Kindergarten

Children enrol from the age of 3 years.  Language is the primary focus for children in Maternelle; learning to communicate, to express themselves. Children discover the pleasure of storytelling and are introduced to the written language by dictating their stories to their teachers.  Structured reading and writing is introduced only in Grande Section.

Each child is given the skills to work both as an individual as well as part of a group.  Children are also taught to express themselves through music, dance and sport as well as through arts and crafts.  By the end of Maternelle, the notions of numbers, classification, quantities, science and nature have all been covered by the curriculum.

Primary School

From the age of 6 years pupils build and improve on their knowledge of speech, reading, writing and numeracy, which form the basis of academic success.  In primary school pupils acquire autonomy and self-confidence in a bilingual multi-cultural environment.

All classes are conducted in French and according to the syllabus of the French Ministry of Education.  The LFI is also recognised by the Irish Department of Education.  This allows for the provision of English and Irish language classes which are conducted by teachers from the Irish national school system and follow the Irish national curriculum.  From 2010, 3rd, 4th and 5th class will receive instruction through both French and English for subjects such as History, Geography, Science and Technology in preparation for the bi-lingual programme that awaits pupils in the secondary school.