What is a French typical school day?

School routine Generally speaking, the school day in France is from 8:30 until 4:30, but it varies depending on which area you live in. This is longer than the typical school day in the UK or America, but there is a longer lunch break and two other breaks during the day. There are 24 hours of lessons a week.

What is a typical French school timetable?

Wednesday 8am-12pm, a four and a half day week. It is also common to have 8am-6pm days, school on Saturday morning and/or Wednesday afternoon. The lunch break is typically 1h. So it is very hard to give you a typical schedule - I'd say you also have at least 1h worth of homework a day.

What is life like in a French school?

The French education system offers an inflexible approach to education; one where the teacher has absolute authority, tough grading and rote learning are the norm, where high academic standards are demanded in reading, writing and arithmetic. The French don't expect children to have 'fun' at school.

Does France have a 4 day school week?

Other French cities, including Lille, Marseille, Toulouse, and Bordeaux, have opted to return to a true “four day” week, where the full day Wednesday, rather than Tuesday and Friday afternoons, are dedicated to extracurricular enrichment activities for students.

What is the French school system like?

The French education system consists of three stages: primary education, secondary education, and higher education. Most French elementary and secondary schools, as well as a large number of universities, are public institutions that have highly centralized administrations.

A typical day of a French student

How is French school different from American school?

American students enjoy various subject choices during secondary education, promoting diversity and personal interests. In contrast, French students follow a more standardized curriculum with less flexibility, focusing primarily on academic rigor and depth.

Why is there no school on Wednesday in France?

The idea of a weekday off dates to 1882, when secular primary education became compulsory in France: a day without classes, then Thursday, was to allow for religious education outside school. In 1972 a government decree fixed Wednesday instead as the mandatory day off.

Do French kids go to school on Wednesday?

Essentially, they teach 24 hours per week, typically from Mondays to Friday, and Wednesday is a half-day. That said, a minority of primary schools (in French) have chosen to swap out Wednesday mornings for Saturday mornings or have every Wednesday off.

Do French students wear uniforms?

Currently, the French national school system does not require pupils to wear uniforms, unlike many private establishments, such as military schools, and schools in overseas French departments.

Is Wednesday a day off school in France?

The school year in France is separated by five periods of schooling and four holiday periods, comprising at least 36 weeks of study. As a general rule, in maternity and primary schools, each week comprises 4.5 days of schooling, with the half-day each Wednesday (in a small number of cases, Saturday morning).

Do French kids get homework?

Homework is officially banned in French primary schools, and has been since 1956. But many teachers ignore this and send children home with exercises to do. Older children often spend up to an hour each evening doing homework, and longer at the weekend or on Wednesdays when most schools close.

Are French classes hard?

In their language difficulty ranking, the Foreign Service Institute puts French in the top ten easiest languages to learn for English-speakers, alongside notoriously easy languages such as Spanish and Italian.

Do French children go to school on Saturday?

The school day in France typically runs from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m., with a half day on Saturday, although students do not attend school on Wednesday or Sunday.

Do French kids go home for lunch?

There are no vending machines in French schools (they are banned by law), and children are strongly discouraged from bringing their own meals from home (and most don't). So the cantine is the place where the majority of French children eat lunch on school days.

Do French schools have lunch breaks?

At school, the lunch break lasts between 90 minutes and 2 hours, during which a four-course meal is eaten while seated. French etiquette recommends that everyone starts eating at the same time and leaves the table only once everybody is finished.

What country has the shortest school day?

Italy offers a slightly shorter day at 5 hours and 30 minutes. Finland and Brazil, known for their progressive educational systems, average a 5-hour school day, focusing on efficiency and student well-being. Germany presents the shortest average school day, with students spending only 4 hours and 30 minutes in school.

Can girls wear hijabs in school in France?

Can you wear a hijab in school in France? In private schools, if internal rules allow for it, you can. However, in public schools, one cannot wear religious signs.

Can girls wear hijab in French schools?

“Since 2004, in France, religious signs and symbols have been banned in schools, including headscarves, kippas and crosses,” she said. “Gabriel Attal, the education minister, says that no one should walk into a classroom wearing something which could suggest what their religion is.”

What time does school start in France?

It begins in early September and ends in late June/early July. In general, students attend school from Monday to Friday. Instruction occurs in the morning, from 8:30 AM to 11:30 AM, and in the afternoon, from 1:30 PM to 4:30 PM. In some institutions, on Wednesdays, there is only class in the morning.

Is religion taught in French schools?

French children typically learn about religion through the history curriculum, which emphasises the contribution of religious traditions to culture and civilisation, rather than their significance in contemporary France.

Are schools in France free?

Tuition fees are low in public Higher education institutions because the French government subsidizes higher education. The true cost of education is the same as it is elsewhere in the world—around €10,000 a year. The difference is that in France the government assumes a large share of that cost.

How long is lunch break in France?

Standard hours

The French working hours are usually 8 or 9 AM to 4 or 5 PM, with 1 hour of unpaid lunch break. This will, however, vary depending on the business and company agreements. The weekly working hours are 35 (7 hours a day, five days a week).

What is a typical school lunch in France?

Starting when children enter school at age 3, school lunch consists of four courses: a vegetable starter (for example, grated carrot salad, or beet salad), a warm main course served with a side of grains or vegetables, cheese, and dessert.

Why is everything closed on Monday in France?

The reason lies in France's enshrined labour code, the Code du Travail, which was first published in 1910. The Code du Travail used to say that it was illegal for anyone to work more that six days a week and that workers should have 35 consecutive hours of rest.

What is college called in France?

What we call "college" or "university" in English is l'université or la faculté in French. Some formal education is compulsory until the end of junior high, although several solutions are possible if a student wants to enter an apprenticeship.