Any non-french speaking families sending there children to the Lycees in London?

[Newbyparents]

Any non-french speaking families sending there children to the Lycees in London?

We are believers in bilingualism and multiculturalism and we would like our children to have a Bilingual education. Has it been an impossible task for non FRENCH speakers to send their offspring to the lycees. Many international friends have children that have graduated from CDG and have done IGSCE and Alevels and gone to great universities. But alas they are bilingual families.

Our objective is to send our children to GCSE level only then join the public school system where we educated.

Does anyone have any thoughts/ advice.
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Sorry I can't help but you might want to search on the thread called German school in London in this section to see a similar discussion.

Why don't you have a look on the lycee website? The admission criteria is clearly explained

I went to uni with a girl who went to a London French school from 5-18 and did all her schooling in French despite no multilingualism at home. She found it odd writing essays in English after doing everything in French. She was fully bilingual and achieved top grades.

They're terribly oversubscribed, and party funded by the French government and give priority to those following the French educational system and those who are fluent French speakers.

If however you can get your DC into one of the Lycee-linked bilingual primary schools, they can then progress to the senior Lycee. Again, wildly popular, you probably have to live more or less on top of one to stand a chance of a place.

There are also an increasing number of bilingual primary schools (not Lycee linked, mainly private sector) which will provide bed several years of the type of education you seek. Plus a term or two at somewhere like Chateau de Sauveterre

There are, indeed, only a few non-French-speaking families at the Lfcg. We are one of them with zero French, and our daughter was fine all these years. We have met 7-10 families where children are not French nor English, and most of them are outstanding students. These families would typically speak a third language at home, which will be an uncomfortable and challenging learning situation for the child. Parents of these families will have to make more efforts, including providing for some private tutoring, so it is not surprising that these children are incredibly hard-working students, from a very early age. You will learn very soon not to expect much support from the school teachers, and the primary role of the parents and private tutors would be to preserve child’s self-confidence.
After 11 y with this school, we can say that it was tough to navigate through very old-fashioned teaching methods and attitudes; nevertheless, we will describe it as a primarily positive experience and a pleasant atmosphere for parents and children. Our daughter is now relaxed, very happy and proud to be able to communicate and socialise with so many international friends and families. At Y10, she joined British Section, and after an initial struggle with the English language, and differences with the teaching methods where you are allowed and encouraged to ask questions 😊, she is fine now and insists on staying until the end of secondary education with the LF in South Ken.

I didn't think you could send your children there (or to the German school) unless they are already fluent in French/German. I see from the posts above that there are some linked primary schools - but certainly when I looked into it for my son for the German school it would not have been possible. That was some years ago now though.

@Newbyparents does your child go to a French nursery or has any exposure to French already?