School Admission FAQs

LFSF follows the French system and the cut-off dates for entry are different to those in the American system. At LFSF, we consider the full year of birth (Jan 01 - Dec 31) rather than the academic year (Sept 01 - Aug 31). Therefore the cut-off birthdate for entry is Dec. 31. 

Make sure to discuss this topic with the Admissions team member you will be in contact with for more information.

You are looking for ressources to use at home to prepare your child for school at LFSF. Here are a few ideas: 

SHOWS watch on YouTube

• PETIT OURS BRUN     
• TROTRO   
• LE MONDE DES PETITS,    
• LE MONDE DES ZOUZOUS

An App : STORY PLA’R 

To listen to stories in French 

BOOKs to read together

• POP A L’ECOLE
• L’ECOLE DE LEON
• P’TIT LOUP RENTRE A L´ECOLE
• LE PREMIER JOUR D’ECOLE
• LA RENTREE DE CHARLOTTE AUX FRAISES
• 7 HISTOIRES POUR AIMER LA MATERNELLE
• ALEXANDRE VA A L’ECOLE
• L’IMAGIER DE BALI: UNE JOURNEE A L’ECOLE
• JULIETTE VA A L’ECOLE
• A LA MATERNELLE AVEC MIMI

A zoom meeting with one of our admissions associates will provide an opportunity to discuss your educational and personal goals for your child. We are eager to get to know your family and understand how we might best serve you. This also is an excellent time for us to address your questions.

You will be able to schedule this meeting at a convenient time. 

This meeting is optional for parents of sibling applicants.

The Admissions team will meet virtually with parents and applicants independently.

Zoom meetings with an admissions associate provide an opportunity to discuss educational and personal goals for parents and students, individually. They are also an excellent time for us to address your questions.

You will be able to schedule these meeting at convenient times. 

This meeting is optional for parents of sibling applicants.

An important part of the Application Journey is the Assessment. It varies on the age of the applicant and the nature of his/her current education system.

---

Why do we assess applicants, especially the youngest ones? 

• To capture a comprehensive, baseline assessment across all applicants and across multiple developmental domains (language, gross or fine motor skills,...)
• To provide a snapshot of the applicant’s personality
• To understand how to best support the prospective student in our unique learning environment
• To assist in creating balanced class groups

---

WHY review the assessment process under COVID?

• To adapt to the current health context and the safety protocols in place on campus
• To provide greater flexibility for families and minimize stress
• To meet the admissions committee's needs for a comprehensive assessment of each candidate

---

For Applicant to LPE ( La Petite Ecole)

• Assessment for these very young children is particularly challenging to conduct remotely. 
• The applicant and his/her parents might be invited to come to campus to play outdoors and outside of school hours with appropriate safety measures
• Invitations will be sent after January, so that assessment is closer to school start

---

For Applicants to Preschool, Pre-K or K 

• Assessment will rely on parents submitting a series of three short parent-administered videos  of 1-2 mins each
• The applicant will respond to short prompts
• Flexibility with filming on parent phone from their own home
• Easy for parents to upload videos to SchoolAdmin
• Limited material and supplies necessary 

Note to K applicants: if you are applying to other private schools in the ISSFBA group and have already produced an assessment video, we will accept this video in lieu of our assessment video. 

Video Directions

• Select 3 of the 4 following themes to address in short videos (1-2 mins each):

1. “Can you make a drawing? Can you describe it for me?” (this video is required)
2. “What is your favorite toy? Tell me about it” 
3. “ What is your favorite animal? How does it move, what does it say?”
4. “What is your favorite song? Can you sing it for me?”

• Start the video by clearly asking the prompt. Feel free to restate the prompt as you see fit to help get your child fully engage in this exercise.
• You can be in the video or prompting the child while filming.
• Videos can be filmed on a phone (.MOV or .MP4) in a vertical or horizontal format. We are not looking for a professionally filmed video with perfect lighting or angles. Videos should not be edited, but rather 1-2 minutes each of continuous filming. 
• Conversation in the video can be conducted in English or French

**Submitted videos will be part of the applicant file. They will therefore be confidential and viewed only by the Admissions Committee to get to know your child through the application process. 

File Upload

• The videos will be uploaded directly onto the SchoolAdmin Applicant Checklist (item : Applicant Assessment Videos)
• Multiple video files can be uploaded under the same checklist item
• The system allows you to upload up to 4 videos, but only 3 are required.

Assessment of academic proficiency for students who are currently learning in the French system

Report cards are an important checklist item within the application. Our system is academically rigorous and it is important to make sure the student is able to succeed. Only complete applications will be reviewed by the admissions committee.

