French vs English curriculum

[javaprogrammer]

For early years and primary, how does the French education curriculum, in terms of core areas like reading/writing and maths, compare with the English one? Anyone with direct experience?

There are so many French & English bilingual schools in London, so I would like to compare the pros and cons relative to a typical English prep school, from a non-French family perspective.

There are many posters on MN who can help more than me but I didn't want you left unread. I think what you need is to compare the bilingual schools curriculum to the English school curriculum rather than French vs English. Because I know that friend's DC in a bilingual school isn't doing exactly the same as my DC in a French school.

What age are you looking to start your DC in school? My DC started school in France the September of the calendar year that they turned 3 (so kids were in a class who had been 3 since January and others who would only turn 3 in December).

Basically, the first 3 years were learning how to behave in school, learning songs, recognising letters and numbers and starting to trace them. Learning to recite short poems. Lots of counting and colouring in.

The 4th year they started properly learning to read and within a couple of months were better readers than my nephew (same age), who was in the English system and had been learning to read since reception...

On paper they learn to read and write later. But they pick it up much quicker because of a very solid base learnt from age 3.

Same with maths. My DC were doing more complicated maths in primary than my nephew.

The French maternelle does look ridiculously unambitious to me, with objectives at the end of GS (Year1) recognising 1-10 and alphabets.

Those are expected to be thoroughly taught by nursery or in the first term of reception.

How are the London bilingual schools different, besides swapping between languages?

In your shoes, I would contact the schools and ask.

My DC were in France and in Grande section they:
Counted to 100
Began writing cursive script - this is a long process and they need to start forming the shapes early on, to be able to write quickly and neatly later
Did a lot of language activities including word play and rhyming
Counting exercises (so 4 tokens plus 3 tokes = count up to 7. They didn't do formal calculations though) and problem solving
Learned poems off by heart
Learned to work with others

I can't compare objectively, but if I compare my DCs primary education to their English cousin's, then the rigour and solid bases given by the French system wins hands down.

For example, from 7, my DC were doing timed mental arithmetic exercises on a very regular basis. This was invaluable for secondary school.

But when I visited Ecole Jeannine Manuel and Glendower, I got the impression that the kids at Glendower were learning faster and deeper. The Glendower and Falker girls clearly can do mental maths very well at age 6.

I think comparing age 6 is a bit of a mistake. I guess if you are looking at Glendower then you are thinking about the 11+ later on. So what you need to compare is what the 10 and 11 year olds are doing at school and what is expected of them.

Being bilingual would be the main benefit. I believe it's been shown to be good for your brain later on.