Pupils come to Bordeaux International School specifically to complete their secondary education in English. They obtain internationally recognised qualifications that will equip them for higher and further education throughout the world.
Most of our A-level school-leavers attend colleges and universities in Great Britain, Australia and the USA. Those with a satisfactory level in French have the option of attending a French University, building on the language skills they have developed at Bordeaux International School.
Transitional phase
While the main
objective of the Secondary School is to provide an education based on the
English education system (or jointly with the French curriculum in the Primary
Section and the Middle School), there is a focus on learning French.
In some cases, pupils attend the school for two or three years specifically to acquire sufficient fluency in French to be able to transfer to French “collège”. The content of the English and French curricula are sufficiently similar for pupils to be able to transfer from one to the other, although this is always easier at the earliest possible stage.
The school is one of very few in France offering secondary education mainly in English and following the English syllabus in all academic areas. Most lessons are taught in English, although great emphasis is placed on learning French fluently and naturally. The more creative lessons, such as art and sport, are taught in a combination of both languages.
The school as a whole has a truly international identity with pupils from over 15 different nationalities. The common denominator within the Secondary School is that English is either the mother tongue or spoken to a competent level. We draw on this valuable cultural mix by encouraging pupils to give presentations about their native land or to do themed project work.
Personal tutor
For many
parents, it can be daunting, moving their child to a new school in a new country
with a new language and new way of life. To ease the transition, each pupil is
assigned a personal tutor whose role is to guide and assist them in settling in
happily at the school, and with their peers and host family.
The tutor follows their progress and achievement, co-ordinates their social integration and pastoral care, and liaises closely with their parents. They also assist in resolving any difficulties and provide career advice to help the pupil and parents make decisions regarding which subjects to study.