Teacher of English Language and Literature

THE BRITISH SECTION – A UNIQUE EDUCATIONAL CONTEXT

The British Section is the largest of 14 International sections forming the Lycée International Saint-Germain-en-Laye, one of the most successful and respected schools in France. The school was founded by General Eisenhower in 1952 and has taken a leading role in the creation and development of the international version of the French Baccalauréat, the Baccalauréat Français International (BFI) – see UCAS Qualification Information Profile at  https://bit.ly/45NY2bv. The Lycée International has recently undergone a €73 million renovation and redevelopment funded by the French state; all students are also equipped with Ipads (KS3) or laptop computers (KS4&5).

The Lycée International offers students the rare opportunity of a genuine bilingual and bicultural education. The curriculum is divided between French staff teaching the French national curriculum, and foreign teachers employed in one of the school’s international sections. Teachers in each section are given the freedom and responsibility to teach language/literature, history and geography in their national language to their own national standards. Students are taught by their respective international section teachers for six hours per week, increasing to eight hours per week for their final three school years; they spend the balance of their school week with their French teachers.

THE BRITISH SECTION

The British Section’s educational programme covers the entire school age range from 3 to 18. There are over 830 students in the British Section, making it the largest international section in the Lycée International network. In recent years, demand for places in some sections – including the British Section – has led to a progressive expansion of this teaching programme and philosophy into French partner schools at the Maternelle, Primaire and Collège levels. At Lycée level (Years 11-13), all students attend the main Lycée International site.  All students sit IGCSE in English First Language in Year 11 followed by the British version of the Baccalauréat Français International (BFI) at the end of Year 13.

The British Section’s teaching staff all hold British teaching qualifications and operate on the main Lycée International campus and in four partner schools in the vicinity (currently one Maternelle, one Primaire and two Collèges). There is an administrative team of five, and three librarians who provide a comprehensive service for the British Section libraries on all sites. Five national sections – including the British Section – are fee-paying; however the Lycée International and the partner schools are French state schools.

THE SECONDARY DEPARTMENT

In Secondary, the British Section is responsible for the teaching of English Language, English Literature, History/Geography (taught as one subject in France) and, more recently, supervising students through an independent research project akin to the International Project Qualification (IPQ).  British Section teaching time is divided between English (4 periods per week) and History/Geography (2 periods from Sixième to Troisième (the equivalent of Years 7-10), rising to 4 periods from Seconde (the equivalent of Year 11)).  The Secondary English department consists of seven full-time teachers; the History/Geography Department currently comprises five full-time history-geography teachers.

The Section teaching groups work to UK national standards (as defined by the NC Key Stages).  The school is a registered centre for both the Cambridge International Education and Edexcel examination boards and students currently take IGCSE in English Language at the end of Seconde (Year 11).

In Première and Terminale (the equivalent of Years 12 and 13), our pupils prepare the international version of the French Baccalaureate – the Baccalauréat Français International (BFI) – a bilingual examination first launched in 1985.  This demanding bi-lingual qualification adds the subjects taught in English (English Language/Literature and History/Geography) to all the normal subjects of the French Baccalaureate.  The syllabuses are agreed by the French Ministry of Education and Cambridge International Education, which has responsibility for the inspection and moderation of the examinations to A Level standard, and we have close links with Cambridge as we teach and develop the examination.  The BFI is recognised and respected as a qualification for entry into Higher Education in the UK, France, and worldwide.  Indeed, of the 70+ students in our Terminale classes, many go on to study at universities in the UK or another anglophone country.  The remainder study at universities elsewhere, notably in France but also in other global universities offering anglophone courses..

The defining feature of students in the British Section is not nationality but linguistic standard. The profile of children in the British Section includes those from English-speaking families, bi-lingual families, and those who have learned English as a second or foreign language and are committed to developing it at first-language level. This creates interesting pedagogical challenges. Students are generally motivated, able and disciplined, contributing to high job satisfaction for staff.

GOVERNANCE

British Section teachers and administrative staff are employed by the British Section Parents’ Association (BSPA) which is a French non-profit making Association.  The BSPA’s Governing Body (largely comprising elected parents) oversees the management of the BSPA’s affairs (by the Senior Leadership Team led by the Director) and its annual budget.  All appointments must be formally approved by the French administration.

The British Section website can be found at: www.britishsection.fr.