ASICS Email (Information in English):

camilleseeenglishsection@gmail.com
School Phone Number (Information in French):

+33 1 48 28 13 37

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ASICS Email (Information in English):

camilleseeenglishsection@gmail.com
School Phone Number (Information in French):

+33 1 48 28 13 37

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16th February 2017by smo

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Featured posts

Results and enrolment for year 2024-2025

8th June 2024
Monday 04.03.2024 @20.00 Online Q&A organised by ASICS, ASIBRAVO and APESA

20th February 2024
Portes Ouvertes Camille See 2024

20th January 2024

Last FAQs

Introduction

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1. About Camille Sée’s International Section

Located in the heart of the 15th arrondissement of Paris, the International Section (IS) at Cité Scolaire Camille Sée offers tuition free native English language instruction to bilingual students in a public, French middle (collège) and high school (lycée) setting. Created in 2011, there are seven classes – one in each year from 6ème up to Terminale. The IS prepares students for the Baccalauréat Français International (BFI).
The International Section at Cité Scolaire Camille Sée is part of the French state school system and so there are no tuition fees. That said, families do pay for minor costs of the novels studied in the year and the outings here and there.

Category: Introduction

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2. What is an International Section?

An International Section is an optional curriculum available in five Parisian state schools: Camille Sée in the 15th arrondissement (south west), Montaigne in the 6th arrondissement (central – currently collège only), Voltaire (first year admissions 6ème in 2021), Balzac in the 17th arrondissement (north west) and Maurice Ravel in the 20th arrondissement (east). It offers a tuition-free bilingual education to English speaking pupils with 6-8 hours of English language and literature per week and up to four hours of history and geography in English.

Category: Introduction

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3. Can I visit the school?

Yes! You may attend the annual Open House, which will take place on the morning of February 1st, 2025. Faculty, administration, parents, and current students are on hand to present the International Section and answer questions. No registration is necessary. We encourage you and your child to attend!

Category: Introduction

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4. Can families schedule an appointment by phone or in person with the Coordinator of the International Section?

Unfortunately, owing to the Section Coordinator’s teaching commitments (which straddle both college and lycée) and supervision of the application assessments, she is unable to schedule any appointments with families outside the school. Attending the Open House is a great opportunity to meet the Coordinator and ask your questions. You can also contact parents with children in the International Section by e-mailing CamilleSeeEnglishSection@gmail.com. This is the email address of the parent delegates for the International Section who are happy to help answer any questions.

Category: Introduction

Choosing the Right School

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6. What kind of student is the International Section aimed at?

English is not taught as a foreign language in the International Section and students must be fully bilingual and capable of following a demanding academic programme in both French and English.

Category: Choosing the Right School

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7. What do you mean by bilingual?

It means that the children have mother-tongue or near-native competence in both English and French. The programme follows the normal French secondary school curriculum, plus additional hours for language and literature as well as history and geography taught in English. Children must be capable of speaking, reading, and writing in both English and French at a level expected of their peers in the UK and France. If you are not sure, ask yourself if your child would be capable of following an English or History class in the same year group in the UK or France.

For the 6ème test, allowances are made for the fact that many of the children entering will have come from a French primary school and focused day-to-day writing practice in English will not be part of their school schedule. (They are understanding about spelling.)

Category: Choosing the Right School

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8. How do we choose the right school for our child?

The school day for the International Section is an average of one hour longer and there is a heavier homework load. You should consider what the daily commute to and from school will be, taking into account that the children start at 8am on some days and could end as late as 5:30pm. Some IS children at Camille Sée commute from the 10th arrondissement each day and are flourishing. However, your decision has to be based on what school you respond to most positively and what you think your child can manage. It is a good idea to visit the school on the Open Day if possible.

Category: Choosing the Right School

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9. Which International Section school should I choose?

The schools offer the same program and assess the children on the same criteria so you should really make your decision based on the length of the commute. However, the Rectorate does take into account personal preference and does its best to place the child at the school the family has chosen.

Assignment to one establishment rather than another is based on their testing score. Pupils who achieve the highest overall marks should obtain their first choice.

