Parent group backs obligatory schooling from age 3

The FCPE has been calling for the school age to be lowered for some time and President Mac­ron said it would give every child the same chance to have a good beginning in education.

For most children it will mean attending Ecole Maternelle, though home schooling will be permitted. Although 97% of children already go to maternelle, Mr Mac­ron said early language skills were crucial to future success at school. Of pupils who leave school at 16 without being able to read, write or do basic maths, 80% were already struggling in the classroom aged six.

It is the first change in the compulsory schooling age since 1882 and gives France Europe’s lowest obligatory school age.

Many countries offer optional pre-school education but, for most, compulsory education starts at five or six, and at four for Switz­er­land, Luxem­bourg and Cyprus.

FCPE said it welcomes the news but fears the government will not provide the estimated extra 1,000 teachers necessary, improved training to teach the very young, reduced class numbers and suitable classrooms and materials. It says these factors are vital to make nursery schooling effective.

• Connexion’s June 18 issue looks at what children do and learn each day at Ecole Maternelle.