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‘Strict but a holistic education’: How the French public school system really works

Teaching English in a French school is a common experience for anglophones - but the French school system can come as a shock. We spoke to some former teachers about their experiences and views on how the education system works.

Published: 29 April 2022 16:23 CEST

'Strict but a holistic education': How the French public school system really works

Pupils in an elementary school in Lyon. (Photo by JEFF PACHOUD / AFP)

It is fair to say that the education system in France is pretty different from that of the United Kingdom or the United States. We interviewed several former English-language instructors who have worked in the French public school system to hear about the things that stood out to them – good and bad.

Long days

The French public school day typically runs from 8.30am – 4.30pm, which is generally longer than school days in the United States. However, French students get a longer lunch break and some French schools have either half-days on Wednesdays, or they might have the day completely off.

Allison Lounes, 35, appreciates the structure of the scholastic calendar in France, having seen it from both the perspective of teacher and mother.

“I do like having Wednesdays off for him to do activities. The days are longer, but it’s nice to have a break and then two more days. School goes until 4:30pm, so there are not a lot of activities happening in the evening,” said Lounes.

Megan Lapke, 29, who taught in two collèges in the Académie d’Orléans-Tours in 2014-2015 and now teaches in a private secondary school in France, quite enjoyed the pause déjeuner.

“I appreciated the long lunches in the French school system, the fact that teachers don’t have to watch kids during lunch or other breaks during the day. I thought their cafeterias were much better than one you would find in the US, and much healthier as well,” said Lapke.

In addition to having Wednesdays off, French pupils (and teachers) get plenty of holiday time – around 16 weeks a year.

Strict teachers

Author Peter Gumbel refers to the French approach to discipline and classroom management as “sit down and shut up.” He is not alone in this critique, several former educators we spoke with also noticed the harshness of discipline in French schools.

“What I was most surprised about at the time in regards to teaching was how strict and almost militaristic the schools are. The students had to stand up whenever an adult came into the room, and they had to stand until the teacher explicitly told them to sit down,” said Lapke.

Former English Assistant, Simone John-Vanderpool, 23, who taught outside Toulouse, explained it like this: “If a student is getting on a French teachers’ nerves they will let them know. They’re maybe more honest than a US teacher would be allowed to be. For example, if a student gets something wrong, the teacher might say ‘Are you awake today?’ versus the American ‘Good Try!’”

For her, it comes down to a difference in culture and training: “American teachers are more trained to focus on effort and if a student is making the effort, whereas in France teachers see it as students not applying themselves.”

More focus on memorising

Another common point former anglophone teachers noted was the French focus on exams and memorisation.

John-Vanderpool, found this to be the most striking difference between American and French schooling. “They’re a lot more rote knowledge based in terms of teaching,” she said.

“In the United States, we focus a lot more on critical thinking and asking questions like ‘Why is this like this?’ In France, they focus more on rote knowledge, particularly of the culture, historical facts, poetry memorisation, and dictation when it comes to grammar.

“As an assistant, I don’t see everything [happening at school], but I do think they focus mostly on whether students know a set of facts.”

Liam Abbate, 23, who taught middle and high school for a year at the Académie de Clermont-Ferrand, Abbate, found this to be particularly true regarding examinations.

He found that French schooling “taught more to the test” than he had experienced in American public schools. To this end, Abbate added that French schools don’t “always have the interest of the individual student at heart” because they “focus on the good of society.”

Lapke echoed these sentiments, going so far as to say that she does not think “there is a lot of room for individuality in the French system of education.”

Practical skills

When asked what stood out to her most about French public schools, John-Vanderpool said she was struck by the holistic approach to education.

“My overall opinion of the French public school system is that it has a lot of great, foundational aspects to it – like teaching kids how to swim. In the United States, we see it as an extra thing, but it’s a really important skill for kids to have.

That’s a life skill, and I think it’s really cool they make the space for that. I also think that there is a level of closeness teachers are able to have with kids by being able to cook and eat things. It allows you to get a deeper dive into the culture and get kids more excited about things. Food is great for cultural exchange.”

Abbate had a similar reaction to the practicality of French schooling, having taught in a lycée professionel (vocational and/or technical secondary school).

“I’ve had students cook for me and make me glasses,” he said. “Not everyone learns the same way or wants to go to university,” explained Abbate, describing the existence of the lycée professionel option rather than lycée classique.

