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Ecole Francaise de Bristol

United Kingdom, Bristol

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The school at a glance
Instructs in French
Fees Fees not listed
Ages 1 - 16 years
Pupil numbers 250
Type Co-educational
Opened 1980
Bus Service No
Academic offering
Curriculum EYFS (Early years foundation stage), French Curriculum
Taught languages French
Strengths Outdoor Education, Languages, Academic Enrichment
Clubs Social and Hobbies, Cultural and Language, Community and Service
Stages Infant/Toddler Care, Early Years, Preschool, Primary School, Secondary School
Introduction

Located at The Fonthill Centre in north Bristol, Ecole Francaise de Bristol teaches French and English within an immersion framework for children aged 1 to 16. The Early Years Foundation Stage and a bespoke French Education Nationale-inspired curriculum support reading, writing and grammar in French, with a focus on four tenses, across three cycles: Reception/Grande Section, CP–CE2, and CM1–CM2. By CM2, pupils are prepared for Secondary and GCSE pathways. Class sizes are small and resources reflect French culture through events and partnerships. The school is a member of the AEFE network and operates as a non-profit charity with funding from fees, not French government subsidies. The campus features bright, purpose-built classrooms, a garden, and year-round access to a dedicated Early Years area with its own outdoor space and a vegetable patch, plus a primary/secondary block with reading corners and interactive whiteboards. Outdoor play, weekly yoga and other activities support wellbeing. Extra features include native-language support (Français Langue Maternelle), exchanges with France, and family-led activities via the PTA.

35 Stanton Road, The Fonthill Centre, Southmead, Bristol BS10 5SJ, United Kingdom

The Essentials

Ecole Francaise de Bristol has 250 pupils, instruction in French.

Location
35 Stanton Road, The Fonthill Centre, Southmead, Bristol BS10 5SJ, United Kingdom. The school operates from The Fonthill Centre in the Southmead area of Bristol. It is accessible by local bus routes and is part of a residential neighborhood with nearby amenities.

Stages
Maternelle / Preschool; Primary Day Release for bilingual children (Reception–Year 6) with Garderie wraparound. Secondary: French GCSE preparation with Saturday morning class.

Additional learning support
The school has a Special Educational Needs Coordinator (SENCO) to support pupils with additional needs. From September 2026, the SENCO is Fanny LUMB; inquiries can be sent to SENCO@ecolefrancaisedebristol.org.

Country affiliation
AEFE network member.

School day structure
Maternelle runs Monday to Friday in a French immersion context. Primary Day Release runs 9:00–15:30 with Garderie before 8:00–9:00 and after 15:30–17:30; Secondary learners attend a Saturday French GCSE preparation class from 9:30–11:30, with a Thursday after-school French club from 16:45–17:45.
Diving Deeper

Governance and Ownership
Charity number 900410 and company number 02463900. Ofsted registration EY486621; Ofsted Good Provider.
Fees
Application / Registration fees and deposits
- Annual registration fee for new pupils: GBP 50 per child. Re-registration fee: GBP 25 per child.
- Deposits: when a place is offered an invoice is issued (typically for one‑third of the fees for the first term for day‑release and preschool places); this invoice is payable within 15 days to secure the place. Deposits are not transferable and are non‑refundable if the child does not take up the place.

Tuition and session fees by year group / service (per published fee schedules)
- Maternelle / Preschool (age range for preschool classes):
- Daily full‑day care (8:00–17:30) without a funded session: GBP 95.00 per day.
- Daily full‑day care (8:00–17:30) with a funded session plus wraparound care: GBP 37.00 per day (this breaks down as Funded session £0 + French Programme Premium £18 + Wraparound care £19).
- Funded session (9:00–16:30) without wraparound care: GBP 18.00 per day (French Programme Premium).
- Weekly examples (full day care, no funded sessions): 2 days £190; 3 days £285; 4 days £380; 5 days £475 (total weekly costs shown in the fee schedule).
- French Programme Premium (activity fee) for funded‑hours registrations: examples in the schedule include £36, £54, £72 depending on the pattern of funded hours; optional wraparound care at £19 per day with funded hours.