Category: Choosing the Right School

Pros & Cons

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17. What are the cons of an International Section?

· Longer daily commute to and from school depending on where you live.

· About one hour per day (on average) in addition to the standard French curriculum, resulting in a longer school day.

· Potentially heavier homework load.

Category: Pros & Cons

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16. What are the pros of an International Section?

· English language instruction at grade level — i.e., native English literature and history and geography courses, and not English as a foreign language

· Validation of bilingual and bicultural heritage

· Upon successful completion of the BFI, A Level standard qualifications in English, which may facilitate acceptance into universities in English-speaking countries.

Category: Pros & Cons

Curriculum

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25. Are the teachers native English speakers?

Mme Joubert, the coordinator of the Section is South African; Mme Murray is American and Mme Caddeo is perfectly bilingual. All have extensive experience in teaching International section classes, either in France or abroad. Our history and geography teachers are bilingual and also have extensive experience teaching international college and lycée students. All the teachers are ‘agrégés’. In France, agrégés refers to teachers who have passed the competitive Agrégation exam, one of the highest-level teaching qualifications in the French education system. Teachers who succeed in this exam are known as professeurs agrégés. It is a prestigious position, granting them the opportunity to teach at the secondary school level (lycées), preparatory classes for the Grandes Écoles (classes préparatoires), and sometimes even at universities. The Agrégation exam is highly selective, requiring an in-depth mastery of a subject.

Category: Curriculum

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21. What are examples of books read in college and lycée?

6ème
Matilda, Roald Dahl
The Secret Garden, F.H. Burnett
Holes, Louis Sachar
Skellig, David Almond
Wonder, R.J Palacio
National Theatre version of Peter Pan
Always complete and unabridged versions

5ème
Boy, Roald Dahl
The Hound of the Baskervilles, Sir Arthur Conan Doyle
The Hobbit, J.R.R Tolkien
The Giver, Lois Lowry
National Theatre version of Treasure Island
Introduction to Shakespeare
Poetry and short stories

4ème
To Kill a Mockingbird, Harper Lee
Purple Hibiscus, Chimamanda N. Adichie
Twelfth Night, William Shakespeare
Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde, Robert Louis Stevenson
The Book Thief, Marcus Zusak
Poetry and short stories

3ème
Animal Farm, George Orwell
Great Expectations, Charles Dickens
Macbeth, William Shakespeare, National Theatre version of Macbeth
Work on Shakespeare’s time (Elizabethan, Jacobean)
Beowulf
Poetry

2nde

The Tempest, William Shakespeare
Alias Grance, Margaret Atwood
Irish novels (James Joyce, Claire Keegan)
Poetry and short stories
Presentations on Famous British authors and poets

1er and Terminale
Written:
Antony and Cleopatra, Shakespeare/ As You Like It, William Shakespeare/
A Streetcar Named Desire, Tennessee Williams
Selected Poems, Keats/ Selected Poems, Percy Bysshe Shelley
Orals:
Gothic writing: Dracula, Bram Stoker; The Bloody Chamber, Angela Carter
6 set poems

Category: Curriculum

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22. How many hours of instruction are delivered in English?

College: 6 to 7 hours in English and 2 to 4 hours of History/Geography in English

Seconde: 7 hours of English and 4 hours of History/Geography in English

Première: 6,5 hours of English (Literature, Language, Connaissance du Monde) and 2 to 4 hours of History/ Geography in English.

Terminale: 6 hours of English (Literature, Language, Connaissance du Monde) + 2 to 4 hours of History/Geography in English

Category: Curriculum

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20. What do the children study in English and History/Geography classes?

English
6 to 7 hours of English as an academic subject for the first time. The pupils follow the Key Stage 3 curriculum working on exactly the same topics as they would if they were in the UK. In English we tend to study one novel or play per six week term and add in other works of literature like poems and stories, or grammar points and functional writing that cover the same theme.

In 2de equal importance is given to Shakespeare, poetry and prose to prepare for the final year’s programme.