“But what I liked about that was how hands-on it was. A lot of my students had a craft by the time they were in seconde (ages 15 to 16).

I feel like in America it is viewed as a sign of success to go to University, and that it is needed to be successful. But [here] you can have an apprenticeship or a technical degree and that is completely fine for your career.”

Teacher absences

In middle and high schools (collège and lycée), the rule is that if a teacher is absent for more than 15 days, they must be replaced by a substitute. However, this does not reply to absences for under 15 days. A recent study found that in these situations, less than one in five teachers is replaced when absent for under 15 days.

If the school has access to a substitute they will be called in, but more often than not students will sit in with another teacher’s class. In some cases, they might be sent home if a class is cancelled.

For Abbate, classes being cancelled was frustrating. “One of the things that was surprising to me about the schedule was how a class could be cancelled or rescheduled at the last minute all the time. Sometimes I would get to school and see that the class I had prepared for was cancelled, and I did not know ahead of time.”

Allison Lounes felt similarly, as a parent: “My son’s teacher has been absent 17 days this year. If a teacher is absent for just a few days, then they put a small group of kids into another teacher’s class…but it’s really just babysitting.”

Lounes attributes this to the teacher shortage going on in France.

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'East Germany with sunshine and millionaires' - France's special neighbour Monaco explained

Along the Riviera – less than a 30 minute drive from Nice – lies Monaco, the coastal micro-state of 2.02 km squared home to 36,682 people which borders only France.

When thinking of Monaco, one might imagine the Monte Carlo Casino or a beautiful coastal resort with superyachts moored in the marinas.

Others associate the principality with its tax system – which does not levy any income taxes on residents – or the incredible concentration of millionaires in the principality (which just might be connected to the tax regime).

The Local’s politics expert John Lichfield said: “It’s like East Germany with millionaires and sunshine – it’s a very oppressive place.”

You can listen to John and the team at The Local discuss Monaco in the latest episode of Talking France either on Spotify, Apple or Google podcasts. Download it here or click on the link below

“It’s a very oppressive place to go to if you’re not very rich or a resident there. There are all kinds of petty regulations about what you can and cannot do. A whole atmosphere of oppression, no free press,” John said, referring to the law prohibiting any denouncing of the ruling family and a lack of daily newspapers.

“And yet here it is – essentially part of France in many ways. It is within France geographically, and it’s run by French civil servants under a deal made with De Gaulle in the 1960s.

“It has a royal family that amuses the Daily Mail and other tabloid papers and magazines, but is not taken seriously by other royal families in Europe.

“The present Prince Albert II has made efforts to clean up the act of Monaco, but it remains a place where a lot of corrupt money is able to survive without much attempt to clamp down on it.”

A ‘special relationship’ with France

To those living in France, the tiny state can seem like a bit of a contradiction: sovereign and independent from France, yet dependent on the nation for its military protection and sharing a long history of close economic and cultural ties.

Monaco also has its own constitution and institutions – including a monarchy – as well as its own legal system, though it is modelled after France’s Napoleonic code.

Yet Monaco is very different from France, as a constitutional monarchy it has been ruled by the Grimaldi family for generations, aside from a brief period during the French revolution when they were deposed.

Some of that has changed in recent years. Previous tradition dictated that the prime minister had to be both a French citizen and appointed by France.

However, in 2002 a revision to Monaco’s constitution allowed for the minister to either be French or Monégasque and to be appointed by the monarch.

While the principality’s official language is French, Italian and English are also commonly spoken. Historically, the Monégasque people (those from Monaco) have spoken Monégasque, a variety of Ligurian (an Italian dialect). While the language is taught in public schools, recent estimates show only a few dozen native speakers left.

Even though the micro-state is not technically part of the EU, it uses the euro as currency and is a de facto part of the Schengen zone, with no border checks between France and Monaco, thanks to the special relationship between the two nations.

When it comes to sport, the AS Monaco professional football club is a member of the French Football Federation and competes in the French Ligue 1.

Monaco is home to one railway station, but France’s national rail service, SNCF, operates the rail services in the country.

A tax haven?

One of the first things that pops into most people’s mind when talking about Monaco is its tax arrangements.

Overall, Monaco is a very wealthy nation, with over 30 percent of the population considered to be millionaires.

Many still view the country as a tax haven, including Oxfam (PDF), but in 2009 the OECD removed the country from its list of ‘uncooperative tax havens’ after Monaco agreed to higher transparency and information sharing standards.