- Primary Day‑Release classes (Français Langue Maternelle) — Reception (Grande Section) through Year 6 (CM2+):
- Day‑release tuition (Tuesday–Friday, 09:00–15:30): GBP 573.00 per term (same termly rate applied across Reception to Year 6 day‑release places in the published schedule).
- Garderie (wraparound) termly fees for regular bookings: AM (08:00–09:00) termly cost GBP 91.00; PM (15:30–17:30) termly cost GBP 143.00. Ad hoc garderie bookings: GBP 9 per morning session, GBP 12 per afternoon session (invoiced separately).
- Prorated calculation: if a child enrols after the start of term and misses more than two days, a prorated daily charge of GBP 44 per remaining day in the term is used to calculate fees.

- Saturday clubs / after‑school language classes (primary foreign‑language clubs and secondary Saturday GCSE preparation):
- Saturday and after‑school classes operate as separate class services; fee details for specific Saturday or after‑school clubs are given in the individual class information letters. (Primary and secondary classes are offered on Saturday mornings and Thursday afternoons/after‑school as described for each class.)

Billing schedule and payment terms
- Maternelle / Preschool invoicing: all preschool fees are invoiced termly, split into three instalments invoiced on the first day of the month; the published payment schedule shows the three dates for each term (example instalment dates are shown in the preschool fee document). Families are strongly encouraged to set up a standing order.
- Day‑release invoicing: day‑release tuition fees are invoiced in advance in monthly instalments on the first day of each month; the published schedule shows three payment dates per term (the schedule is adjusted for registrations part‑way through a term). Termly Garderie fees for regular bookings are invoiced in advance on the dates shown in the fee schedule.
- Payment deadlines and late payment: invoices must be paid according to the schedule; the school will not accept pupils whose fees/charges have not been paid within 28 days and may refer outstanding sums to a debt collection agency. No credit is given if a child leaves before the end of term; fees are payable for the whole term (even where payment is made in instalments).

Boarding / residential provision
- No boarding or residential provision is offered; the school operates as a preschool/day school with day‑release and Saturday/after‑school class services. No boarding fees apply.

Other costs and additional charges
- Snacks, supplies and lunches: preschool and day‑release fees include mid‑morning (and where applicable mid‑afternoon) snacks and general school supplies; parents supply packed lunches and nappies/wipes as required.
- Activity / French Programme Premium: where funded sessions are used, a French Programme Premium (activity fee) applies; example amounts in the schedule include GBP 36, GBP 54 and GBP 72 depending on the pattern of funded hours.
- Ad hoc bookings and extras: ad hoc garderie sessions are charged at GBP 9 (morning) and GBP 12 (afternoon). Occasional extra preschool days bookable subject to availability are charged at the daily full‑day rate (GBP 95 per day for non‑funded days).
- Discounts: a 5% discount is applied for families with three children registered at the school.
- Uniform: no school uniform fee is listed in the published fee documents for the services covered by the school's fee schedules.

Refunds, cancellations and late/penalty charges
- Cancellation and notice: written notice deadlines apply for withdrawing a place (dates/deadlines are specified in the terms and conditions); de‑registration deadlines are set by the school for each term. If a child is de‑registered during the year a new enrolment is required to resume attendance. No credit is given if a child leaves mid‑term; fees remain payable for the whole term.
- Class cancellations and refunds: if a class cannot be covered by supply staff and must be cancelled, a full refund is given for each cancelled session that parents have paid for.
- Late collection charges: a late collection charge of GBP 15 is applied from the second instance of late collection, charged for every half‑hour or part thereof. For funded preschool places repeated late collection can lead to withdrawal of the funded place and charges equivalent to full‑day care may be applied.

Fee payment options and banking details (published options)
- Payment methods accepted: bank transfer is accepted for all fees; childcare vouchers are accepted for day‑release and wraparound care fees where eligible. Payments from Tax‑Free Childcare accounts (HMRC “Tax‑Free Childcare”) can be accepted for Garderie fees but not for day‑release tuition fees. The school lists childcare voucher providers it accepts (Computershare, Edenred, Sodexo) and provides a Lloyds bank account for transfers. Standing orders are recommended.

