Policy Document

Peillon Law' on the direction and planning for the reform of schools in the Republic

Year

2013

Country

France

Topic

Education

Subtopic

Compulsory Schooling

Main implications

In this law, it is reaffirmed that kindergartens in disadvantaged zones should admit children under three years of age. It is reaffirmed that compulsory education should provide children with a set of common knowledge and skills, and it is added that this should also include a common set of culture. The law creates a public service of digital education and distance learning. Local governments’ competences concerning education are reaffirmed. In particular, they can define complementary education activities and vocational training courses to be carried out in schools during extra-hours. It is reaffirmed that education is organised in cycles, and it is established that a foreign language shall be taught at the beginning of elementary school. Furthermore, school should provide not only civic but also moral education courses, as well as courses on environmental education and sustainable development. Colleges of Teaching and Education ('Les écoles supérieures du professorat et de l'éducation') are created with the task of providing initial and continuous training to teachers at all levels. These institutes replace the University Institutes of Teacher Training ('Instituts Universitaire de Formation des Maîtres') and are integrated in the universities. A special fund is established to finance extracurricular activities in kindergartens and elementary schools, in order to occupy children for an additional half-day per week (Wednesday). For the academic year 2013-14, the State provides subsidies; after this, municipalities must finance these activities themselves. The school year is comprised of 36 weeks.

Benefits & Requirements

Coverage: Eligible groups or beneficiaries

Public compulsory school, pupils, students and their families, school teachers

Age range

2 - 18

Duration (numbers of years of compulsory education stipulated by this document)

14

ISCED levels included in compulsory education

ISCED 1 and ISCED 2

Dedication (number of hours per week stipulated by this document)

The law confirm what the decree of 24 January 2013 provided for: a school week of 24 hours of education spread over 9 half days for kindergartens and elementary schools. Teaching hours are held on Mondays, Tuesdays, Thursdays and Fridays and Wednesday mor

Is educational tracking implemented or modified by this document?

Yes

If yes, age when students are tracked for the first time

16

Education and training required for a compulsory school teacher stipulated by this document

Teachers are trained in the Univeristy Colleges of teaching and education (“Les écoles supérieures du professorat et de l'éducation”). See also “Major implications of the reform”.

Read the Law

Full Text Source in English

Law No. 2013-595 of 8 July 2013 on the direction and planning for reforming the school in the Republic, Official Journal of the French Republic no. 157 of 9h July, 2013 p. 11379

Original full text source in native language

Loi n° 2013-595 du 8 juillet 2013 d'orientation et de programmation pour la refondation de l'école de la République, Journal Officiel de la République Française n°157 du 9 juillet 2013 p. 11379

Original full text web source in native language

https://www.legifrance.gouv.fr/affichTexte.do

Secondary Literature & Sources

Secondary literature

- Heurdier L., & Prost A. "Les politiques de l’éducation en France". La Documentation française, Paris (2014).
- Ministère de l'Éducation Nationale, de l'Enseignement Supérieur et de la Recherche. "La réforme des rythmes à l'école primaire" (2013). Available at: http://www.education.gouv.fr/cid2503/les-rythmes-scolaires.html
- Direction de l’information légale et administrative. "Organisation de l'enseignement du premier degré" (2014). Available at: http://www.vie-publique.fr/politiques-publiques/enseignement-primaire/organisation/
- Direction de l’information légale et administrative. "Bientôt 40 ans de collège unique" (2013). Available at: http://www.vie-publique.fr/politiques-publiques/enseignement-secondaire-college/index/

Links to databases and sources for the analysis or evaluation of this policy field

UNESCO Institute for Statistics (UIS) http://www.uis.unesco.org
Education at a Glance, © OECD, 2014 (http://stats.oecd.org/)
Eurostat, © European Union, 1995-2014
INSEE publications: http://www.insee.fr/fr/themes/theme.asp

Author

Arianna Caporali
Institut national d'études démographiques (INED)

Data collected in the framework of the Population Europe Research Finder and Archive (PERFAR)

Cite as

SPLASH-db.eu (2014): Policy: "Peillon Law' on the direction and planning for the reform of schools in the Republic" (Information provided by Arianna Caporali). Available at: https://splash-db.eu [Date of access].