In 1ère and Terminale, the International Section follows the official Baccalauréat Français International for English.
https://eduscol.education.fr/3043/le-baccalaureat-francais-international-bfi

History/Geography
In History and Geography, the syllabus for collège aims to develop the students’ analysis skills. There are additional case studies on topics, areas and events needed for a better knowledge and understanding of the British world. Topics from the French curriculum requested by the Ministère de l’Education Nationale are followed, combined with the English KS 3 & 4 syllabus.

In lycée, the students prepare for the Baccalauréat Français International (BFI) in three years. The BFI History Geography exam assesses both the French and the British curriculum, combining the breadth and rigour of the French baccalauréat and examined in English to A Level diploma standard, in a single certificate.

French Education Nationale and Cambridge inspectors work closely to establish several topics to be studied in class during Première and Terminale years, that will be assessed during both the written and oral examinations at the end of Terminale.
More information can be found on the official website (in French): http://www.education.gouv.fr/pid25535/bulletin_officiel.html?cid_bo=73092

Category: Curriculum

Extra-Curricular

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26. What kind of extracurricular activities does Camille Sée offer?

Students benefit from a selective and rigorous bilingual programme but there are a range of opportunities outside the classroom for them to expand their skills and experiences. Lunchtime clubs include the choir, Debate Club, Theatre Club and the International Section Yearbook. The Association Sportive offers numerous sports activities, mainly on Wednesday afternoons, such as swimming, table-tennis, climbing, futsal and fitness/hip hop. IS students also regularly participate in Paris-wide competitions including Poetry by Heart, the YAFF creative writing competition and the French Debating Association high school tournament. Lycée Debate Club students attended two MUN conferences organised by other international schools in Fontainebleau and Noisy-le-Sec. College Debate Club students met students from Massillon for a formal debate.. The teachers work hard to find projects which will encourage the students to work in groups and be given the opportunity to speak in front of an audience. For example, for the past seven consecutive years, the Beauville Arts group has been invited to the school to work with collège classes to stage the musicals Oliver Twist, Matilda, The Greatest Showman and Mary Poppins.

Category: Extra-Curricular

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29. What kind of class outings are organised?

Many teachers organise visits to exhibitions, performances and other educational activities in Paris. Past years’ outings have included creative writing at Festival America and the Salon du Livre de Jeunesse, a US presidential debate, the Oscar Wilde and Colour Line exhibitions, theatre trips and volunteering projects. International Section teachers also regularly organise trips. Over recent years students have visited England (London, Stratford, Bath, Canterbury, York), Scotland and Ireland.

Category: Extra-Curricular

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27. Is it possible to take art as an optional subject?

Not really in collège – you are better off finding a local art atelier outside of school. At the lycée level, students can select option art – but this will be taught on Wednesday afternoons at a different lycée.

Category: Extra-Curricular

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28. Do the IS students produce theatre plays?

Mrs Joubert runs an English theatre club for collège students. In 2022 the club performed A Midsummer Night’s Dream. In 2023, they performed Hamlet and in 2024 Much Ado about Nothing. The theatre club also went to London in October to watch A Comedy of Errors at Shakespeare’s Globe. Some class projects involve creative work and plays. Collège students also take part in an intensive 2 days musical theatre workshop and performance. In addition, the school has a theatre club for lycéens that does bi-annual performances (mostly in French).

Category: Extra-Curricular

Application & Timetable

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30. What is the procedure for applying for a place in the International Section at Camille Sée?

All applications for the International Section, a ‘Cursus Spécifique,’ are to be completed online and processed by the Rectorat.
Application links for the academic year 2023/2024: these will be updated for the 2024/25 intake as soon as they are available

https://www.ac-paris.fr/sections-internationales-au-lycee-127774
and
https://www.ac-paris.fr/sections-internationales-au-college-122569

The application process must be undertaken by those applying externally and existing students in 3ème Camille Sée pupils wishing to make the transition into lycée.

Category: Application & Timetable

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31. What is the application and testing timetable?

