English 
Preschool at Lycée Condorcet de Sydney
A distinctive feature of the French education system is the introduction of the preschool cycle from the age of 3, preceding the elementary school cycle. Preschool is not limited to a daycare or nursery, but is a genuine school where all mandatory teachings align with the French educational programs. This phase corresponds to what the French education system identifies as cycle 1.
Why AEFE?
The AEFE (Agency for French Education Abroad), is by far the largest international school network in the world. Choosing a French school means desiring for your child a humanistic education, faithful to the values of liberty, equality, and fraternity of the French Republic, while also valuing cultural and linguistic diversity. These institutions offer the opportunity to enrol your child from preschool, at 3 or 4 years old depending on the school. This is a distinctive feature of French education.Ìý
We consider it important for children to develop their first learning experiences within a school framework, with fully trained teachers, which will enable them to approach primary education with greater confidence. That’s why preschool education has now become compulsory for all young French citizens. By choosing to enrol your child in a French school from preschool, you provide them with the opportunity to build the foundations for harmonious development in a caring environment perfectly suited to their age. You also allow them to smoothly embark on a strong multilingual journey.
Class Structure
The preschool or Maternelle currently consists of 3 PS classes, 4 MS classes and 4 GS classes. Each class has one French speaking teacher, one English speaking teacher and one teacher’s assistant.
- PS - La Petite Section de Maternelle - Age 3
- MS - Moyenne Section de Maternelle - Age 4
- GS - Grande Section de Maternelle - Age 5
The Main Objectives in Maternelle
- Create an environment and organisation conducive to autonomy and early experiences.
- Place the student in specific discovery situations, fostering the construction of new ways to interact with the environment.
- Utilise approaches such as play, verbalization, group experimentation, independent research, and sensory and motor exploration.
- Adopt directed, semi-directed, or free workshops alternately throughout the day, based on the learning objectives set by the teacher.
- Prioritise socialisation and the discovery of the world as essential foundations for future acquisitions.
The French Curriculum
The Maternelle curriculum emphasises developing communication and language skills, as well as exploring and discovering the world. Children learn by playing, thinking and solving problems, by practising, memorising and being reminded.
The curriculum is divided into five parts:
- Communication and languages.
- Act, express and understand through physical activities.
- Act, express and understand through artistic activities.
- Construct first tools for developing thoughts
- Explore the world
Becoming Bilingual
The main language of instruction at Lycée Condorcet de Sydney is French.
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- In Petite Section and Moyenne Section: the curriculum is divided as follows: 30% of the instruction is delivered in English and 70% in French.
- In Grande Section, 25% is delivered in English and 75% in French.
- There are also support classes in English and French for students needing improvement or specific assistance. In all cases, language development and vocabulary exploration remain a priority in French programs in kindergarten.
- We have support programs with additional teachers in the classrooms. Language development and vocabulary exploration remain the top priorities in French preschool programs.
- In Grande Section (the final year of preschool), English teachers follow the curriculum of New South Wales, as outlined in the following .
A typical day in PS
The Maternelle differs from other programs offered to children aged three to five in Australia in its structured educational mission and its official Department of Education curriculum. Its aim is to inspire children to go to school to learn, grow and discover their personality and, as such, it is an essential step toward ensuring their future academic success. Because of this ambitious goal, the students attend Maternelle school five days a week, from 8.50 am to 3.15 pm. The curriculum sees the children working towards Early Stage 1 outcomes of the NSW Education Standards Authority (NESA) syllabus in all Key Learning Areas within the French educational framework.
