Did you know that today is La journée mondiale des enseignants?

The worldwide day for teachers is organized each year by UNESCO since 1994. The aim of that day is to increase awareness of the importance and of the role of teachers.
At the moment, the world is short of 2 million teachers for the primary sector, especially in Africa.
What do you know about the French primary school system?
French children start primary school ( l'école primaire) at the age of 6 and remain there for 5 years.
The first year is called le CP ( cours préparatoire) when children learn to read and write ( lire et écrire) and then they move to le CE1 et le CE2 ( cours élémentaire première et deuxième année) and finally to le CM1 et le CM2 ( cours moyen première et deuxième année) before going to le collège for 4 years and then le lycée for 3.
School is compulsory up to the age of 16 ( jusqu'à l'âge de 16 ans).
Primary school children go to school Monday ( lundi), Tuesday ( mardi), Wednesday morning ( mercredi matin), Thursday ( jeudi) and Friday ( vendredi).
The start and the end of the school day are decided by la commune ( the local council).
The school year is divided into several breaks, two weeks in October/ November/ ( octobre/ novembre) , two weeks at Christmas ( Noël), two weeks in February/ March ( février/ mars) and two weeks in April/ May ( avril/ mai), the school year finishes early July ( début juillet) and resumes early September ( début septembre).

If you would like to find out more about French life and culture and improve your French, it is not too late to join a French class either in Bristol or in Bath. For more info...