French schools in London

[Issymum]

A friend of mine is looking to relocate from Paris to London with her children - 6yo and 9yo. She wants to keep them in the French educational system and is trying to find out about French schools in London. She will be working in central London, so the school will need to be within reasonable commuting distance. Has anybody put their children into a French school in London or know anybody else who has?

My friend needs to make a very difficult and swift decision about relocating, so any help at all from anybody who has made the move from Paris to London would be incredibly welcome.

[Doddle]

My French neighbour sent her boys to Ecole L'Ile aux Enfants, in Gospel Oak, she was very happy with it but has since moved back to France, I don't know of any others.

[Issymum]

Thanks Pamina and Doddle. That's really helpful - I'll pass that on. Anybody else who has or knows anybody who has relocated from France to London?

[binkie]

We know various families - funnily enough they're all English dad, French mum - who use the Lycee. Do your friends know that it's FREE for French nationals? It's a very good school, the only downside I've heard is that it's very big - the self-confident tend to enjoy it more than the shy.

[Issymum]

Binkie: I didn't know that. That will make a big difference to them.

[binkie]

And last night I was talking to one of our friends (English mum French dad this time) who don't use the Lycee - their reasons as to why not might be interesting, though I don't think they'd apply to your friends: (i) they do feel it means you are stuck with the French system, despite the apparent option to do English exams; and (ii) "pushy English families send their kids there for snob value and the poor children's French isn't good enough and they just sit around looking lost" - ie, the children's French has to be really fully as-good-as native.

[NotQuiteCockney]

The Lycee is subsidised by the French government, so it's only reasonable they'd prefer French nationals.

I know there's talk of a French primary opening up in Greenwich, a friend has got involved in that. At some point, there was talk of a Lycee in Islington, but I think that's fallen apart.

Being stuck in the French system isn't a catastrope, you can find French schools nearly anywhere, it's nearly as pervasive as the English or American systems.

I think your friend should just be worried about getting a place in one of these schools.

[sinclair]

I know a French family who go to a French speaking primary in W6 or possibly W14 - Brook Green area - can't remember the name - but is that too far from town?

[Earlybird]

I have a friend in Camden whose son is in a French school in the area. But, she is NOT happy with it. Says the school is quite chaotic and disorganised. However, things could improve as a new head is due to start in September.

My friend is currently looking into transferring her son to a French school in Battersea (not sure if it's open yet, or opening in the autumn). I know that is vague, but if I can get more specifics I'll post them.

[N170698]

A friend of mine sends her daughter, who is 6, to Ealing's school( same as Lycee in South-Ken, it is the Ealing "branch" sort of), she is french and it is defenitly not free, but she is happy with it though... I enquired a long long time ago for the South-Ken's school and no one told me about free school there either, and I am french. I think at some point you can get some kind of funds(bursary?) but I believe it comes later on and depends on earnings (I could be wrong but if based on the french system, that's how it works). Defenitly she should get in touch with the South-Ken lycee/school asap, places go fast and for little kiddies there's a waiting list( I phoned them when my son was 2 and was told my chances of getting a place when he was 4 were nil LOL), but then again, I wouldn't be surprised if some people got in easier than others . Best of luck.

[binkie]

"Free" isn't quite right, it's true - I started that, so I should clarify. Tuition is subsidised (if you're French), but the meals and extras are charged - so you pay about £700 a term I think. Which is a bargain, compared to most fee-paying schools in London. Bursaries for that £700 bit are available to very low income French nationals.

The Ciccone/Ritchie family have moved on, so I'm told.

[N170698]

Hi, Binkie, from what I recall, it is indeed around that sort of price. I agree that it is not expensive compared to private schools fees .