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). The Lycée International has recently undergone a €73 million renovation and redevelopment funded by the French state.

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 four 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.

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.