CAPE

certificat d’aptitude au professorat des écoles

Certificate of aptitude for teaching at the primary level

CAPEPS

certificat d’aptitude au professorat de l’enseignement de l’éducation physique et sportive

Certificate of aptitude for teaching physical education and sport

CAPES

Certificat d’aptitude au professorat de l’enseignement du second degré

Certificate of aptitude for teaching at secondary level

CAPLP

Certificat d’aptitude au professorat de l’enseignement de lycée professionnel

Certificate for second level teaching in a vocational lycée

CEPET

Certificat d’aptitude au professorat de l’enseignement technique

Certificate of aptitude for teaching technical subjects

Centre de formation pédagogique privé

Teacher training institution for those intending to teach in the private sector

CNED

National Centre for Distance Learning

Classes préparatoires des grandes écoles

Preparatory classes for grandes écoles

DUT

diplôme universitaire de technologie

University diploma awarded after two years’ study

ENS

Ecole normale supérieure (plural, écoles normales supérieures)

grandes écoles which prepare students for the state teacher recruitment examination (concours)

regional institutions for special education

final section/class(es) in nursery school (children usually aged 5-6)

university institute of technology

moyenne section maternelle

second/middle section of pre-compulsory nursery school (children usually aged 4-5)

first section of pre-compulsory nursery school, children usually aged 3-4

STAPS

licence de sciences et techniques des activités physiques et sportives

First degree in sciences, physical education and sport

French term

English translation

Definition

académie (plural, académies)

regional educational headquarters; the local arm of the Ministry of Education

agrégation

qualification allowing the holder to teach general subjects in an LEGT, in preparatory classes for the grandes écoles, in STS, or in higher education institutions, and, occasionally, in collèges.

assistant d'éducation (plural, assistants d'éducation )

education assistant

a category of teaching assistant introduced from the beginning of the 2003 school year

atelier d'expression artistique

artistic expression workshop

Optional workshops and courses in artistic expression, lasting 72 hours a year, for students in the final two years of upper secondary education

baccalauréat (plural, baccalauréats) 

the qualification awarded on successful completion of upper secondary education. There are various examinations relating to the various disciplines. The Baccalauréat grants holders access to university studies.

baccalauréat professionnel (plural, baccalauréats professionnels)

vocational baccalauréat

Upper secondary courses targeted at specific occupations, which usually lead to employment (rather than higher education). Usually taken in lycées professionnels, baccalauréats professionnels are available in around 40 specialist subjects with a total of 60 subject options.

brevet informatique et internet (B2i ® )

IT and internet certificate

Certificate awarded at the discretion of a headteacher to validate students' knowledge of information and communication technologies.  The certificate is available at three levels - primary, lower secondary and upper secondary education.

brevet de technicien (plural, brevets de technicien )

the 'technical certificate' received on completion of the three-year course in the general and technological lycée by students who do not receive the general Baccalauréat or the technological Baccalauréat. This grants access to certain professions.

centre de formation pédagogique privé (CFPP) (plural, centres de formation pédagogique privé – CFPPs)

Teacher training institutions for those intending to teach in the private sector

centre national d’enseignement à distance (CNED)

National Centre for Distance Learning

certificat d’aptitude au professorat de l’enseignement technique (CAPET)

Certificate of aptitude for teaching technical subjects

Qualification permitting the holder to teach electronic or mechanical engineering subjects, biotechnologies, business administration and management subjects, amongst others, in an LEGT or collège

certificat d’aptitude au professorat des écoles (CAPE)

Certificate of aptitude for teaching at the primary level

certificat d’aptitude au professorat de l’enseignement de lycée professionnel (CAPLP)

Certificate of aptitude for second level teaching in a vocational lycée

Qualification which allows the holder to teach either the general or vocational subjects in a lycée professionnel (LP).

certificat d’aptitude au professorat de l’enseignement de l’éducation physique et sportif (CAPEPS)

Certificate of aptitude for teaching physical education and sport

Qualification which allows the holder to teach sport and physical education in all lower and upper secondary schools.

certificat d’aptitude au professorat de l’enseignement du second degré (CAPES)