Summary notes for parents (practical points)
- Registration: a completed online registration form and payment of the registration fee and deposit are required to secure a place.
- Invoicing frequency: preschool fees are invoiced termly in three instalments; day‑release tuition is invoiced in monthly instalments on the first of each month with termly payment dates shown in the published schedule.
- Discounts, bursaries and government schemes: a 5% sibling discount is available for families with three children; bursary/financial assistance schemes and government childcare schemes (Tax‑Free Childcare, childcare vouchers, Working Tax Credits/Universal Credit) are referenced in the school's financial assistance guidance and eligibility conditions apply.
Academics

Ecole Francaise de Bristol teaches EYFS (Early years foundation stage), French Curriculum for students aged 1 to 16.

Curriculum
The school offers a bespoke programme based on the French Education Nationale curriculum within an immersion context. It enables bilingual children to develop competence in reading and writing in French, with a focus on grammar, conjugation and spelling. The curriculum is structured across three cycles: Cycle des apprentissages premiers (Reception / Grande Section); Cycle des apprentissages fondamentaux (CP, CE1 and CE2); Cycle de consolidation de la langue (CM1 to CM2). Students focus on speaking, writing and comprehension in French, with emphasis on four tenses (imperfect, present, future and perfect). At the end of CM2, children are ready for Secondary/GCSE classes. Resources are chosen to reflect French culture through major cultural events in France and French-speaking countries throughout the year. Class sizes are kept small.

Student Teacher Ratio
Small class sizes.
Wellbeing

Social and Emotional Learning (SEL)
The school believes every child thrives when they feel known, valued and inspired. The school is a warm, welcoming community where children are encouraged to be curious, kind and courageous. The school works in close partnership with families to support each child's learning, wellbeing and sense of belonging. The values guide the curriculum, relationships and the everyday life of classrooms. They enable children to develop strong knowledge and skills, a positive attitude to learning and a sense of responsibility as global citizens. The school values international and local partnerships, especially with parents, which form the cornerstone of the community and are essential to pupils' wellbeing and academic success.

Mental Wellbeing
Wellbeing is central to the school's approach. The school supports pupils to feel safe, valued and part of a community, with a focus on belonging and positive relationships to build resilience and confidence. The partnership with families is central to supporting each child's emotional and social development. The school's values promote a positive attitude to learning and responsible citizenship, contributing to overall wellbeing and academic progress.

Safeguarding
Safeguarding is overseen by Hortense Dournel-Fauvet, who has overarching responsibility for safeguarding. The Designated Safeguarding Lead (DSL) is Claire Vallorge, Deputy Headteacher, and the Deputy DSL is Mathilde Monnet. The safeguarding policy suite includes: Child protection and safeguarding policy; Anti-bullying policy; Attendance policies; E-safety policy; Missing child policy; Safeguarding recruitment, vetting and barring policy; Staff code of conduct; Whistleblowing policy. All policies and risk assessments are available on request.
Parent Experience

History
Our school started in 1980 as a Saturday morning club run by three French parents in a community hall. Since then, it has moved into permanent premises, gained official recognition, strengthened partnerships, and opened classes for children for whom French is a new language. It remains a community organisation with a unique teaching model. Its legal status reflects this specificity: it is a non-profit making organisation (registered charity 900410) and a limited liability company (2463900), not subsidised by the French government, with fees funding salaries, rent, utilities, school supplies and library registrations.

Community
The school is a warm, bilingual community where children grow as confident, curious and caring global citizens. Partnerships with families support each child's learning, wellbeing and sense of belonging. The school values international and local partnerships, especially with parents, which form the cornerstone of the community and are essential to pupils' wellbeing and academic success. By working together, we can better understand our children, identify their needs and nurture their confidence in expressing themselves in French.

