SETTLING IN - CultureShock! A Survival Guide to Customs and Etiquette - page 119

Foreign children are accepted into French public
schools if their French is adequate to progress within the
instructional programme. Children in primary schools may
enter a conversion programme to learn French ( classe de
CLIN ), after which they are placed in the regular system.
Schools are crowded and applications should be made in
the spring before the fall term; places may not be available,
especially in the maternelle .
To enroll, bring your child's birth certificate, vaccination
certificate (including smallpox, BCG and tetanus), proof of
domicile and school records from previous schools. Children
must also be insured when they enroll in a school, so if you
are asked, show proof of insurance. (See pages 123-126 for
insurance companies.) Although schools are free, there are
small charges for textbooks, supplies and meals.
Bilingual Schools
There is a wide selection of international, bilingual or
English-language, elementary and high schools in and
around Paris. The international curriculum is stringent, for
acceptance into the best European universities is highly
competitive. The private schools may be expensive and
tuition varies greatly. In general though, costs are pretty
much in line with other international schools. Transportation
to schools in the suburbs can often be arranged at extra
cost, although this may depend on how far into Paris the
school buses go. Some important schools are in the suburbs,
such as St-Germain-en-Laye. This list is not exhaustive, so
check with your embassy.
Bilingual Nursery/Lower Schools and Play Groups
7 e : Montessori Schools
65 quai d'Orsay; tel: [phone]; fax: [phone];
website: http://www.Montessori-paris.org. For children
from three to six. For other addresses in Paris, access
the website.
7 e : Lennen Bilingual School has three locations: 65 quai
d'Orsay; tel: [phone]; the kindergarten at 145 rue
Saint-Dominique; tel: [phone]; and the primary