dennerlymum

Hi there

at a turning point in my life due to redundancies at work and was wondering if there was anyone out there who had successfully taken the concours for the CAPES and if so if they could give me any pointers. Help partic appreciated from non native speakers....

and yes I am aware it is very hard to pass; around 1 in 10 success rate (much the same as my entry to teacher training in the uk , except I wasnt doing it in a foreign manguage!!)

dmu

Hi,
http://www.ac-toulouse.fr/
should give you information under "Examens et Concours" (for some reason I couldn't open it, so I don't know!)
I googled "conditions CAPES" and only found some forums and the site of Bordeaux Uni (??!?). From what I gather, you have to have a Licence or equivalent and should ideally do a year of Prépa, to prepare for the Concours. One of my daughter's friends has remained a Primary School teacher because of this Concours!
Good luck with this venture!
Later: managed to open the page and you'll find info under FAQs!

dennerlymum

Thanks for that!

I know the basics and was aware of the need for prepa. (with one/ two years indemnities due I can afford to do it now as supposed to otherwise without the option of redundancy

I already have a pgce (primary teacher qual) from the uk and this allows me to try. I have a post qual too so may qualify for a reduction of training if I pass

I thought you had to pass this even to be a primary teacher!

Novocastrian

According to my OH, who has a large number of teachers among her family in France, you don't even need the CAPES to teach in secondary schools. Certainly not for primary. Success in the CAPES (I'm told) confers extra status which allows you to get higher pay for less work as a secondary teacher. A bit I suppose like a Masters in some other countries.

Second hand info, but HTH.

dennerlymum

Ah!

Thanks for that ... I will look into it

le plumber

My wife is a teacher and tried passing the CAPES but it wasn't to be. Instead she passed the PLP2 which is exactly the same, but you teach in a 'lycée professional'. The PLP2 is (or certainly WAS) pretty much looked upon by being a second class CAPES, (by those who had a CAPES) but in fact it does have certain advantages, for example you get more free time as the students are often on work experience.
Be aware though, when you do get your CAPES or PLP2 you will be on a points system, and your first post could be an in the north (bienvenue chez les Ch'tis) or in the suburbs of Paris. You do get extra points if you have kids and if you're married (rapprochement du conjoint), but in your area and anywhere down south it is really, really hard to get in. You should check with the teaching syndicate (for example SNUEP) on things like that.
Primary school teachers aren't in the same boat - unlike CAPES/PLP2 they stay in the region where they passed their exam.

On the other hand, you'll find that the regional rectorats are recruiting outside staff because they can't find replacement teachers due to cut backs, and its cheaper than paying other teachers to do overtime. Its not CDI contract work, buts it pays OK at around 22-24€/hour - check with the Rectorat in your region or at the ANPE.

dennerlymum

Thats great info! thank you so much. I think I will look into PLP2 as well now as both would interest me. the matter of points is a cause of some concern to me. I will also look into it as with both children in college now and hubby at Airbus, I couldnt move!

I have decided though to try and take the plunge: its now or never and I really need a change; with a possible licenciement economique on the table I would also have the money for the first and probably last time

le plumber

You're welcome

The points system, I think is extremely unfair. After 1 year in IUFM/work experience in Strasbourg, my OH was obliged to make her choices of where to work. Looking at the list of last years entrants in each region, it was easy to choose - the Nord Pas de Calais or Paris. We made a "strategic" decision to go to Calais, and it was accepted. Actually we were really happy there. However, we had to stay there about 10years before she got her "mutation" to the Academie de Besançon, where her familly are (you apply each year if you wish, and in case of refusual I think they give you an extra 10points for the following year but only if you apply for the same region). We finally got to Besançon, but there was no post available so for a couple of years she was a TZR (replacement teacher) in the region. That was really a nightmare, as they send you where they want and if you live in a large region you can be doing loads of kms per day. We lived in Besançon but she worked in Montbeliard, which was a 200km round trip everyday!! On top of that Montbelliard is a town with a high number of North African immigrants, and the kids in the classes were not not the easiest lot to deal with - so with that and the commute it was pretty stressful!!!
But don't be dishearted, my sister in law passed her CAPES and managed to stay in Besançon (but on a TZR basis), but it was better than ending up in Créteil...Its been a couple of years now and she still has no fixed posting, but hey, thats the price for being where you want to be.

It all depends on the need for English teachers in your region, but as I say you should really go and see the local SNUEP who will be able to tell you how many points the last english teacher had entering your region last year, which will give you a rough idea if you have a good chance or not.

dennerlymum

THANK YOU!

I will get on and contact the union. I will also get my uni certs verified and get the outline required so i can apply for courses.... I am already qualified in the uk; maybe this will help; I dont know!

Novocastrian

Couldn't agree more and it applies to civil servants across the board. One of our cousins (as well as his wife) are in very successful mid-to-late-careers as tax officers. They started in Caen but have had to relocate to Brittany, La Rochelle, Rheims, Paris (perhaps one or two others as well) and currently Rouen over the years to get advancement.

Now, I've moved around a lot, but it's always been my choice.

cyrian

According to "Chez les Ch'tis" you can do better if you claim to be disabled

Novocastrian

Peabrain

Hi,
Getting through the CAPES means you get a job for life, teaching (at present) 18 55-minute classes per week, plus, often, two compulsory extra classes, paid overtime. As has been pointed out, you don't necessarily get to teach anywhere near where you live, but that's the way it goes here. If the same system were to be applied to the medical profession, there would be fewer GPs in big cities and more out in the sticks.
Personally I wouldn't go into teaching, for reasons that have been developed in other answers, but if that's what you want, why not.
The written exams for the CAPES d'anglais are taken in November. They can be prepared by going to university or through the CNED, a good, reliable correspondence-course system run by the ministry. You need an M2, the equivalent of which you might get with your British qualifications; check with the university. The written exams involve a translation from (probably) English into French and then a commentary on a literary text or a text on civilisation. The commentary is to be done in English. Obviously a high standard of spoken and written French is required, after all the customers are French. As a native speaker you would be at considerable advantage in the commentary, as the level of English can be absolutely appalling amongst the average candidates. Often the 'French' of the French-speakers is little better than what they fondly imagine to be English.
The orals are complex but probably someone who has already done some teaching would find them easier than some 23-year-old with no experience whatsoever and too used to thinking with the aid of their Iphone.
Another thing; the money is not very good considering that it's a bac+5 qualification. Starting salary is around 1,600 euros a month.
Have you thought about doing the agrégation? If you have a good arts degree from a good British university it might be an option. Then you only have to do 15 classes a week and the money is marginally better.

Good luck whatever you do, but think it over long and hard beforehand, as teaching today can be an utterly thankless task. Forget "status" though ....

dennerlymum

thanks once again; I really do appreciate all the help given! What is aggregation??
I am very aware of the low pay; but it is significntly better than that of a tefl teacher which is what I do now. I am also aware it is a very thankless task; but sadly it is a real vocation for me and I love it; I have never seen it as a status job; my highly academic school and doctor mother's rudeness about it put paid to that long ago!
I am concerned about the french section but hope that a year's prepa will get me up to speed. I am in the process of sorting out equivalence for my degree and post grad quals.

Tweedpipe

Agrégation competitions are national concours which are held to recruit teachers. The name comes from the fact that when initially created they were for the hiring of substitute teachers known as agrégés.