Parent Teacher Association (PTA)
The Friends of the EFB (PTA) is run by volunteers among parents and staff, bringing the francophone community together in Bristol. The PTA plays a vital role in supporting the school, funding essential projects, organising community events and improving the school facilities. As a registered charity (no. 1210284), it funds activities, merchandise sales and donations from the francophile community. If you would like to stay updated, you can join our PTA-Event WhatsApp group (contact the school). We are always looking for volunteers. For 2025-2026, projects include upgrading the school kitchen and installing a large covered area in the playground. Committee members for 2025-26 include Emilie Silk, Anna Cura, Gilles Tourneret, Alexandre Jousselme, Louis Vis, Hortense Dournel-Fauvet and Etienne Ardon.
Facilities

Facilities Overview
The school is based at The Fonthill Centre, 35 Stanton Road, Southmead, Bristol BS10 5SJ. The school is based in north Bristol in a purpose-built campus with bright and spacious classrooms, a garden and a playground. The Early Years area uses two large interconnected rooms, a dormitory and its own nappy changing and personal care facilities, with space for cooking, crafts, reading and play, plus weekly yoga sessions. Early Years has its own playground with a sandpit, mud kitchen, Wendy houses, scooters, balance bikes, tricycles and a climbing frame, with lawn space for games and a vegetable patch for outdoor learning. Primary and secondary classrooms are housed in two additional rooms, each with a reading corner, desks and an interactive white board, with access to a designated playground and the garden all year round.

Sports Facilities
Outdoor play is a core feature with a dedicated playground and lawn used by all year groups. The Early Years playground includes a sandpit, mud kitchen, Wendy houses, scooters, balance bikes, tricycles and a climbing frame. Weekly yoga sessions and other indoor physical activities are part of the programme.

Academic Facilities
The Premises include two large interconnected Early Years rooms, a dormitory and its own nappy changing and personal care facilities, with spaces for cooking, crafts, reading and play, plus weekly yoga sessions. The Early Years have their own playground with a sandpit, mud kitchen, Wendy houses, scooters, balance bikes, tricycles and a climbing frame, and they regularly use the lawn and the vegetable patch for outdoor activities. Primary and secondary classrooms are two additional rooms, each with a reading corner, personal desks and an interactive white board; they also have access to board games, toys and a pretend play corner.

Extra Curricular Facilities
Les Bambins is a weekly toddler group for children aged 18 to 36 months, running on Mondays from 9:30 am to 11 am, offering socialising, singing and play in French. The Parent-Teacher Association funds essential projects, community events and improvements to school facilities. Current projects include upgrading the Maternelle kitchen and installing a large covered area in the playground to enable outdoor activity in all weather.
Extra-Curricular Activities

Academic & Intellectual
The school offers a bespoke immersion program based on the French Education Nationale curriculum. Primary day-release classes for native French speakers (Français Langue Maternelle) run one full day per week for Reception to Year 6. The school day runs 9:00 am to 3:30 pm, with Garderie before and after class (8:00 am to 9:00 am and 3:30 pm to 5:30 pm). In secondary, pupils continue to develop speaking and writing in French, with the opportunity to prepare for an early French GCSE between Years 9 and 11.

Arts & Creative
A Saturday morning French club for Reception to Year 2 introduces French through cookery, crafts and games, led by a native French speaker. A Thursday after-school club for Years 3 to 6 continues language practice through themed activities and games. These sessions blend language learning with creative activities to support engagement and achievement.

Cultural & Language
International and local partnerships are valued, forming the cornerstone of the community and supporting pupils' wellbeing and academic success. The school conducts exchanges with schools in France and hosts regular cultural activities and visits. Pupils develop confidence in expressing themselves in French.

Social & Hobbies
Les Bambins is a weekly toddler group for children aged 18 to 36 months, held on Mondays from 9:30 am to 11:00 am. The group provides a French-language environment where children and carers socialize, sing and play. It serves as a social entry point for families before preschool.

Community & Service
The school has a Parent Teacher Association that coordinates community events and fundraising. In the 2023-2024 school year, PTA fundraising raised £3,541 through events such as Halloween activities.

