Eurécole: Bilingual School in Paris Featured in Forbes

We are proud to share with you an article recently published by Forbes, which highlights Eurécole and our unique approach to bilingual/trilingual education. This article emphasizes our commitment to excellence in pedagogy, our core values, and our impact in the field of multilingual education.

For your convenience, we have also translated the entire content of the article:

In Paris, Eurécole trains children in languages, cultures, and sports

“In Paris, Eurécole trains children in languages, cultures, and sports.

This private trilingual school emphasizes the teaching of living languages and welcomes students from 40 nationalities in a globally-oriented environment, from kindergarten through middle school.

An International School Focused on Tomorrow

In 1989, when Europe was still under construction, psychologist Claude Duval envisioned an international, multicultural, and inclusive school. She founded Eurécole, building its pedagogy around language, culture, art, and sport, to develop trilingual learning from an early age. Thirty-five years later, it is clear that Mrs. Duval’s dream has come true. With a beautiful primary school complex in the 16th arrondissement and a small middle school located in the Batignolles (17th), Eurécole is a meeting place for students from all over the world. Expat children and bicultural French students coexist in a privileged environment, working in small groups by level, in classes where French, German, English, and Spanish are spoken all day long.

The goal of the leadership – still overseen by the Duval family – is to prepare future citizens of the world for a life filled with richness, encounters, and exchanges. In these small-scale facilities, children feel at home. They are supported by a caring teaching team, close to both students and parents, and dedicated to their success. Among them are teachers from the French National Education system under contract, natives from the UK, the USA, Australia, Germany, and Spain with solid teaching credentials, certified nursery assistants, and even a world champion in Chanbara to teach physical education!

A Pedagogy Combining the French Curriculum with International Methods

The program follows the French National Education curriculum, while incorporating proven pedagogical methods and personalized student support. For children aged 3-10, Eurécole has designed a bilingual curriculum inspired by Montessori methods and Singaporean mathematics, with lots of hands-on activities ideal for overcoming the language barrier. This barrier is quickly overcome thanks to French as a Foreign Language (FLE) classes offered to newcomers to perfect their integration. From primary school onwards, young students learn to express themselves orally by presenting reports in the different languages they study. According to Daniel Pourrias, director of the kindergarten and elementary levels: “Allophone children progress very quickly here because all students learn one to two foreign languages. We prioritize document study over rote memorization and leave a lot of room for art and sport.”

Outside of class hours, Eurécole students enjoy exciting activities, from chess to Zumba, music, yoga, and even theatre, thanks to a partnership with the Cours Florent. At lunchtime, younger students enjoy meals prepared on-site – or may bring their own lunch – while middle schoolers savor delicious traditional French cuisine delivered by a local bistro.

Customized Educational Approach

A family spirit reigns in this institution, with the middle school section managed by Gaël Mens. “We are proud to know each of our students and to be able to adopt a tailored approach based on their individual journey: we provide them with missing knowledge while valuing what they already have,” he says. Eurécole strikes a perfect balance between French private schools and international schools. The national program is respected, allowing students to integrate into the traditional French system later, but they are also prepared for various language certifications to pursue their schooling or higher education abroad. Language courses are complemented in middle school with lessons in civilization and literature in English, Spanish, and German, and the teenagers eagerly look forward to the annual class trip, often to a European capital!

For 35 years, Eurécole has earned its excellent reputation. Its high level of education prepares young students to understand and address the challenges of today’s world by cultivating essential skills for a bright, connected, and fulfilling future. Alongside its schools, the Eurécole group relies on its CFPP (Private Pedagogical Training Center), founded in 1990 by Mrs. Duval. This center trains teachers ready to excel in private secular schools under contract, further enhancing the quality and innovation of these institutions.”