{{BY:Renée BY:Renée

Languages spoken in France French French sign languages Spanish German ItalianCatalan Flemish Dutch

France is the largest country in Western Europe and the third-largest in Europe as a whole.

Government TypeRepublic

In 2002, about 83% to 88% of the population were nominally Roman

Catholic,

About 2% were Protestant

about 7% to 8%Jews

About 4% subscribed to no religion at all

The name "France" comes from the Latin Francia, which means "country of the Franks".

The capital of France is Paris

Participation in Participation in education (2008 education (2008 figures )figures )

Male Female Total

Primary (6 to 11 years)

99% 99% 98%

Secondary(11 to 18 years)

98% 99% 98%

A French school is A French school is

different from English different from English

schools they are far schools they are far

behind (like Math) and behind (like Math) and

are way ahead in subject are way ahead in subject

like Science like Science

EDUCATION

Schooling is free and compulsory from age 6 to 16, preschool is also free, but not compulsory,

from 2 to 6.

Nearly all children enroll because the French believe that preschools are important for developing the communication skills for young children

school year starts in early September

Continue of e

ducation

Continue of e

ducation

Public primary school Public primary school day starts at 8:30 or day starts at 8:30 or 9am, has two-hour 9am, has two-hour lunch break around lunch break around noon, and then lasts noon, and then lasts until 4:30 or 5pm.until 4:30 or 5pm.

Children go to school on Monday, Tuesday, Thursday, and Friday, and have Wednesday,

Saturday , and Sunday off.

Nearly 20 percent of all

children attend Catholic schools

College similar to College similar to junior high school, junior high school, last four years. last four years. School goes from 8 School goes from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. from a.m. to 5 p.m. from Monday through Monday through Friday, with a half Friday, with a half day on Wednesday. day on Wednesday.

Secondary education, lasting seven years, is offered by colleges and lycées (a French public secondary school that prepares students for the university)

After college, After college, students take an students take an exam called the exam called the brevet. Students brevet. Students then have more than then have more than one option they can one option they can follow: continue on follow: continue on to high school to high school ( known as lycées) or ( known as lycées) or go to a trade school go to a trade school to gain experience in to gain experience in a specific trade. a specific trade.

French lycées French lycées involve a full week involve a full week of classes and a of classes and a large amount of large amount of homework, all homework, all French student are French student are required to study required to study English. English.

After secondary After secondary education, students education, students take an exam to take an exam to determine whether determine whether they may go on to they may go on to higher educationhigher education

The best students The best students take further take further preparatory classes in preparatory classes in order to attend the order to attend the grandes, écoles where grandes, écoles where they study for careers they study for careers in government, the in government, the military, education, military, education, and industry , and industry , engineering, engineering, marketing, and marketing, and

Women are still less Women are still less educated than men: educated than men: female adult female adult illiteracy is sixty-illiteracy is sixty-four percent as four percent as compared to thirty-compared to thirty-eight percent for eight percent for males. males.

Primary school Primary school enrollment is eighty-enrollment is eighty-six percent for boys six percent for boys and sixty-seven and sixty-seven percent for girls.percent for girls.

Home Education Home Education

A school inspector A school inspector inspects the home inspects the home schooled child once a schooled child once a year.year.

Home schooling in Home schooling in France has been France has been legal since December legal since December 19981998

May require May require homeschooled homeschooled students to be tested,students to be tested,

France

French law allows home schooling officially but the majority of French people do not know they have this choice.

The following aspects of French The following aspects of French education may surprise you:education may surprise you:In theory, children must attend their nearest school (unless having private education) but in practice there are various ways of getting a child into another school,

Schools make little use of computers and all homework must be handwritten - on squared paper; calculators are not used until secondary school (age 11).

School holidays are among the longest in the world; summer holidays last between 10 and 12 weeks.

Children are not permitted to wear any sign of religious affiliation to school, e.g. crosses or (Muslim) headscarves.Homework isn't

common in primary schools but is onerous at secondary level, pupils having at least two hours homework each day.

Children are expected to bring a lot of books home each evening and few schools provide adequate lockers.

Children learn to Children learn to sing in primary sing in primary school and to read school and to read music , to play the music , to play the recorder and other recorder and other instruments in instruments in secondary school.secondary school.

Few French Few French teachers teachers speak good speak good English - English - except except English English teachersteachers

Even though attendance is mandatory up to the age of 16, about 150,000 students leave school each year without a high school diploma, many from the junior high level.

Works CitedWorks Citedhttp://www.nationsencyclopedia.com/Europe/France-RELIGIONS.html

http://wwp.greenwichmeantime.com/time-zone/europe/european-union/france/facts/index.htm

http://0-search.proquest.com.helin.uri.edu/docview/222276861?accountid=2428

http://www.myhomeschoolingweb.com/planning/laws/france/

http://www.parisvoice.com/practical-paris/474-education-in-france