Ecole de Wix - Admissions Advice

[WannabeMum22]

I am a few years off but wanting to make a headstart in research as I know getting into a lycee is extremely competitive. My husband and I are really keen for our son to go to the Lycee for primary school - ideally in the bilingual section. We have a maternelle local to us (south london) that we plan to send him to and we are also interested in Ecole du Parc (we are planning to move around the the Balham/Clapham area). I was just wondering - we are not french citizens but my husband and son are citizens of a francophone country - is it absolutely hopeless for him to get admitted? How can we best improve our chances and is there something I should be doing from now? Any tips and advice would be much appreciated!

The Lycee has students from about 50+ countries, not all of which are Francophone. There is a huge emphasis on French language skills (obviously) so being Francophonie will be an asset.

How old is your son and is he bilingual? Are you doing OPOL? That would certainly help.

I see no reason why you shouldn't apply.

These may be relevant.

https://www.lyceefrancais.org.uk/assets/Inscriptions/Criteres-inscriptions-2024-2025-VF.pdf

https://www.lyceefrancais.org.uk/assets/Inscriptions/Inscriptions-Guide-FR-24-25-Revised.pdf

https://www.lyceefrancais.org.uk/assets/Inscriptions/Calendrier-inscriptions-2024-2025-VF.pdf

My son right now is a baby! We are doing OPOL but not for French he will pick up French at nursery as we speak 4 languages between us and want to prioritise the minority languages he won’t be educated in at home.

Thank you so much!

@WannabeMum22

He might like books like these when he is a little older.

Have a word with the languages staff at Foyles for further advice, as there may be better ones for him - these are just a handful I picked out from their catalogue and might not be exactly right.

The languages team at Foyles incorporates Grant and Cutler, the language bookseller from which I got many of my books at Uni, so they will give you really good advice on language learning for the very small.

https://www.foyles.co.uk/book/the-toddlers-first-150-animal-handbook/ashley-lee/9781774374009

https://www.foyles.co.uk/book/the-toddlers-handbook/dayna-martin/9781772262315

https://www.foyles.co.uk/book/12-french-bedtime-stories-for-kids/luiz-fernando-peters/9798866989775

https://www.foyles.co.uk/book/abc-adventures/carolina-casas/9798878818780

You could also look if there is a Saturday school near you:
https://parapluieflam.org/

I have a 3 years old daughter in Ecole du Parc at this moment. We are a non-French speaking family. We speak English and Mandarin at home. My daughter's main language is English although she now knows quite a few French words and understand some basic French instructions. We have applied for some French schools and will apply for lycee this year. Based on my conversation with the relevant staff, the situtation in French lycee has changed a lot after brexit. It's not that difficult to get a spot in the full French programme even if you are not French. However, the bilingual programme is very compectitive.

For Wix Bilingual, you apply through your council as its admissions are done as a state school (Wandsworth criteria) and you need a SIF.

It's hopelessly oversubscribed, so if you live more than 2 or 3 streets away, be realistic about your chances.

I don't know about the Lycee, other than you have to demonstrate why your DC needs/would benefit from education in the French system. There are a lot of French families in the area and it is very likely they will secure places ahead of children who have one French parent and those who are monoglot French from other francophone countries (inc Canada). French speaking British children will probably come after that. However, I note what one previous poster has said, and perhaps the pressure has eased a bit. And there always was a lot of churn as expat families came and went.

Thank you so much! My son is on the list at Ecole du Parc and will hopefully get a place. How have you found it? I would prefer for my son to go to the bilingual program because I’m fine for him to go to an English speaking secondary if he wants to but we will probably be fine if he gets the French stream. I’ve heard due to Brexit and less people deciding to have children it’s a little less competitive now so good to know.

My son has 3 citizenships and one is of a francophone country so hoping that will help a bit. I know the likelihood of us getting into Wic bilingual is slim as we may end up living in Lambeth instead of Wandsworth and will likely be a 15 minute drive away so not pinning my hopes on it. I have heard of Shaftesbury Park as well as they have a bilingual scheme. We are realistic that we’d likely have to pay for him to go instead so looking at the Lycee and Ecole de Battersea as options as well. Thank you!

I will let you know how our application goes later. For the bilinguial programme, they take 14 students from council and 14 from lycee. You can still apply for it even if you don't live nearby. I've noticed you mentioned Shaftesbury Park. I have been to their open day one year ago.They told me that their bilinguial programme is not that compectitive. As long as you apply for it, you will have a spot regardless where you live. I also visited Ecole de Battersea .It'a a great school. However, if you don't attend their sister nursery, it's very difficult to get a spot. There is a long waiting list for their nursery. Another school I registered for my daughter is Ecole Francaise Jacques Prevert.

Hey for some reason I’m just seeing this! But I’ve sent you a pm :)

Why do you like Ecole de Battersea? What do you like there compared to other bilingual schools?