# french school



## sevgi (Dec 10, 2013)

Hi -

We are moving to Dubai from Bay Area San Francisco.
Our boys go to French school Ecole Bilingue de Berkeley. kindergarden and grade 1/
Looking for advices us about French Schools in Dubai.
Thanks for your help.


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## m1key (Jun 29, 2011)

You can get some info here. There is a link to a spreadsheet listing all the private schools here. I believe there are a few French options, though have no experience or knowledge of them myself. There is also a rating system that should give you a basic indication as to whether they are remotely any good.


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## CHEEKYCOUPLE (Feb 18, 2011)

Alliance Francaise and Pampidou are the ones that come to my mind.....but good luck even getting a response if you do not have a French passport and born in France of gaelic ancestry.......eace:


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## AmericanCakeBaker (Jul 31, 2012)

I would love to help answer any questions you may have about the french schools. Sorry that I just saw your post now. Are you still looking?
I have 4 children who all go to the french school here. My youngest 3 went to AFLEC for 1 year until we could get them into George Pompidou. The are in 6eme (6th US), CM1 (4th grade) and GS (kindergarten). We had quite the struggle to get the younger ones into AFLEC. We are not french but because of our circumstances and because our kids were already bilingual they accepted us. They really saved us since we couldn't get our 4 into the same school in any other location,

AFLEC is the french curriculum lebanese school which follows the same program as the worldwide french system. It has a mix of french and Lebanese staff and teachers and is a wonderful school. It just expanded last year so they are able to accept more high school students as they add a grade each year. Facilities are acceptable and the school feels a bit cramped based on its location and that it doesn't have its own pool or sports fields since it is sharing with the sports club next door. 
It is a good school and my kids were very happy there. I did always feel the academics were too easy but my kids didn't mind. We came from living in Paris (we are American) where my children went to public school and had a good rigorous education. AFLEC was great and we would still be there but wanted all our kids in the same school and really preferred not to move our eldest.
Staff at GP is also quite friendly and the teachers are amazing. My now 5eme child is thriving and is a very serious student. Her teachers challenge her to strive to be her best. Some of them are quite tough and grading is quite strict. There are not any clubs as this is a french school, the focus is on academics but they do have after school sports, called APS (both for elementary and higher levels). 
They built a new school out in Academic City and moved all their primary students out of Oud Metha which is now maternelle (pre-school). The location of the new campus is right next to the jr. high/high school and the school is beautiful and all new this year. My youngest 3 have found the new school to be an easy transition but they miss AFLEC. Academics are excellent at GP and I am also very happy with their classes in Arabic and especially English. There are different levels and their English teacher gives them enough challenge to ensure their higher level of English. There are only a handful of americans at the school but you will find in both schools that everyone speaks english, not an issue if you personally don't speak french.

I would say if you can get into either school you would be happy but it is more likely to be AFLEC as GP usually gives priority to French expats and those with siblings already in the school (that is how we got in since our 6eme child was able to secure an initial spot).
My advice to you is to call frequently and be polite and persistent. Both administrations are great and will do what they can to get you in. 
Hope this helps!


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## Elvik59 (Jun 9, 2013)

You should have a look at 'The children's garden', a trilingual pre-school,
Good luck!


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## manishaahluwalia (Mar 7, 2010)

Hi I'd be interested to know your experience with Georges Pompidou billingual when the spoken language at home is not french (if that is your experience). I'm american and my husband frnwxh but our ds is in french school while we speak English at home. I'm curious to understand whether he will be at a disadvantage in comparison to his peers and what the split between English and french actually is after maternelle. DH thinks I'm insane for worrying about this this early as DS is only in petite section at the moment  I think I have valid concerns given that switching schools in dubai and getting placement in the best schools is not easy.


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