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About this Site

Welcome to the online version of "Moving To France With Your Children". On this site, you can read the full text of "Moving to France With Your Children". This book offers advice on moving to France, living in France and working in France, as well as an insight into education and schoolding in France. You can sign up for our newsletter, or download the PDF version of the ebook from the online store.

About the Author

Angie Power moved to France from the UK over twenty years ago to settle in a small provincial town. Her experience as a secondary school teacher in both the English and French state school systems, in bringing up her own children abroad, and in tracing their lives at local schools and watching them develop their bilingualism has provided her with some valuable lessons to pass on to other parents.

Chapter List

  1. Preface
  2. Foreigners In A French Land French Red Tape; Proof Of Identity; The French Approach; The Language Gap; The Good Life; Bringing Up The Children;
  3. Coping With A New Language For An Adult Memory Loss; Saying It Correctly; Perseverance; Lessons;
  4. Making Friends With The Locals Bleak Winter Days; The Importance Of Family; Contact; Do Not Be Too Pushy; Forget The Cuppa; Spot The Occasion; Follow Their Lead;
  5. Avoiding The Faux-Pas You Can Tell From The Face; Your Children Will Tell You;
  6. Polite Behaviour Mutual Respect; Please And Thank You; Hello; Vous Or Tu; La Carte De Visite;
  7. Give And Take Recommendation For A Job; Exceptions To The Rule; Impatience; Red Tape;
  8. Maintaining Your Child’s Mother Tongue And Culture Contact The Headteacher; Redoublement; English Parents And French Homework; Speak English At Home; Find Some English Playmates; Encourage Them To Read And Write In English; Find Some English Time With Your Teenage Children; Maintaining English At Home And
  9. Contact Between Fellow Expatriates Fellow Classmates; English Playgroups; Small Doses; Reading Group; Swapping Stories;
  10. State School Or Private School? Enrolment; Les Étabussements Privés Sous Contrat; Les Établissements Privés Hors Contract; Changing Schools; Values; Results; Size;
  11. The Early Years Child Care For Children Under Six Years Old; Primary Education: Education Primaire;
  12. Secondary Education Collège Enseignement Secondaire; Who’s Who At Collège And Lycée; What’s What At Collège And Lycée;
  13. La Rentrée and Shopping For The French School Year Buying A School Bag; Les Fournitures; Writing Slates; Writing Paper; Textbooks; School Insurance; The Cost;
  14. The Local School: Tradition And Rigour The Language; Le Redoublement; A Long School Day; Learning To Write; Mental Arithmetic; Learning By Heart; A National Programme; Recitation; Dictation; Foreign Languages; Tests – And Often; Quality Rather Than Just Effort; All Subjects Are Important; Out O
  15. How A Parent Can Help Their Child To Succeed At School A Place To Study; New School Year, New Things; Get them Into A Routine; Be Available; Catch Weak Spots Early; A Constructive Attitude; Playtime;
  16. Extra Help At School, Private Lessons And Distance Learning Help For All At School; Available Help At School; The Parent’s Role; Work Books; Private Lessons; Popular Private Agencies; Distance Learning;
  17. Options And Career Guidance The Choice Of Languages; Strategy; Disappointment After All Those Years; Classics; Decisions At The End Of Collège – Where To Next?; Decisions At Lycée – Which Bac; How A Parent Can Help; Who Families Can Approach For Help; Where Families Can Find Help;
  18. Le Baccalauréat Not Just One Exam; The Right Profile For The Right Bac; Core Subjects; Coefficients; Specialisation; Tough; Sitting The Written Exam; Pass Mark;
  19. Working Towards Citizenship In French Schools The School Rules; Good Behaviour; Collective Respect; Class Representatives; Le Conseil De Classe; Le Conseil D’administration; The Importance Of Voting; Citizenship Lessons At Collège; Citizenship Lessons At Lycée;
  20. Parents’ Associations Encouraged By The School; Parents’ Associations Provide Information To Parents:; Parents’ Associations Transmit Information To The School; Textbooks; Parent Representatives; Class Delegate; The Role Of Parent Delegates;
  21. Food For Thought In French Schools A Cultural Experience; A Point Of Discussion; Queries; Well-Balanced; Choice; No To Packed Lunches; Safety; The Cost; Comfortable;
  22. Les Grandes Écoles Educating The Elite; Specialisation; Highly Selective; Preparing For Entrance; Hard Work; Grande École May Be Small; Long Studies; Teachers And Visiting Lecturers; More Aware; Qualifications; Better Prospects;
  23. Learning To Drive: A Rite Of Passage It Feels Like My Teenage Son Has Been Driving Me Around In My Car For Years Now – And He Has! Since He Turned Sixteen To Be Prec; The Benefits; The Run-Up; The Supervising Adult; Compulsory Sessions For Parent And Teenager; Restrictions; Stressful; Safer D
  24. The French Art Of Foraging Mushroom Collecting; Snails; Frogs; At the Sea Shore; Traditions; It Is The Taste; It Is Free;
  25. Le Vide-Grenier A Good Reason For A Clearout; Earning A Modest Sum; Fun; Parlez-Vous?;
  26. Observing And Learning From Les Femmes Françaises Stress-Free Dining; Finding Quality Time For Themselves; No Rushing; A Home From Home; Looking Good; Just What The Doctor Ordered;
  27. The Strip-Cartoon Huge Interest; Not Just Kids’ Stuff; Serious Reading Matter; Homage To The Grand Masters; The Manga Mania;
  28. Sport And The Younger Generation Wednesday Afternoon; Timetabled Sport At School; The Importance Of Sport; An Active Nation;
  29. The Local Festival A Veritable Transformation; Everyone Is Welcome; The Setting; A Friendly Atmosphere; The Cost; It Is Good For The Economy Of The Town;
  30. La Vendange with A Difference Pampered In Vine Extracts; A Natural Spa; A Discarded Treasure; Vinotheraphy; Purification Or Pleasure; Award-Winning Wines;
  31. Festivities That Focus On Food And Drink Forget The Christmas Cards; Compliments Of The Season; When Un Arbre Is Not A Tree; Food Glorious Food; No Gâteaux De Noël;
  32. The Galette Des Rois Different Recipes; The Charm; The Fun Is In The Serving;
 
 
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