College Bilingual Francaise London (CBFL)

[sameyeam]

Any experiences or information on this new school in Kentish Town?

Thanks.

There was a "portes ouvertes" today and yesterday.
Was there something specific you wanted to know?

I wish I could have attended. We are moving to London in June. We are a bilingual family and I am hoping it would be helpful in reaching good aspect of both the French and UK curriculum.

Any knowledge you have whatsoever would be great. Does it start at 3 or 5? Do you happen to know when the cut-off is for birthdays, do they have a uniform?

Thanks.

Not sure what you mean by "reaching good aspect of both the French and UK curriculum".
It teaches the French curriculum only, but in French and English.
It also follows the French system of admissions - so if your child was born in 2007, then you would apply for entry into GSM (British equivalent to Y1) in Sep 2012. (Hope that makes sense?) It starts from age 5 - so that's GSM (French system) or Y1 (UK equivalent)

Are you French?
We've been told that unless you are applying for the secondary section it is very difficult to get a place. However, they do prioritise French nationals.
Where are you going to be coming from in June? Because if you are moving from a school in France to London, then you also get priority.
I'm not aware they have a uniform.
Their website is very good and has loads of info on it.
HTH

We really warmed to the school after attending the portes ouvertes and will definitely be applying ... fingers crossed we'll get a place.

Hello. I have a son at a school which will feed into the Kentish Town school (or the Lycée - we have the choice) at 11 and agree that the curriculum, whilst bilingual, is very much principally the French national curriculum with aspects of the British national curriculum incorporated into it.

There is no uniform.

In terms of year your child would be entering, the intake is the French one, not the British, so Jan-December of the year and NOT September to August. We messed up on entry date with my elder child and so did not have a place at a bilingual school for him.

We are moving from NY. My Husband holds a UK and CH passport. We would love to continue their bilingual education.
If the curriculum is mainly French with some British curriculum incorporated can you tell me about art, music and PE. Do the students, especially in primary get a good dose of the arts? Here, students get 1 art, 2 music classes and 2 PE classes a week. I would say 30 minutes at 5 and by 10 about 45 minutes. I was just wondering if the French system keeps them as well rounded as the Uk system does with The Arts.

Also, if my DD is born in 2006, would that make her in Grande section this year and in fall 2012 in CP? I was just wondering what class we should be applying to.

Thanks.

This academic year the CP classe is for children born 2005. Plenty of art and music for the little ones (specialized rooms/classes available for this). At the level of CE1+; however, art is done in the classroom. Once per week, the children travel a few blocks (by foot) to a very nice recreation center for sports activities. There are school-sponsored after school clubs for all sorts of recreation & sports. Wednesdays are half-days (class day ends at noon), so there's opportunity to explore off-campus extra-curricular activities in the afternoons. Do you speak French? If not, you may miss out a bit on the social mingling among the parents at the school gate. The school is populated, mainly, by nationals of French speaking countries and, as such, the French speaking parents are most eager to exclusively chat in a francophone oasis without the burden of speaking English as everywhere else in London.

Reigniting this post in hope of some recent experiences. Thanks!

L'Ecole de Battersea is nicer