Vocabulary - school
School uniform
Describing your school
Mon professeur préféré s’appelle Monsieur Smith. - My favourite teacher is called Mr Smith.
Le directeur/La directrice est très strict(e). - The headteacher is very strict.
Les salles de classe sont modernes. - The classrooms are modern.
Il y a un grand terrain de sport. - There is a big sports field.
Je n’aime pas la nourriture de la cantine. - I don’t like the food in the canteen.
Il y a 1 100 élèves dans mon collège. - There are 1,100 students in my school.
Je suis en seconde. - I am in year 11.
Cette année, je vais passer mes examens. - This year I am going to take my exams
The school day
La journée scolaire commence à neuf heures. - The school day begins at nine o’clock.
La récré(ation) est à 11h 20. - Break is at 11:20.
La pause déjeuner est à 13h15. - The lunch break is at 13:15.
Chaque cours dure une heure. - Each lesson lasts an hour.
Les cours se terminent à 15h30. - Lessons finish at 15:30.
Je rentre à la maison vers 16h15. - I get home around 16:15.
Je vais au collège à pied/à vélo/en voiture. - I go to school on foot/by bike/by car.
Je prends le bus/car/train pour aller au collège. - I take the bus/coach/train to go to school.
School rules
Il faut faire une heure de devoirs chaque soir. - We have to do an hour of homework per evening.
Il faut être attentifs en cours. - We have to pay attention in lessons.
On ne doit pas oublier nos stylos. - We shouldn’t forget our pens.
Nous devons porter un uniforme. - We must wear a uniform.
Nous pouvons mettre du maquillage. - We can wear make-up.
Les portables sont interdits. - Mobile phones are forbidden.
Problems at school
Je ne comprends pas. - I don’t understand.
J’ai toujours trop de devoirs. - I always have too much homework.
Mes notes sont trop basses. - My grades are too low.
Je ne fais pas assez de progrès. - I’m not making enough progress.
Il y a trop de pression. - There is too much pressure.
The French school system
In France, pupils go to three different schools between the ages of 6 and 18
- L'école primaire - primary school - from age 6 to 10.
- Le collège - secondary school - from 11 to 15.
- Le lycée - secondary school/sixth form - from 15 to 18.
At the end of collège, students take exams called le Diplôme national du brevet. These are similar to GCSEs but with fewer subjects.
During their time in the lycée, students study for the baccalauréat, which is similar to A-levels but with more subjects.
