Hi all.
My DD1 is starting after Easter in TPS at a Maternelle near to where we live in London. We can't afford to keep her (and DD2 if she goes eventually) at this school past PS, at the moment it is just to cover the hours we would have used a nursery/childminder for and French exposure is a massive plus. The original plan was to get her into one of the lycée bilingual streams (through the lycée admitted children, we don't live close enough to be LEA admitted). This looks less and less likely, though we will still obviously apply...
We are (hopefully, if all goes well!) moving house over the summer though staying around the same area. Whilst researching the local (state) schools, I've seen that there is the option at two of them to have CNED classes twice a week from 'CP'/Year 2. From what I've read, the kids get together for 1 or 2 hrs twice a week to do the French and maths part of the French curriculum. Will it be enough to get her a good reading/writing level without being overkill? DH would carry on only speaking French to her but that would be the only other input she would have.
We spend a lot of time at my in-laws in France (DH and I can also both work from home there) so could enroll her eventually in activities during the school holidays, and maybe we could consider a French au pair somewhere along the line..
Am I overthinking this? I really want to ensure my DDs have the opportunity to learn both languages well and be proud of both their heritages, but don't want to overburden them.