What subjects are studied at French collèges?

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In France, secondary education is split between the collège and the lycée.

At collège, the number of subjects studied is larger than what students will have been used to at École élémentaire (ages 6-11). Once students reach the lycée (ages 15-18), they have some choice over the subjects they want to take, studying a core curriculum of six or seven subjects with a couple of extra subjects to choose from.

Before the lycée, students must attend a collège. Collège (age 11-15) is divided into four years: sixième, cinquième, quatrième, and troisième. During the troisième, students will take their Brevet exam. Students do not need to pass the exam to attend a lycée, but a successful result can guarantee a placement within certain programmes.

The subjects typically taught at collège include the following:

• French - Literature, grammar, spelling, writing and reading comprehension.
• Mathematics - Arithmetic, algebra, geometry, problem-solving and logical reasoning.
• History-geography - History and geography are grouped together in the French education system. This subject includes world and French history, geography skills, and moral & civic education.
• Modern languages - Starting in the sixième, students begin learning a foreign language, usually English, although they can sometimes study two in conjunction, an option known as classes bilangues. In the cinquième, they begin learning a second foreign language, such as Spanish, Italian or German. Some schools also offer regional languages, such as Occitan or Catalan.
• Classical languages - Latin and Ancient Greek. Starting in the cinquième, these are optional, and not all institutions offer them.
• Life and Earth Sciences - Biology and geology.
• Physics-chemistry - Physics and chemistry are grouped together in the French education system. This subject is introduced in the cinquième.
• Technology - Digital tools, mechanics, electricity, design thinking and basic engineering concepts.
• Physical and sports education - Sports, fitness, teamwork and health-related physical activity.
• Plastic arts - Drawing, painting, sculpture and art history.
• Music education - Music theory, singing and playing instruments.

In the troisième, students must prepare for the Diplôme National du Brevet (DNB), the national exam at the end of collège. It includes a number of assessments:

Final Exams (Épreuves finales)

• French
• Mathematics
• History-geography and moral & civic education
• Science (a mix of life and earth sciences, physics-chemistry or technology)

The exams also include a 15-minute oral presentation, often based on a cross-disciplinary project the student has completed.

Continuous Assessment (Contrôle continu)

50% of the marks for the brevet are based on a student's performance throughout the year, which is marked by their teachers.

Of course, every school is different. As mentioned above, some schools allow students to study additional subjects, while others are devoted specifically to sport, dance or music. The range of subjects on offer in these schools is more specific to those categories.