Hill - its a bit far, but they are lovely mums and tots, and I'm now not sure if I have time to organise anything myself. But if you were keen, we could look into it together. Why don't you come down to one of the sessions of Cadet Rousselle to see how they/we do it there. (I've ended up getting roped into helping!) I'm not there this monday, but will be week after.

Do you know many local french mums (or dads) who are free during the week with preschool children? It will need to have a fair number to make it viable as people can't go every week. Or the alternative is to start low key and do it in each others houses and see if it grows.

The structure for Cadet Rouselle:
9.45 - 11.45
Stories about 10
Followed by a goûter (cut up fruit, raisins and sometimes home made cakes, the children sit down round a table)
Followed by an activité (lots of sweet things to take home)
Then free play, and about 11.30 we go outside and sing songs.

Cost £3.50/session - or £3 if bought in cards of 5 sessions.
http://www.cadetrousselle.co.uk/

They also have lots of books and DVDs to borrow. My boys have just discovered and love 'Sam Sam'.

Let me know your thoughts, plus anyone else who is interested.
A+

[FleurB]

Hi,

that is really funny. I was at Cadet Rouselle two weeks ago for the first time and we maybe already met.
I absolutely agree with you, it is very nice there, just a little bit far. And I just thought there must be so many french mums arround Clapham with babies... .Unfortunately I do not know a lot of french parents.
I know that there is another playgroup in Clapham for children from 2 years. Probably they would be open to accept little ones under 2 ??
Unfortunatly I do not fit into the role to lead a group as I am german. My partner is french and we speak french at home. But if you would still consider it to open something new I would be willing to help in the background. Did you know that there was a Cadet Rouselle at Balham in the 1 o clock club before?
See you at Cadet R.

[brihoney]

Yes, the balham one ran for a while, but it didn't quite have enough regulars to keep it going, I think with the cost of renting the 1 o'clock club there. I'm english, but I went to the french Lycee, so I pass for french!