Certificate of aptitude for teaching at secondary level

Qualification which allows the holder to teach any of the subjects taught during lower and upper secondary education in a collège or lycée d’enseignement général et technologique (LEGT).

certificat d'aptitude au professorat de l'enseignement privé (CAPEP)

Certificate of aptitude for teaching in private education institutions

Qualification which allows the holder to teach in a private school which holds a contract from the state

collège

non-selective lower secondary schools providing compulsory education for students aged 11-15. Collèges fall under the jurisdiction of the inspecteur (d'académie).

commune (plural, communes)

lowest administrative sub-division in France. Communes are responsible for the administration of nursery schools and elementary schools and fall under the jurisdiction of the inspecteur (d'académie).

compétence (plural, compétences)

competence - see 6.2.6.

compétence approfondie

detailed/good competence, as designated in the marking scheme for national, mass diagnostic testing - see section 6.2.6.

compétence de base

basic competence, as designated in the marking scheme for national, mass diagnostic testing - see section 6.2.6.

compétence remarquable

above average competence, as designated in the marking scheme for national mass diagnostic testing - see section 6.2.6.

concertation

time allowed for teachers in the same cycle to plan work, particularly for children who are ahead of their year group and who follow the work of the next year, whilst staying in the same class. The time allowed normally amounts to one hour a week (or three hours every third week).

concours

competitive examination taken to qualify for teacher training

conseil d'administration

a school's board of governors (includes some parent members).

conseiller pédagogique (plural, conseillers pédagogiques)

qualified teacher who supervises a trainee teacher's in-school training placements

crèche collective (plural, crèches collectives)

(community) crèches, which are under the authority of the Ministry of Social Affairs.

découverte du monde

'discovering the world' - a cross-disciplinary subject which includes the sciences, technology, history and geography and is taught to 6-8 year old children in elementary school education.

demande de dérogation (plural, demandes de dérogation)

a request from a parent or guardian for the transfer of a child to a different school. (Children are usually allocated a school place by the local authority on a strictly geographical/sectorial basis and there is no parental choice. Consequently in some areas, demandes de dérogation are common.)

département (plural, départements)

one of 96 metropolitan and five overseas administrations, sub-divisions of the 22 régions. Départements are responsible for the administration of collèges and are further subdivided into communes.

diplôme national du brevet

lower secondary leaving certificate received on successful completion of the final year of the collège (the penultimate year of compulsory education).

diplôme professionnel de professeur des écoles

qualification awarded on completion of two years’ training to become a pre-primary or primary school teacher.

directeur (m) (plural, directeurs ); directrice (f) (plural, directrices)

Headteacher. This term is usually used for headteachers in the elementary school and nursery school phases. See principal and proviseur also.

école élémentaire (plural, écoles élémentaires)

elementary school/primary school

five-year school catering for students aged 6-11 in compulsory primary education.

Ecole Normale Supérieure (ENS)

grandes écoles preparing students for the state teacher recruitment examination (concours)

écoles ouvertes

open schools

écoles ouvertes  offer out of school provision for children living in socially disadvantaged areas. At least 25 per cent of time at écoles ouvertes is spent on academic activities (homework or extra support); the remainder is generally divided between, sport, play or cultural activities.

éducation adaptée

special education.

enseignement préélémentaire

pre-compulsory, pre-school or pre-elementary (pre-primary) education (of all types).

grandes écoles

State or private institutions of higher education offering high level diplomas in engineering, management and research. ENS  (a type of grande école) prepare students for the concours

halte garderie (plural, haltes garderie)

community crèches, where children can be left for short periods. These are under the authority of the Ministry of Social Affairs.

hors contrat

'out of contract'. The phrase used to describe private-sector schools which do not have a contract with the State, consequently, such schools are able to offer a curriculum not validated by the Ministry of Education, e.g. Montessori, Steiner.

inspecteur (d'académie)

most senior representative of the national Ministry of Education at the level of the département. S/he is responsible for the administration of lower secondary education (collèges) and is accountable to the recteur.

l'Inspection générale

the inspectorate - the central government body charged with inspecting schools.

