Totally French school

[mel]

Just to let know that there is a French school in Helsinki which follows the French school program, from age 3+

I am not talking about Munkivuori school which is not a French school but a Finnish school teaching some stuff in French and does not follow the french program...the school I am talking about is called École Francaise Jules Verne Helsinki: http://www.ecolejulesverne.fi/index.htm

They take children from different nationalities as long as they can cope with French

[Hank W.]

My nephew was there for a year - IIRC they shared some classes like PE with the "Finnish System" one back then. In a class there is not necessarily more than a few pupils (maybe good, maybe bad). But yes, for parents who need/want their kid to be in the "French System" it does exist. But they have no lycee AFAIK.

[mel]

My nephew was there for a year - IIRC they shared some classes like PE with the "Finnish System" one back then. In a class there is not necessarily more than a few pupils (maybe good, maybe bad). But yes, for parents who need/want their kid to be in the "French System" it does exist. But they have no lycee AFAIK.

I haven't heard anything about sharing with the Finnish system (the only thing is that they have a teaching of Finnish language -1hour a week or so- yes but from the secondary school it becomes optional), I guess it is different from back then...'cause the aim is to enable those kids to follow the same program and if they have to move during the school year, they are not lost as they would go to another French school which therefore, has the same program.

They have small groups indeed, and I think that it is nice in the meaning that it enables the teacher to work better with the pupils, for instance if there is 5 kids in one class it is easier to focus on each one than if there would be 25 kids in it

Indeed, there is no lycee (junior high) but if a high school student needs, it is possible as the school works together with the CNED.

[Rosamunda]

Bonsoir mel.

I have worked (very briefly) in the Ecole Jules Verne in Lehtisaari. PM me if you want more info.

Actually the class sizes are quite large since they mix age groups so that CP and CE1 share the same teacher (there were 22 in that class last year) which is bigger than most Finnish 1st and 2nd grade classes.

Not all the kids are French mother tongue which means there are all different levels of fluency in each age group.

But yes, it does more or less follow the French curriculum and the teachers are French native speakers.

Personally, I felt that the resources were really stretched, the facilities and materials did not match a Finnish state primary school.

BR, Penelope

PS: kids who have Finnish nationality and are schooled in Finland must follow the guidelines of the Finnish Core curriculum : ie 4 hours Finnish per week.

[mel]

Hi guyz,

> Penelope:

well they have a new "directrice" this school year 2006/2007, and many things are gonna be quite different from before..concerning the groups and age in class-rooms, kids are now grouped by year of birth...of course the level can be different from one kid to another but it is like that in most of the schools.

Indeed, I would be very glad if you could tell me more about the the school, your experience of it having worked there.

thx.

[Amandine.K]

My daughters just started there on Tuesday and they love it so far. There are 20 children in their class (they are in "Petite Session").