Please always refer to the rectorat website there https://www.ac-paris.fr/sections-internationales-au-lycee-127774 or there https://www.ac-paris.fr/sections-internationales-au-college-122569 for up-to-date information. Information subject to change.

Application deadline 2024: March 25.

Written test 2024: April 3 at 8h15.

Oral tests 2024: between April 3 and May 17.

Results: Collège: 14 June, Lycée: 2 July.

The written and oral tests are undertaken on separate days. If Camille Sée is your first choice, the tests take place at Collège-Lycée Camille Sée, 11 rue Léon Lhermitte, 75015 Paris.

For candidates who live abroad and are unable to take the test at the school, it’s possible to take a ‘test à distance’. If your child attends a lycée français abroad, you will be requested to name someone to supervise the test connected to the school. If it’s an English-speaking (or other) school, whether state or private, you will need to contact the Consulate, the Embassy or the Alliance Française and then provide the name of a referee who will be responsible for overseeing this exam.

If your child attends a private school ‘hors contrat’ or is in another state school system outside France, please contact the Rectorat for more information.

Category: Application & Timetable

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32. Can you apply at any year level?

There may be places available in several grade levels from 5ème through to Première, although this is not always guaranteed in any one given year, with the exception of 6ème. However, it is definitely worth applying if your child is bilingual and would benefit from native English teaching. The school tries to welcome as many students as possible but the number of spaces available will vary from year to year.

For lycée, there are usually more places available in 2nde – there is naturally some movement in this class as some students in 3ème decide that they don’t want to study Shakespeare for their baccalaureate! The Baccalauréat Français International (BFI) involves an increased workload and is not for everyone. Also, owing to the new reforms, all the students, including those who are already in the section are now assessed (alongside new applicants) to enter the lycée.

Category: Application & Timetable

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42. What if my child is not offered a place? Is there a waiting list?

If your child is not selected for the admission in 6e, your child will be allocated to their school in their catchment area (secteur).
https://www.paris.fr/pages/colleges-2090#la-sectorisation

The waiting list is controlled by the Rectorat but it is not made readily available, either to the school administration or parents. You will be contacted by the Rectorat if a place is made available.

The official policy states that no papers will be shown or sent to candidates, but marks can be provided through the principal. Parents are not allowed to request individual meetings with teachers either before or after the selection process. The section is oversubscribed every year, and sadly, there aren’t enough places for everyone.

Category: Application & Timetable

Testing Criteria

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43. What does the entrance test for the International Section consist of?

For collège, the written test typically includes an extract from a work of children’s literature, followed by reading comprehension questions and a short essay. The oral component is an examination based on a text (given on the spot), such as a poem, a passage from a novel, or an article, followed by a ten-minute interview with the English teachers. Of course, each test is adapted accordingly to each age and year group.

6e test:
Written test:
Duration : 60 minutes for 6ème
Passage 30-35 lines of fiction or non-fiction
Reading and answering questions : from global comprehension and more detailed understanding
Creative writing 15-20 lines

Oral test:
Duration: 10 minutes
Read a passage aloud
Answer questions
Short conversation
The oral interview is not just a conversation. It is a test to judge the pupil’s comprehension of a written text and their ability to react and analyse it.

A short description of the content of the written test for all levels is available here : https://pia.ac-paris.fr/serail/jcms/s2_3305789/fr/tests-d-admission

Category: Testing Criteria

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46. How can I prepare my child for the entrance exam?

The best way to prepare children for the entrance tests: ensure that they regularly read a variety of English-language texts; speak to them consistently in English; and give them opportunities to write in English whenever possible. Many children in the section have followed a more structured programme, via weekly courses or even language exchanges during the summer months. Some have previously attended school in an English-speaking country, or have been enrolled in a bilingual programme in Paris.

Category: Testing Criteria

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44. Other criteria

The child’s record from their current school will also be assessed: their file is analysed in depth to assess if they are serious and motivated pupils.
The individual schools follow closely those students who have taken the test at their establishment but ultimately, the Rectorate controls the final selection.

Category: Testing Criteria

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45. Can the school issue past exam papers?

The school is not permitted to publish previous papers.

Category: Testing Criteria