Handj

Hi. My husband and I are currently considering moving to the Dordogne region of France. We have two daughters aged 5 and 8 and have been hearing not great things about French schools. We could really do with some actual real life knowledge of schools in this area. Are they as old fashioned, intolerant and uncreative as we are hearing?! Our eldest daughter is very creative, loves art and music but not so great with the academics and we are worried she will be miserable. Basically this is our only sticking point as our children’s health and well being is paramount to us. Any advice or real life experience welcome. Thank you so much, H and J x

dmu

Hi, and welcome to the forum!
I wouldn't worry about French Primary Schools - I've never heard of a "bad" one. In any case, unless you opt for a private one, the Mairie allocates which Maternelle/Primaire your children will go to, depending on your domicile. There are two schools of thought (pardon the pun) regarding the teaching methods and one shouldn't compare too much with what you've been used to. My two were born here and went through Maternelle/Primaire/Secondaire/Uni without suffering! I must admit that creativity/sport is lacking in Primaire (or at least in their rural one), but children join sports clubs or go to art, music, dancing, theatre, etc... classes on Wednesdays and Saturdays to cover this need.
Take a look at the Schooling thread in the Read-Me: Moving to France FAQs above. It's fairly up to date, except concerning the Bac which is going through yet another controversial reform which doesn't affect you yet!
Hope this helps, and if we can advise on any other aspects (will you be working? (your employment status will govern your healthcare coverage); how's your French?, etc...), don't hesitate to ask!

Tweedpipe

Good advise as always from DMU. Our's too went through Maternelle/Primaire/Secondaire with no significant problems. One thing which isn't generally a strong point here, especially in primaire & secondaire is music appreciation, i.e. there was no opportunity to learn an instrument within the schools program. On the other hand during 8 months that our son attended primary school in UK, he learnt to play 2 instruments, then followed that up on return to France with private lessons.
HERE's the FAQ link referred to for schooling.

dmu

My two managed to learn to play the recorder in Collège, the music teacher only had 1 hour per week per class to teach up to 30 pupils, so it was limited. They took piano lessons after school, firstly learning solfège before being allowed to play "proper" music. One of France's many quirks, together with the French methods of doing arithmetic and knitting instructions, neither of which I've ever managed to master!
As said in the FAQ thread, parents must be prepared to taxi their various children to their various activities, unless they are all within walking distance. Quite a problem when their social life gets going!

Tweedpipe

You mentioned the extremely quirky, French (continental?) way of learning solfege before being allowed a hands-on approach to an instrument. And I agree, quirky indeed.
Being a pianist myself, having heard and read a great deal about various learning methods and having instructed several family members to play the piano well, I firmly believe that a hands-on approach from day one, together with simplied sheet music is by far the best method. Numerous are the music pupils (especially young children) who have rapidly lost the motivation to learn whilst solely studying solfege text-books for a period of time. I learnt as a young kid in the UK, and fortunately it was hands-on and solfege study from day one. I loved playing, but always detested the solfege, although agree that a sound knowledge of solfege is a great tool to the musicians toolbox.
My piano teacher had an excellent reputation, but was from the 'old school'; I wasn't allowed to play anything other than the pieces set for me, and these had to be repeated until perfected, and only then moving on to another set piece chosen for me. Fairly hard graft as I wasn't particularly gifted. The idea of improvisation, even when alone at home never entered my mind, and more's the pity, as I discovered the wonderful freedom of simple improvisation many years later. I encouraged our son - whom I taught initially, to play anything he could find, and to our surprise he spent most of his pocket-money on sheet music, playing well but rarely perfecting a piece - until studying at a music conservatory in Toulouse, where practise and solfege are seriously reinforced.
So yes, there are great possibilities in France, even if some teaching methods, maths etc are treated in a way difficult for many expat parents to comprehend - myself included.