écoles

École is the French term for an institution that provides formal instruction. In French-speaking contexts, the word covers a range from preschool to higher education, though in everyday use it is often associated with primary and secondary schooling. The concept emphasizes structured learning within a system of public and private institutions.

In France, schooling is highly centralized. The Ministry of National Education defines the national curriculum and oversees public schools, while private schools may follow the same program under contract or operate independently. The standard progression includes l’école maternelle (preschool), l’école élémentaire (elementary school), le collège (lower secondary), and le lycée (upper secondary). After lycée, most students take the baccalauréat, a nationwide diploma that serves as a gateway to higher education. Public funding and secular principles, encapsulated in laïcité, have long shaped French schooling, notably since the Jules Ferry laws of the late 19th century that established free, mandatory, and secular education.

Types of institutions include écoles publiques (public schools), écoles privées (private schools), and higher-education “grandes écoles,” which recruit after preparatory classes and offer specialized training in fields such as engineering, administration, or the arts. The term also appears in a broader sense to describe professional or specialized schools, such as engineering écoles or art écoles.

Outside France, éco les in Francophone countries reflect local arrangements but often share a structure that includes primary and secondary education, public and private options, and national or regional examinations. Across contexts, issues such as equity of access, inclusion for students with disabilities, and the integration of digital learning remain central to the ongoing development of écoles.