Does anyone know the starting age for Maternelle in Eymet? We have 3 children aged 3, 4 & 6 - the eldest we know will go to school but I want to confirm that the youngest will be able to get a place at Maternelle.
Children can usually get a place in Maternelle from age 2 and a half or when nappy trained. This would be called Toute Petite Section. Some smaller schools don't have a toute petite section however. Your 3 year old would probably enter Petite Section.
French schools calculate your class on the calendar year in which you are born so your child would enter Petite Section in the September of the calendar year in which they turned 3 or Moyenne Section in the September of the year they turn 4 (so this will be your youngest's case if he/she turns 4 before the end of 2010).
Classes are Petite Section, Moyenne Section, Grande Section, Cours Préparatoire (CP), Cours Elémentaire 1 (CE1), Cours Elémentaire 2 (CE2), Cours Moyen 1 (CM1), Cours Moyen 2 (CM2).
If you'd like your children to learn their English letters and sounds as well try BEE http://www.bilingual.fr our non-profit association which has been running English literacy classes on a Wednesday just south of Eymet since 2008. BEE takes children from age 4 upwards.
Many thanks Victorias that's very useful info - we'll have one each in petite & moyenne sections.
We'll definitely be interested in BEE once we've settled in.
Thanks again.
Nick
