EuroTrash

I thought this might be worth a heads up for any lurkers out there, because it may not reach the UK press. It's always surprised me how many would-be expats thinking of moving to France, seem to want to home school their kids, so best for them to be aware that this may not be an option unless the child cannot attend school for health reasons, or is a star athlete, or whatever.
(I won't give a link, there is plenty of coverage online just now with so many different viewpoints so you can choose your own colour)

scot47

The trend to home-schooling and the enthusiasm is American and source and inspiration. Many countries in Europe make it difficult or impossible.. Do your homework

During the wave of migration from Britain to Bulgaria in the early years of this centuries we came across several families who attempted to exclude themselves from the cultural and social life of the host country. Admittedly others were enthusiastic about sending their kids to school. School in Bulgaria is a positive experience for many !

graham.miln

I agree that avoiding opinion is helpful. For those wanting the original source, the President's statement, including the home schooling ruling, is at La Republique en actes : discours du President de la Republique sur le theme de la lutte contre les separatismes:

dmu

Admittedly his speech was aimed at radical Muslim parents home-schooling (= brain-washing) their children, but it also struck me that home-schooling by would-be expats (from anywhere) would no longer be "tolerated".
For newbies or lurkers, until now it was tolerated, provided that it was declared at the Mairie and to the regional Académie. The FRENCH curriculum could be taught at home and there were regular inspections to ensure that the pupils were at the same level as their peers, failing which they were obliged to go to school. This is daunting enough for French parents who have gone through the whole Education System themselves, so how would newly-arrived foreigners cope?
This thread deserves a Sticky status, so that we can refer to it whenever the subject comes up again!!

Tweedpipe

This is all rather interesting.
Actually I listened to Macron's speech yesterday which motivated this significant change in education, notably the fight against separatism, and also listened to the French debate which followed (some may say perhaps I should get a life.......)

Basically E. Macron announced that school will become compulsory from the age of 3 from the start of the 2021 school year, with the exception of children with specific health needs. During the debate the 'experts' thought it generally a positive move, although one major problem was discussed - how home schooling would be controlled, due to the chronic shortage of school 'inspectors'. It was reported that the number of children attending home schooling concerned 50,000 students, an estimated 25K+ of which are sick and will therefore continue. The numbers of children being home schooled has been steadily rising each year since 2016. Maybe the new law if and when it is passed is a good thing, but the political implications cannot be ignored, and the controversy that - knowing the French, may follow.
(Spoiler link needs deleting, unable to do so).

scot47

i had not thought of The Islamic Angle. I feel that Macron is right to be concerned.

dmu

For info, here's official info concerning home-schooling AT PRESENT.

https://www.service-public.fr/partic...sdroits/F23429

In practice, it MIGHT be possible for foreign parents to home-school their primary-age children, if they hire a tutor to teach them French Grammatical Analysis, and they themselves learn how to set out Maths à la française, but for Collège/Lycée, what about Physics/Chemistry/Technology and teaching the compulsory "second" language in French? For native English speakers, even teaching the first language, English, requires a thorough knowledge of French Grammar....
As this is a thread giving info, I'll leave the effect that home-schooling must have on expats' children's integration into French society, to a possible thread in the main section below....

Tweedpipe

Good info DMU. I note that the penalties for non compliance after a second inspection are fairly steep.
Put's me off of going back to nightschool!

EuroTrash

I have only just noticed that at the top of the service public web pages there is a button you can click on to be alerted if changes are made to that page. Has this always been there and I've never spotted it before, or is it a new thing? Either way it seems to me an excellent facility to offer.

So anyone who is currently homeschooling or considering it, miight want to visit that page and register for alerts to these rules, to make sure they find out quickly about any changes that will affect them.

dmu

I've never spotted it before, either! A great idea, anyway, to keep people up to date as and when the rules change.
(What happens when you click on the button? I didn't dare, in case I'm automatically tagged forevermore...)

Pulaski

That is the primary reason Macon is interested, isn't it? ..... Coming hard on the heels of news just a few days ago that doctors in France would be prosecuted and face up to a year in prison for providing virginity certificates.

EuroTrash

OK I just tried it, to get alerts for the Brexit residence permit page - thought that might be useful.
What happens is, you have to start by setting up an espace on the service public website (didn't even know you could, is this a new thing? )
You can use FranceConnect but I didn't, I set an email address and a password..
Then you can choose what alerts you want to receive.
That is as far as I have got, but there is more to be explored. It looks as if you can fill in more details and link up to your records on the public service IT system - or presumably if you connect via FranceConnect it links you up automatically - and tick boxes to receive automatic personal alerts, such as a reminder when your passport or other administrative document is about to run out or when you need to do certain démarches. You can probably tell it to remind you to do your tax form, pay your property taxes and stuff like that.
It looks potentially very useful, especially as one ages and the holes in one's memory seem to grow larger. I wish I'd discovered all this sooner.

EuroTrash

Yes I think so - that, and the fact there is concern over splits in society and he sees this as a way of pulling everyone together and making sure all kids are introduced to French values at an early age and grow up with them.

dmu

Thanks for that, you live and learn....

dmu

+1
Apparently Jewish schools declare a commitment to teach French values, whereas it must be assumed that Muslim ones (and home-schoolers) don't, and Macron's primary intention is to prevent anti-France/West indoctrination at an early age.
It's quite possible that the Mairies will check that all present and future home-schoolers will include "French values" in their teachings. Something which expats must expect to demonstrate.