Lower-School Campus Assignment

There are three distinct options for instruction in the Lower School:

  • Students can be interne and attend both French and American classes at the Lycée International.
  • They can attend the Ecole Schnapper full-time and receive both French and American instruction there.
  • They can attend their local French public school and be released twice a week to join the American Section class for their grade at the Lycée International. This third option is the externé program.

Assignments are made according to space availability, student profile, and parental preference.

While it is not possible for students to transfer from one full-time option to the other, externé students may request full-time places at either campus in the spring for the following year.

The Externé Program

Nearly two thirds of the Lycée Lower School students are part of the externé program. These, approximately 700 students, attend their section classes at the Lycée campus twice a week while attending their local school for their French classes.

Externé students are enrolled enrolled in over 200 different French primary schools. Local schools are familiar with the Lycée externé program. So that externé students do not miss essential work while attending Section classes, many French schools coordinate their school day with the schedule of the Lycée International. Parents must maintain close contact with their child’s French school/teacher to ensure that their child keeps up with any missed work.

Although it can be challenging, children and parents generally integrate easily into the rhythm and routine of attending two schools. Externé students have the added advantage of making friends from around their neighborhood. Being an externé student is a fruitful and enriching experience that teaches children organizational skills and facilitates both bilingual education and friendships.

Like their interne classmates, our externés participate in the American Section Library and Art programs each week.

Externé students are promoted in the same manner as full-time students when moving from fifth grade (CM2) to Middle School. All will become full-time students at either the Collège International or at Collège Marcel Roby.

Testimonial from an Externé Parent