France - the joy of the fournitures scolaires list

[InvincibleInvisibility]

And its that time of year again.

Another massive list of textbooks and cahiers (specific sizes and number of pages) with specific cover colours to buy. As well as all the usual pens etc.

We've just had DS2s list for CM1 (he's 9 turning 10 next year). EIGHT textbooks (manuels). Ten cahiers! Loads of pens and papers and paint. And bizarrely two pencil sharpeners.

Oh and a precision about the type of compass to have (I'm ignoring that one - he's dyspraxic and will continue with the one we have).

Anyway, Ive managed to do all the major things by going to 3 shops in 2 different towns (no internet delivery where we are). And by raiding our supply store. Annoyingly we have lots of A4 cahiers but this year the school only wants "grand format".

Not yet got the list for 5eme. But we're leaving on holiday Sunday for 7 weeks so hoping it comes before then....

What random things have you had on your lists?

What happens if children turn up with nothing? I’m sure there must be chaotic families who wouldn’t be together enough, or have the funds for the list? If this was introduced in the U.K. you can guarantee that a substantial proportion of parents would simply ignore it.

I honestly don't know what would happen if you turned up with nothing. Its always been this way so it's not new (DH remembers it when he was little).

The poorest families get money specifically to buy school supplies.

Its the kids who are penalized though cos schools do NOT have the supplies.

This is so hilarious and timely!!

I thought it was just me living this hell that is a school supplies list in french!

Our local papeterie now offers to bag everything up for you, makes it loads easier and saves me googling stuff and trying to make sense of it

Cahier ligné broché, 3 trous, 0,7 cm, 27,6 x 21,3 cm, 32 pages

^

We need 6 of them

I honestly don't know what would happen if you turned up with nothing

^

Shot at dawn after a brioche

What's a lutin? I googled it and it said it was an elf or sprite!

Surely it would be better for everyone if the schools said you could order through them and get a bulk discount?

That's insane for every parent to trudge around for 100 specific things

Ohhh

Cahier ligné broché, 3 trous, 0,7 cm, 27,6 x 21,3 cm, 32 pages

WTF? Never seen those.

I suppose at least you need 6 the same as opposed to 3 one size and 3 a different size 😂

Wow, Im shocked. Mine is 5 years old in the final year of preschool as from September in Madrid (semi state school) and we get a 60 euro direct debit and the school provides all the materials for the year. As for projects for each subject, we have 1 book for reading 1, one project folder re Egypt (these are the bulk of the cost) and the rest are the schools own booklets, all total 146 euros. No running around shops, you buy them in the school.

This all seems a bit british. None of me or my friends does this. First, ecoliers to do a good bedroom & cartable tidy, recycle all this year’s books, they prep all the stuff to reuse. Anything missing, the week of the rentree go togethed to local independent bookseller & you browse the new released novels whilst the bookseller helps them with the supplies needed. Simples. We never do it before first days back as new teachers often have new needs. Don’t spend money you don’t need to.

I'm in Belgium, so same kind of deal with the fournitures scolaires. For the last 4 years our school parent's association (which I'm part of) have done a deal with a wholesaler. We have a simple website (built in Odoo), with all the articles listed (with photos). Each parent goes through their list, selects their stuff, does a bank transfer and paf it's all done. The parent's association then do a bulk order which we receive in August, and we have a few beers while we bag up each person's order. Prices are about 15% lower than in the shops and it takes parents 5 minutes to order everything...

Ooh I feel your pain everyone - we’re nearly there with the fournitures for 6ème and there is just so much compared to primary!

I wonder if anyone can help with one thing we’re confused about - “plastique transparent récupéré”, 50x100cm. It seems to be needed for protecting the desk in art lessons but I can’t work out what exactly they’re after. Should I just get a giant protective sheet from Mr Bricolage and cut a piece? Or do we need something more robust? I do feel very British worrying so much about this (although it’s French DH who is stressing over it more than me 😂)

But no uniform. And the fournitures scolaires improve their learning. I’ve taught in state and private and the joy of having the right resources and the impact of kids’ learning is incalculable. I’d rather spend the money on books than polyester blazers.

A lutin is also called a Porte-vue. It’s one of those folders filled with plastic wallets that you can slide handouts into…

It’s not this, this is the « carnet »

I have never had a student turn up with nothing. Regardless of family background. Sometimes it’s not quite right. Sometimes it’s the back half of an older brother’s exercise book and a free pen from the bank. But they always make it through the list somehow. I think it would just be unimaginable to a family in France not to have it. Also, for low income families, there is an allocation to pay for is, and it is several hundred euros per child. So it’s enough to cover it.

The real pain comes from school dinners. 5€80 per day per child. At primary. 6€20 at secondary. Admittedly only four days a week, but still. 72.8 a week for school dinners for us 😭😭

Wow, this thread has been such an eye opener. Had no idea about any of this, despite loving a bit of French stationery!

Wow, what a nostalgic thread. I went to the French Lycee in London about 100 years ago, where there was one little shop to deal with all this for the people that weren't going to France for the summer.

In comparison, this is the paltry stationery list for DD's secondary school in Yorkshire, and it's all available in the school shop:

•	A good quality ballpoint pen (or fountain pen)
•	Set of coloured pencils
•	Pencil
•	Green Pen
•	Eraser
•	30cm ruler
•	Pencil sharpener
•	Glue stick
•	Pair of compasses
•	Set square
•	Protractor
•	Simple calculator
•	A4 ring binder and plastic wallets
•	Pencil case or tin clearly labelled with your name

As a teacher in France, I quite enjoy browsing the ''rentrée '' section of the supermarket just to eavesdrop.

High schooler won't know till they go, but the list for the 6th grader (Y7)

• binder with loose leaf paper
• pens
• pencils
• scientific (not graphing) calculator
• wired headphones (wireless are banned)
• highlighters
• graphing paper
• coloured pencils
• index cards
• 5 folders

C’est de la récup ! = secondhand/reused non ?
So any transparent plastic thing that you happen to have lying round that could be cut to the right size? Seems pretty optimistic that we all have 50x100cm transparent plastic sheets lying around but nevermind.

Yes Tossacoin, that was my thinking - I wondered if French people are more likely to have random bits of plastic lying around 😄 one friend has bought some, but DH wants to phone the school office to check first (pretty sure they'll just tell him what you said...)

Does no enterprising person buy in bulk and get a discount which can be passed on to parents?

There is a website called Scoleo (I've never used it but I know some people who have) who work with different schools and pull together all the lists in one order so you can get it all in one click more or less.

I also know that locally there are quite a few office supplies type shops who will take your list and source it all for you. You tend to pay for the convenience as these places are rarely the cheapest.

I find l these stationary /school supplies threads fascinating , I would definitely have become obsessed so probably good we don’t have this . But can I just ask , what happens if you are on a low income , surely not everyone can afford all if this stuff ?