Lifestyle & Wellbeing
Wellbeing and a sense of belonging are central to the school's approach, supported by close partnerships with families. Pupils benefit from outdoor play and activities, and indoor physical development such as Yoga and obstacle courses. The program emphasizes holistic development and discusses culture and books with families to support overall wellbeing.
Languages

Language Provision
French is taught as both a mother tongue and a foreign language. In secondary, students take French GCSE (French as a Mother Tongue). The teaching staff are native French-speaking professionals who work with bi- and multilingual learners.

Bilingual Teaching
The school teaches bilingual education in French and English. Preschool and Maternelle can be attended five days per week. Primary pupils attend one day per week and secondary pupils attend two hours per week, as part of a day-release system that allows off-site education. Native French-speaking teachers and teaching assistants support bilingual and multilingual learning.

Immersion Programs
The bilingual model uses immersion through weekly French classes and the day-release arrangement. It emphasizes exposure to French at school and at home to support language development. Pupils study French with the objective of understanding, reading, writing and speaking in French independently by the end of their primary education. Parental involvement is encouraged to reinforce language learning.
Reputation

Awards
null

Accreditations
AEFE network membership; Ofsted registration EY486621; Charity number 900410; Company number 02463900
Admissions

Admissions
1) Registration of Interest. Parents fill an online Registration of Interest form with the desired start date, preferred attendance days, and funding/wraparound care needs. ROI forms for Term 1 admissions are processed first, and current preschool pupils are guaranteed re-enrolment until 25 April 2025. Places are allocated in order of the number of days per week requested, with siblings prioritized within that order. ROI forms received after 25 April 2025 for Term 1 admissions are offered subject to availability. 2) Offers and registration. Offers for Term 1 admissions are emailed during the week of 5 May 2025 and remain valid for ten days. If a place is offered, parents must confirm acceptance and complete the Online Registration Form; a deposit invoice is issued and the deposit must be paid within 15 days; a start date is confirmed in writing after these steps. 3) In-year admissions and waitlists. In-year admissions are subject to availability with priority given to siblings for registrations of 3, 4 or 5 days at the start of term 2. The school does not operate waiting lists due to the above priority criteria. Offers will be made following the ROI by term-specific deadlines, and registrations in Term 3 are typically not accepted. 4) Registration changes and medical needs. Changes to registration (adding/reducing days or changing the start date) are governed by the Terms and Conditions and require advance written notice. If a child has medical needs, the school will draft an Individual Health Care Plan prior to attendance. 5) Funding options. Funding includes UK government schemes and school-run scholarships. Government-Funded Sessions run 9:00–4:30 and may cover up to four funded sessions per week (30 hours); universal entitlement and Working Families Scheme may apply. The school uses the Funding Loop platform to claim funded hours. The French Government Scholarship Scheme and the EFB Scholarship provide additional fee remission under certain conditions, with a 5% discount for families with three children registered at the EFB. 6) Notice period and cancellation. Changes or cancellations require advance written notice and follow the Terms and Conditions, which specify deadlines for term start dates and cancellations.

Scholarships
EFB Scholarship: The school offers an EFB Scholarship with potential remission of fees; conditions apply. A 5% discount is offered for families with three children registered at the EFB. French Government Scholarship Scheme: Applications are processed through the Service Social of the French Consulate in London. To qualify, the child must attend the French Maternelle Accredited Programme four days per week (Monday to Thursday), be a French national, and be registered with the French Consulate in London; family patrimony thresholds apply, and the maximum remission is £10,536 per annum. The subsidy does not apply to wraparound care fees or to a fifth day. EFB Scheme: A credit for the French Programme Premium is provided for eligible pupils, subject to eligibility and terms set by Bristol City Council; the subsidy is not available on wraparound fees or on the fees for a 5th day. Remission details and eligibility are governed by the associated bursary policies and government schemes.

Waitlist
We do not operate waiting lists. In-year admissions are subject to availability with priority given to siblings of current pupils for registrations of 3, 4 or 5 days at the start of term 2. Offers are made after the Registration of Interest Form is received by term deadlines, and term 3 registrations are not usually accepted.
School Events
The school has not added events
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