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Primary school at International French School

Primary school is focused on teaching the fundamentals in both learning and social skills.

These include reading, writing, arithmetic, respect for personal property and other people. By the end of CM2, pupils should be able to express themselves both verbally and in writing, and understand key concepts in mathematics and problem solving. 

Our primary school welcomes pupils aged 6-11 and is divided into five classes:

Grade 1
Ages 6 - 7

Grade 2
Ages 7 - 8

Grade 3
Ages 8 - 9
 

Grade 4
Ages 9 - 10
 

Grade 5
Ages 10 - 11
 


Welcome to our primary school

It is with great joy that we welcome you to our Primary School.

Our priority is to create a community where every child feels known, cared for, and inspired to learn. Each child matters deeply, and we celebrate the diversity they bring to our school.

Learning here is not only about achieving academic excellence, but also about growing as confident, independent thinkers. We encourage children to ask questions, to take initiative, and to explore the world around them with curiosity and creativity. By nurturing both independence and collaboration, we help pupils build the skills to learn with and from others, while also trusting their own voices.

Wellbeing is at the heart of all we do. A child who feels safe, respected, and supported is a child who can flourish — academically, socially, and personally. Our dedicated staff take great care to create a balance between challenge and encouragement, so that each child can progress at their own rhythm while developing resilience and joy in learning.

We are proud of our rich, plurilingual environment where French, English, and Dutch come alive in everyday experiences. This immersion does more than teach languages: it opens doors to cultural awareness, empathy, and global citizenship.

Most importantly, our school is a place of partnership. Families, teachers, and pupils all work together to create a nurturing, stimulating environment where children can grow into thoughtful, compassionate citizens of the world.

We look forward to the journey ahead with your children and to the many discoveries we will make together.

Camie Steuer,
Head of Primary

Primary school learning goals

Primary school learning goals at International French School are designed to nurture well-rounded individuals by focusing on academic achievement, social skills, emotional well-being, physical development and creativity. These goals help to foster a love for learning, and build critical life skills, and prepare pupils for the challenges ahead in middle school.

Primary school pupils follow the French curriculum, organised in successive cycles. Cycle 2 (From CP to CE2) focuses on learning core competencies such as reading, writing and arithmetic, while cycle 3 (CM1 to 6ème), known as the consolidation cycle, reinforces these foundations and deepens specific knowledge in a variety of subjects such as history, geography and science. 

Our holistic approach incorporates sports, cultural and artistic activities, which are essential for children's well-being and creativity. Respect for others, a commitment to putting in effort and an openness to the world are core values of our teaching, reflected in our diverse and multicultural community.

Primary school provides:

 

Multilingual learning in primary school

Bilingual French-English teaching is always at the heart of our educational project, reflecting our commitment to multilingualism. Our teaching team is made up of French teachers, as well as native English speakers and native Dutch speakers, for a totally immersive learning experience. Children in primary school follow the same language split that they have become accustomed to in preschool, with 13 hours per week in French, 11 in English and 2 in Dutch, all taught by native speakers. 


Time outdoors

Spending time outdoors is essential to the health and wellbeing of children. In addition to daily recess, students can also participate in outdoor activities, including sports activities, outdoor learning in the park and recreational activities around the school.

  • Primary school students from CP to CE2 (grades 1-3) have two recesses per day, one in the morning and one in the afternoon, 15 minutes each. They also have a 30-minute recess during lunch break.
  • CM1 and CM2 students (grades 4-5) have one 15-minute recess in the morning and a 30-minute recess during lunch break.

Preparing for middle school

We work throughout the last year of primary school to prepare pupils for the move to middle school at our sister campus in the city. 

In 6ème, pupils should be able to manage their own personal organisation (satchels, books, notebooks, timetable, etc.) and adapt to different classroom procedures depending on the teacher. 

On an academic level this means ensuring that pupils are prepared for the challenges of middle school and are able to:

  • Demonstrate autonomy
  • Analyse texts, graphs and data
  • Summarise texts
  • Take initiative and think critically
  • Be organised

On a pastoral level this means working with pupils in middle school to prepare for the move. We organise several projects during the year with pupils from CM2 and 6ème, such as Printemps des poètes, during which a wide range activities are offered to teachers and their pupils: correspondence and meetings with poets, exhibitions, writing workshops, poetry brigades, participation in prizes and competitions, and so on. This is a French government initiative designed to:  

  • Raise awareness of poetry among pupils
  • Encourage the reading of poetry as a cultural practice
  • Encourage encounters between contemporary poets and pupils

 We also organise a ‘taster’ day in May during which pupils spend a whole day in a 6ème class with teachers from the middle school. Welcomed by the head of the school, the CM2 pupils have the opportunity to discover the new building, their future classes and their future teachers. This immersion is an opportunity to experience a typical day in middle school, following a real school timetable.