The Council of the European Union also whitelisted Monaco in 2017 for tax purposes.

However, Moneyval (a Council of Europe body tasked with analysing anti-money laundering efforts) found several ‘deficiencies’ and ‘weaknesses’ in its 2022 report, so there’s a chance the country could end up back on the ‘grey list’ again in 2024, according to Euroval.

When it comes to taxation though, one can see why it’s attractive to the super-rich – residents do not pay income tax, there is no capital gains tax, nor are there property taxes (though tax is levied on rentals and when a property is sold).

However, French nationals cannot simply cross over to Monaco to avoid income tax – thanks to former president Charles de Gaulle, French residents in Monaco must still pay income taxes to the French government.

Nevertheless, wealthy French people may still benefit from moving to Monaco as they avoid paying French social security contributions and France’s wealth tax, according to French business newspaper Les Echos.

Similarly, it can be advantageous to be a business owner in Monaco. Only companies carrying out more than a 25 percent of their turnover outside of Monaco are subject to the corporation tax, and new start-ups benefit from a two-year corporation tax break.

As for Monaco’s economy, the micro-state is “fully integrated into a customs union with France”, allowing it to participate in the EU market.

How does Monaco’s education system work?

The city-state has only 10 public schools and two private religious schools that are under contract with the state.

The school system may be technically independent from France and considered to be a ‘foreign establishment’, but Monaco’s state schools are still linked to the local education authority in Nice.

Pupils in Monaco take French national exams, like the Brévet and the Baccalaureate, though some of the curriculum differs from France.

Unlike its larger neighbour, Monaco does not operate under the same system of laïcité, and there is religious instruction (subject to parental approval).

Monégasque law protects the freedom of religion, but the country does have a state religion (Catholicism), unlike France which is secular.

Children are taught English from the age of three in Monaco, in contrast with France where formal tuition in foreign languages starts later.

The principality’s public schools also teach the history of Monaco, as well as compulsory Monégaseque language courses.

Public school holidays also bear similarity to France, with an autumn, Christmas and winter break, but there are some differences – for instance, schoolchildren in Monaco get time off for the Formula 1 Grand Prix (this year running from May 22nd to May 27th).

How does healthcare work in Monaco?

The principality has state-funded ‘Monégasque Social Security system’, which functions similarly to France’s own Assurance Maladie and is available to anyone working in Monaco.

Generally, both Italian and French citizens covered by their state plans can access basic healthcare in Monaco, though other EU nationals who hold a CESS card are not covered.

Those living in the Alpes-Maritimes département, which borders Monaco, can access care in the principality simply by presenting their carte vitale.

The process is slightly different for those covered by French sécurité sociale that live in other parts of the country, as you may need an ‘autorisation‘ from your local CPAM for a planned hospitalisation.

There is one public hospital in Monaco, the Centre hospitalier Princesse-Grace, but in the past, serious cases have been transferred to the Nice University hospital, particularly during the Covid-19 pandemic.

What about military and police?

Monaco is one of the world’s most policed countries (per capita), with over 500 officers for a population just over 36,000 people.

The principality has its own civil police department, which falls under its interior ministry, and mostly focuses on maintaining public order. There are several units, including a division for marine and airport, urban policing, administrative policing and criminal investigations.

As for Monaco’s international defence – it is the responsibility of France, though it does have a small military made up of the ‘Compagnie des Carabiniers du Prince’ (mostly tasked with protecting the palace) and the Corps des Sapeurs-pompiers de Monaco (Fire and Emergency).

Monaco does have bilateral extradition agreements with France, so if a Frenchman commits a crime in the principality they likely won’t get off scot-free.

Can any French residents move Monaco?

Anyone wanting to live in Monaco for more than three months must apply for a resident permit from the Monégasque authorities. No matter what your situation, you will need to show proof of adequate funds, housing, and your ‘good character’ (ie a background check).

However, the process after that is a bit easier for citizens of the EU or European Economic Area (EEA) – they need to show a valid ID or passport.

As for non-EU residents of France, if you have been living in France for more than one year, then you can submit a request to transfer your residence from France to Monaco. You can find more information on the Monaco government website Mon Service Public.

Non-EU nationals who want to move directly to Monaco must request a visa first from the French embassy or consulate in your country of residence, and then they will send you on to Monégasque authorities.

Monaco does have embassies and consulates in other countries, but immigration paperwork is first processed via the French authorities. More information available here.

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