Assessment of academic proficiency for students who are not currently learning in the French system 

The applicant will be evaluated by a teacher through a zoom session. The main purpose for the evaluation is to confirm the applicant’s level in French. 

---

Gr 6 to Gr 8 : Getting to know you a little more...

Applicants to Gr6 through Gr8 will submit a personal introductory video to illustrate their personality and interest in our school and its programs. 

Directions: Please film a short video of 2 to 3 mins sharing about yourself. Some ideas include: 

• Your name, age and which grade you’ll be entering
• What you like most and least at your school
• Your favorite subject at school and why
• One thing you know about LFSF
• Your favorite thing to do outside of school 
• Something that you are proud of

Additional tips and information:

• This video does not need to be formal - feel free to say hi and share about yourself with us! 
• It can be filmed on a phone (.MOV or .MP4) in a vertical or horizontal format. We are not looking for a professionally filmed video with perfect lighting or angles. It does not need to be edited, and can simply feature continuous filming. 
• Your video can be in English or French
• Submitted videos are part of the applicant file and are therefore confidential and viewed only by the Admissions Committee.

File Upload

• The videos will be uploaded directly onto the SchoolAdmin Applicant Checklist (item : Applicant Assessment Videos)

Assessment of academic proficiency for students who are currently learning in the French system

Report cards are an important checklist item within the application. Our system is academically rigorous and it is important to make sure the student is able to succeed.Only complete applications will be reviewed by the admissions committee.

Assessment of academic proficiency for students who are not currently learning in the French system 

The applicant will be evaluated by a teacher through a zoom session. The main purpose for the evaluation is to confirm the applicant’s level in French. 

---

Getting to know you a little more...

Applicants to LFSF HS should submit a personal introductory video to illustrate their personality and interest in our school and its programs.

Directions: Please film a short video of 2 to 3 mins sharing about yourself. Some ideas include: 

• Your name, age and which grade you’ll be entering
• What you like most and least at your school
• Your favorite subject at school and why
• One thing you know about LFSF
• Your favorite thing to do outside of school 
• Something that you are proud of

Additional tips and information:

• This video does not need to be formal - feel free to say hi and share about yourself with us! 
• It can be filmed on a phone (.MOV or .MP4) in a vertical or horizontal format. We are not looking for a professionally filmed video with perfect lighting or angles. It does not need to be edited, and can simply feature continuous filming. 
• Your video can be in English or French
• Submitted videos are part of the applicant file and are therefore confidential and viewed only by the Admissions Committee.

File Upload

• The videos will be uploaded directly onto the SchoolAdmin Applicant Checklist (item : Applicant Assessment Videos)

Our application process will be slightly different than the one described above to better adjust to your situation. Applications from abroad are mostly consider on a rolling admissions basis. 

APPLYING WHEN RELOCATING

The program in the American International Section [AIS] is rigorous. 

At LFSF, students may be enrolled in the AIS from Gr1 all the way to Gr12 . Students enrolled in an IS are taught the core syllabus as well as specific courses enabling them to follow advanced classes taught in English.
From Middle School (collège), two subjects are taught in English:

•  Language and Literature: more than a language class, this course includes the study of English literature.
•  History and Geography: the French curriculum is adapted to include a greater emphasis on the history and geography of the United States of America.

READ MORE ABOUT the AIS AND ITS BENEFITS

LFSF students who opt for the AIS can expect:  

• Half of the History-Geography classes taught in English
• One extra hour of English and American literature, added to the standard 5 hours of US Standards classes to enhance their language skills through personal and group projects. 

Students in the AIS and OIB are in separate groups for their AIS History-Geography and English classes. 

Through the activities of the International Section, students further explore the content of the core American English program. Students in the IS deepen their analysis of English and American literature. 

A French baccalaureate that includes the international option and can only be prepared in international sections.

The OIB is the French general baccalaureate diploma, on which the "international option" is marked. The aim is to give significant weight to skills and knowledge related to the American language and culture. Students who enroll in this option must demonstrate a real interest in literature and reading in history-geography. 

The international option of the baccalaureate (OIB) consists of:

• the required standard exams for each course, except for written and oral exams in modern language 1 (LVA) and the history-geography paper;
• a specific language and literature exam in the section language in the place of the required LVA exams; this exam includes a written and oral component;
• a specific history-geography exam in the place of the standard history-geography exam; this exam includes a written and oral component. 

These specific exams are taken in English and have their own coefficients.

Enrollment in the international section of the Lycée in 11th and 12th grade is a prerequisite for enrollment in the OIB.