institut universitaire de formation des maîtres (IUFM) (plural, instituts universitaires de formation des maîtres – IUFMs)

university institute for teacher training

livret (scolaire)

individual student's report book.

jardin d'enfants (plural, jardins d'enfants )

privately-run kindergarten offering play and education facilities for children aged 2-6.

lycée (plural, lycées)

upper secondary school (15+ to 18+), providing the final year of compulsory education and two years of post-compulsory upper secondary education which generally lead to the Baccalauréat examination. There are two main types of lycée: general and technological (lycée d'enseignement général et technologique - LEGT), and vocational (lycée professionnel). Lycées fall under the jurisdiction of the recteur.

lycée d'enseignement général et technologique (plural, lycées d'enseignement général et technologique )

Upper secondary school for students aged 15+ to 18+ offering various types of qualification, the most notable of which are the general or technological Baccalauréats (see sections 5.4.2 and the whole of section 6.4).

lycée d'enseignement professionnel (plural, lycées d'enseignement professionnel )

see lycée professionnel

lycée des métiers

Proposed new upper secondary institutions, which will specialise in one trade or profession at all levels from the lowest certificate to university-level degrees.

lycée professionnel

(plural, lycées professionnels )

Vocational upper secondary school for students aged 15+ to 18+ offering various types of vocational qualification, the most notable of which is the vocational Baccalauréat (see sections 5.4.2 and the whole of section 6.4).

mairie

the local town hall, at which parents register their children for compulsory school, and for pre-compulsory education in nursery school or infant class.

(école) maternelle

(plural, (écoles) maternelles)

nursery school

pre-compulsory school which caters for children from age 2 or 3 to 6 years .

nourrices

registered childminders (who usually look after pre-school children in their own home. Their services are under the authority of the Ministry of Social Affairs).

préfet

local political representative of the Government in the département who is responsible for reviewing the legality of the acts of the départements and communes.

première

the second year of the lycée (upper secondary education) and the first year of post-compulsory upper secondary education.

première d'adaptation

a special première class to prepare holders of the BEP (see abbreviations and acronyms) for further technological studies at Baccalauréat level.

principal

Headteacher. This term usually refers to headteachers in collèges. See directeur/directrice and proviseur also.

professeur agrégé

teacher in secondary school (usually lycée, may sometimes be a collège teacher) or in higher education who has passed a competitive (agrégation) examination for posts on the teaching staff of upper secondary or higher education establishments.

professeur certifié (plural, professeurs certifiés)

secondary level teacher holding a CAPE, CAPES, CAPEPS, CEPET or CAPLP qualification.

professeur des écoles (plural, professeurs des écoles)

primary school teacher

teacher in an école maternelle (nursery school), a classe enfantine (infant class in an elementary school), or in an école élémentaire (primary school).

proviseur

headteacher - term usually used to refer to headteachers in lycées. See directeur/directrice and principal also

quatrième

the third year of the (four-year) collège, providing compulsory lower secondary education.

recteur (de l'académie)

most senior representative of the national Ministry of Education at the level of the région, responsible for the administration of lycées. S/he is a senior civil servant accountable to the (national) Minister.

redoublement

repetition of a year in order to achieve the necessary standard for progress to the next class.

région

one of the 22 administrative authorities into which metropolitan France is currently divided. Each région contains from two to eight départements which are, in turn, divided into communes. The régions are responsible for the administration of lycées and of regional institutions for special education.

seconde

the first year of the lycée (upper secondary education) and the final year of compulsory education.

sixième

the first year of the (four-year) collège (providing compulsory lower secondary education).

sous contrat

'under contract'. This term refers to those private schools in the education system in France which have a contract with the State whereby they receive some state funding, but must consequently adhere to the timetables and curricula applied in public-sector education. Sous-contrat schools are subject to state supervision/inspection.

terminale

the final year of the lycée (upper secondary education and post-compulsory in terminale and première), during which students usually take the Baccalauréat examination.

travaux personnels encadrés

personal supervised study

students in the final two years of upper secondary education undertake two hours of personal supervised study in their chosen branch of study.

troisième

the fourth and final year of the collège (compulsory lower secondary education)