FRENCH LANGUAGE PROGRAM AT SAINT-DENIS SCHOOL

French education is interesting for more and more families. To find a good boarding school in France I made appointment with a representative of the Saint-Denis International School at ALPHE Secondary Focus Conference in Frankfurt. This school offers an interesting for our market program of French as a foreign language plus academic subjects. In this program international student can start studying with the initial level of French and gradually adapt to studying in French. Last year my client visited this school, gave me a good feedback but ultimately chose another school in France.

In an interview with a representative of the school we also discussed receiving student visa for France and accommodation at the school. Read my interview with representative of Saint-Denis International School.

L: How many foreign students study in school? Are there any student from Ukraine?

R: The school has about 50 foreign students, whereas we have 650 students in total. Most of them are French so international students will find themselves fully into the French environment. We also accommodate our foreign students in rooms with French children, to encourage children to communicate in French. We have no students from Ukraine but we want to improve it. Now we have two students from Russia. The rest of them are from the European countries, Latin America and the United States.

L: What is special about your curriculum?

R: Since we accept international students, we aim to adapt to studying in French as smoothly as possible. Therefore, we introduced a program of French as a foreign language: the child can come to the school starting with the A2 level or higher and take language training in parallel with studying subjects of high school in French. With intensive language program at the lower level of French students move on to semi-intensive classes when they reach levels B2-C1 and add high school subjects. There is an opportunity to take some subjects in English if they have sufficient level of English while improving their French. Students have test for language proficiency every three months. One language class has from 5 to 10 students. In subjects classes the number of children from 25 to 30 students. Students have a tutor, who meets with them weekly to discuss their progress in study.

High school program we have here is the French Baccalaureate. To study in high school foreign students have time to prepare themselves for program in French.

L: Do you accept students to school for a semester ordo you have a summer camp?

R: Yes, we do accept foreign students during the academic year to come to trial training, starting from one month. Often we receive groups of children, the last group from Ireland came for 6 weeks. Children live on campus with full board and participate in sports and cultural activities. Summer camp is 4 weeks in July, with 5 hours of French per week. During summer camp children live in host families.

L: How is the situation with visas?

R: Now we are in the process of getting accreditation from the French ministry for teaching French as a foreign language. This will prevent any problems associated with obtaining a visa. We expect to receive these accreditation by March 2018. The French Ministry of education, culture and foreign policy are working on this issue. We are the first and only school in France with such permissions.

L: Where do you accommodate international students?

R: On campus, we are boarding school and residence for boys on campus ground and slightly outside of the campus for girls. Bathrooms are in the corridor, one bathroom for 2-4 students. All high school students have single room accommodation.

L: What are the requirements for admission to the school?

R: We require candidates to provide school report cards and have a Skype interview. For French language we require level of French depending on the program that student chooses, starting with A2. Upon graduation, 80% of our graduates go to French private and public universities, the rest are going to study in Europe or the United States.

I will recommend Saint-Denis for students with Elementary or Intermediate level of French which usually not sufficient for admission to a French school, but enough to come here to the program French as a foreign language and to learn the language before entering French high school. Also students can be learning French while having main subjects in English. School is a great choice for families who want their kids to get education in France for an affordable price.