Ages 
For those already immersed in the French system it’s an obvious and solid choice. For those interested in an international education, global outlook and fluency in another language (French still being widely spoken in Africa as well as being one of the UN's official languages) it’s an attractive downtown option with caring, engaged staff. We look forward to watching this school grow and develop in the future.
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Overview
- Student numbers
- 405
- Curricula
- French
- British
- SEN provision
- SEN considered case by case
- Pre school provision (up to 4)
- Yes
- Religion
- Non-denominational
- Fees
- R 99,343 - R 130,952
- Ownership
- APEC (parents' association)
Head of school
Headmaster/proviseur
Mr Samuel Jourdan
Since 2021, Samuel Jourdan. Parachuted in by the French government to rejuvenate the school after a triple whammy (the city’s water crisis of 2017-2018; a national delay in issuing visas; and worldwide Covid) saw an exodus of international families
Entrance
With no waiting list, children can start at any time, subject to language requirements in the senior school (it's difficult for a pupil to arrive at 14 with no English and be successful in the international section). A huge benefit of the AEFE
Exit
In 2025 most graduates headed to France including the Sorbonne, ESCP, INSA, CPGE Versailles (Hoche) and Mermoz Academy and also a few to the UK and the Netherlands
Some pupils leave after grade 9 or 10, even if their families are staying in Cape
Latest results
In 2025, in the French bac (including the bilingual international bac) students achieved a 100 per cent pass rate with honours ('bien'), including 40 per cent with the highest honours ('mention très bien').
In the French DNB (taken at the end of
Teaching & learning
Every parent told us that teachers are ‘kind and caring’, that they really care about the children and want them to do well, being ‘passionate’ about education. One or two said they had thought about moving their children after a few years when they
- Curricula & qualifications
- French - French National Curriculum
- French - French Baccalaureate
- French - BFI (Le Baccalauréat Français International)
- French - Le Diplôme National du Brevet des Collèges (DNB)
- British - International General Certificate of Secondary Education (IGCSE)
- Bilingual programmes
- French/English
Learning support & SEN
Currently, specialist learning support mostly focused on intensive English and French language provision, with class teachers liaising with psychologists and speech and occupational therapists where needed.
School now has a specialist SEN teacher
Language support
School excels here, providing intensive language support in French and/or English as a foreign language, at no extra charge to parents. Visiting the FLE room, we were impressed that three primary students, who arrived in September with no French at
Arts & extracurricular
French curriculum is known for being traditional and academic, but there’s still room for the arts, especially in the primary school, with dedicated spaces and teachers, though there are no bands or orchestra. Younger students have a good selection
Sport
Holistic focus; building good habits, being healthy and looking after one’s own body, rather than on playing competitive sport (though a ‘sports Olympics’ was held last year). Both campuses have a multi-purpose sports hall (we watched a basketball
Ethos & heritage
Founded by parents in 1985 with a handful of pupils, school is a member of Agence pour L’Enseignement du Français à l’Etranger (AEFE), a global network of schools partly funded by the French government, which employs and pays the head plus 50 per
Pastoral care, inclusivity & discipline
It’s a small school so everyone knows everyone. Parents have not come across any bullying or discrimination, and say everyone looks out for each other. Classes are small enough that the teachers know all their charges.
Parents say although rules
Mobile phone policy
A clear mobile phone policy is a really important part of modern schooling. This school has provided us with their policy.
Mobile phone policy
Provided by the school and not part of our review Banned at the primary school. Switched off in "collège" (grades 6-9). Can be used at lunch in "lycée" (Grades 10-12).
Classroom & community
To a mix of children of French diplomats and business people on short term contracts; and of French-speaking long-term residents (some of them married to South Africans); add local and international families, who may have no French heritage or
- School year
- September – July, with three terms
- School hours
- 8:30am – 4pm, depending on year group
- Student nationalities
- 33% French - 28% South-African - 9% Congolese - 5% American - 5% Belgian - 19% others
- Student nationalities - total
- 40
- Uniform requirements
- No
Money matters
For a non-profit school, money is certainly a hot topic. It permeates our conversations with the head; he tells us exactly how much rent they pay for the Sea Point campus (the other is owned by the school), the subsidies and loans they receive from
- Annual fee range
- R 99,343 - R 130,952
- Fee information
- R 25,000 application fee.
5% discount for early payment in full.
Fees can be paid in 3-10 instalments.
Fees are subsidised by French government.
Some bursaries are available from the French Consulate and from the Board.
The last word
For those already immersed in the French system it’s an obvious and solid choice. For those interested in an international education, global outlook and fluency in another language (French still being widely spoken in Africa as well as being one of
Accreditations, inspections & memberships
- Memberships
- Member of AEFE network, with over 612 French schools in the world, in almost 140 countries. Awarded the “British International Section” certification. Cambridge International Centre.
