What do the French think of the English schooling system? Here, we have such a different attitude, ethos and level. I wonder what they make of it all. For the French, who have opted for the private schools (compared with much cheaper private schools in France) it must be a revelation but for those in the state schools, a shock!
My husband and I moved to France with our four children in 2000. The ages of the children ranged from 13 years to three years so we sampled kindergarten through to Lycée in the six years we lived there.
In the early days I was shocked to discover that there is little to no pastoral care. No religious education as we know it, little art or sport and certainly no music. As a friend once told me, “plenty for the head but nothing for the heart”. If, as a parent, you wanted your child to do extra curricula activities it had to be squeezed in on Wednesdays or after school…and it all cost money.
On our return to the UK I was pleased to find that all the children had been educated to an extremely high level and all in the state system. I’m not so sure that the French who sample our education will enjoy the same surprise on their return to their native land.
