Schools in Paris

[LillianGish]

There is a strong possibility we may be moving back to Paris next September and wondered whether there were any mumsnetters out there who could advise me on schools. My dc have done all their schooling in the French system since the age of two-and-half and are currently at the Lycee Francais in London. If we move next September, my son will be going into sixieme and my daughter into quatrieme. When we left Paris my daughter was in maternelle in a private Catholic school near our apartment in the 14th. I'm not sure we will move back to our apartment which is quite small or rent/buy somewhere else. My main consideration is schools - where are the best schools and what do I have to do to get a place? Considering the possibility of a bilingual school - how difficult is it to get a place at Balzac for instance? Or Lycee international - but not sure how much this costs. Or just a good French school - in which case where is the best place to live? Hoping someone can help me as don't really know where to start - dc were tiny when we left.

Bump.

Hi

You need to get your skates on! Lots of private schools have already opened their application process for 6eme and competition is tough.

Balzac is a state school so applications are later in the year. It isn't that hard to get a place at but might be a big shock to the system if your DC have been at the Lycée in London.

I suggest you apply to:

Ecole Alsacienne
EABJM
EiB
Institut de la Tour
Ecole Massillon
Sections Internationales de Sevres
Lycée International
Institut de l'Alma

Please PM me if you want to know more! Happy to talk you through them.

If you want a reliable state collège, you could try moving into the catchment of Victor Duruy (7th). Not necessarily cost effective, however, given the price of property in those parts!

Thaanks Bonsoir. The problem is it is not fully confirmed that we are going back yet (might swing another posting) so can't think of applying yet. I would consider a move to the suburbs, but not sure where to start with that either! Will google your suggestions. Out of interest why would Balzac be such a shock to the system?

You can pretend to the schools that it is confirmed (apart from the state schools) - much better to do this than to risk not getting a place. There is no problem doing this in France! Don't be all English about it

Balzac is a huge comprehensive in a horrible part of the 17th next to the périphérique and near Asnières/Clichy - not South Ken. Part of the school is international but the rest of it is bog standard and not very nice. I wouldn't send my own DD there - the area is too dodgy.

Bonsoir, sorry to highjack but could you elaborate on horrible parts of the 17th? I am going to work close to Clichy-Levallois station and am looking where to a) live and b) to send my 4YO and 6YO to school. Are there any areas or schools to avoid? I'd like to walk to work if possible as will be a single parent.

The 17th is a divided arrondissement - parts of it are really gorgeous and other parts are scary! And the state schools in the scary parts are to be avoided at all costs (this is not true of Balzac's international sections but I still wouldn't send my DD there).

Do you want a state school (école publique?). Or would you like a private (Catholic) school? For Catholic, you could try Sainte-Ursule and for state, you should move into the catchment of the two schools that are Fourcroy and Laugier (they are side by side). You could walk to work after dropping your DC at either. Those particular two state primaries have a very good catchment and I know plenty of nice parents who are very happy with them.

You would need to ask a local rental agent to help with ensuring any apartment was within catchment for those schools - there is a handy internet site where you type in your address and your catchment maternelle, primary and college schools come up (though this can vary slightly year on year). Have you got a housing budget and have you started looking? What are you after?

Thank you for the fast reply Bonsoir. I got a lump sum to cover relocation costs but no assistance in finding housing unfortunately. It appears very tricky to find a flat on my own and without guarantors. I have looked at seloger and pap and would struggle to pay for the agency fees on top of the required deposit. I am after a two-bedroom flat and could pay c.2K a month inclusive of charges. Could also look at Levallois-Perret.

I think I'd go for state school. Ideally DC could both attend the same school although not sure if maternelle and primaire are physically in the same location. They don't speak French so are likely to need extra assistance in the beginning. I am due to start working in mid-December (crazy timing) so I have to make a move soon.

Maternelles and primaries are often physically very closely situated and councils are sympathetic to requests from single parents who need easy logistics and can make exceptions so that maternelle DC are at school near their primary aged siblings.

Your company MUST guarantee your rent or you will not be able to house yourself. Return to HR and insist on this. It costs the company nothing - just a bit of paperwork. There is no point in even offering you a job without this.

Also: your relocation lump sum ought to be sufficient to cover three months' rent as deposit, one month's rent upfront, agency fees, your moving costs and something towards the cost of installing a kitchen (rental apartments tend not to come with fitted kitchens or appliances).

Thanks Bonsoir - especially for the advice to get my skates on and stop being so British! The hunt is now on - hence my silence. Will let you know how I get on!

Good luck and, yes, I look forward to hearing how you get on.

OMG. The amount is nowhere near as much as that. It is enough for the moving costs and our airfares but not towards the flat rental/deposits. I have asked them about guarantiing the rent so we will see what they sa. So glad for the advice althoug I think that I risk outing myself with all the detail.

You can ask to have your posts deleted

When you move America will you change yr nickname to American in Paris?

the area is too dodgy

I really don't think anywhere in the 17th that is thatdodgy is it?

Well the bits that border Clichy directly are a bit dodgy! I wouldn't want my daughter wandering around there at night on her own.

Depends where you're coming from... compared to my neck of the woods it's positively salubrious

Montreuil?

Nah, Montreuil is posh compared to chez nous. We're in riots territory.

I thought Montreuil was quite nice - have friends living there in the bit that borders Vincennes.

Montreuil has definitely been gentrified. We're hoping that our town will be next on the list for the bobos to discover

Oh I like Montreuil. Very arty and boho.