Secondary School

Education in one’s mother tongue (L1) is the fundamental principle of the European Schools’ pedagogy, but multilingual teaching is also very important. The study of a first foreign language (L2) begins the first year of primary school (P1). Pupils can choose French, English or German. It is an important choice because pupils will study human sciences and non-denominational ethics in their L2 starting the third year of secondary school (S3). A third language (L3) is mandatory starting the first year of secondary school (S1). Pupils can choose one of the languages of the European Union that is not their L1 or L2, provided that at least 7 other pupils choose the same language.

From the fourth year of secondary school (S4), pupils can make the (optional) choice to study a fourth language (L4).

To learn more about language teaching in the European Schools, see the “Language Policy of the European Schools” on https://www.eursc.eu/en/Office/official-texts/basic-texts/en.

*Opening of S1 FR from September 2022.

To provide the most effective support, the European School of Paris La Défense relies on the guidelines of the Board of Governors as set out in the following documents:

• 2012-05-D-14-en-10 « Policy on the Provision of Educational Support and Inclusive Education in the European Schools»
• 2012-05-D-15-en-12 « Provision of Educational Support in the European School – Procedural document »

When classroom differentiation is not sufficient, the school provides the following different educational support structures: General support, moderate support, intensive support.

• General Support :

Any pupil may have difficulties with a specific part of a subject or may need extra help with learning strategies.

This support should preferably be provided in small groups, either in or out of the classroom, and should be of short duration.

•  Moderate Support :

Moderate Support is an extension of General Support. It is organized for pupils who need more targeted support with moderate learning difficulties or who have considerable difficulty in following the curriculum, e.g. due to language problems, concentration difficulties etc.

• Intensive Support:

Intensive Support is provided to help students develop their skills (knowledge, know-how and attitudes related to a subject).

• • Intensive Support type A is provided for pupils with special educational needs such learning, emotional, behavioural or physical needs.

An assessment of the pupil’s specific individual needs by an expert is necessary for the signature of an agreement between the director and the parents.

• • Intensive Support type B is provided in exceptional circumstances for example, in the form of intensive language support for a pupil who is unable to access the standard curriculum. The multidisciplinary report is not necessary but an agreement is signed between the director and the parents.

Special arrangements from S5 onwards

The implementation of special arrangements is decided on an individual basis by the school management following a discussion between parents and teachers.

When a pupil needs special arrangements to compensate for a physical or learning difficulty, his/her teachers or parents may request this from the school management.

Parents are informed that special arrangements have been recommended for their child and asked to provide a medical/psychological/psychopedagogical/multidisciplinary report justifying why special arrangements are necessary.

The school management finally decides whether or not to authorise special arrangements and defines in which subjects they apply.

Coordinator of educational support for secondary school: Mrs Corvaglia.

At the beginning of the third term, an information session and a visit to the school are organised in the presence of the S1 class teacher and the CPE to explain the rules and functioning of the secondary school. They also meet with the S1s to discuss their own experiences of the transition process and answer their questions.

Afterwards, the P5 pupils go to the secondary school in pairs or groups of 3, to spend a morning immersed in the S1 class.

The organisation of joint projects (nursery/primary/secondary) is strongly encouraged.

All information concerning the social and personal needs of the pupils is transferred. The S1 class teacher is present at the P5 class council at the end of June. P5 teachers are invited to the first S1 class council at the end of the first term.

• French L1
• English L1
• Language 2 (L2)
• Language 3 (L3)
• Ethics
• Art education
• Music education
• Physical education

• Mathematics
• Integrated sciences
• Human sciences
• ICT

• Mathematics 4 periods, 6 periods
• Biology
• Chemestry
• Physics
• History
• Geography
• Economics
• Language 4 (L4)

• French language 1 advanced
• Mathematics 3 periods, 5 periods,  advanced
• Philosophy 2 periods et 4 periods
• Biology 2 periods, 4 periods etLaboratory Biology 2 periods
• Physics 4 periods et Laboratory Physics 2 periods
• Chemestry
• Geography 2 periods et 4 periods
• History
• Language 4 (L4)
• Sociology
• Economy