FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
Is homeschooling legal in France ?
Yes, parents can teach their children at home. The law of December 18th, 1998 has made annual registration compulsory. A declaration must be made each year to the town hall and the school inspectorate. The school inspector organises an inspection once a year. If the result of two consecutive inspections within a year is unsatisfactory, the inspector can order the parents to send the child to school.
How do children learn at home ? Is it necessary to follow the national curriculum ?
Some families use correspondence courses and follow the school curriculum. Others use other pedagogical methods such as Montessori or Freinet. Many families use different resources, following the child's lead. Others allow the child to self-direct his or her education, and simply are available to answer questions.
The law requires children to learn a broad range of subjects set out in the decree of March 23rd 1999, and must attain a comparable level to children in school at the end of compulsory schooling. (Age 16).
The following is the knowledge which children must acquire according to the decree :
a good command of the French language, both written and spoken,
knowledge of French literature,
principles of mathematics
at least one foreign language
a basic knowledge of the history and geography of French, Europe and the world
a basic knowledge of science and technology
an artistic education
participation in sports.
In order to acquire this knowledge, the child must
be able to ask questions
propose reasoned answers from observations and written documents
prove reasoning ability
invent, create and produce finished work
be able to use information and communication technology
control efforts, use resources and evaluate risks
What about exams ?
Young people can take the national exams without going to school by registering with the school inspectorate (" Inspection Académique " or " Rectorat ")