École Jeannine Manuel’s mission is to promote international understanding through the bilingual education of a multicultural community of students. It believes in pedagogical innovation and the constant exploration of best practices, in the context of an ever-changing global environment.
French
École Jeannine Manuel has been under contract with the French state for over 60 years. The school follows the French national curriculum with the exception of the English, Science, and Chinese programs, which are unique to École Jeannine Manuel.
Bilingual
Our identity as a French-English bilingual school forms the central pillar of our school’s approach. We define bilingualism as the ability to express oneself in French or in English, orally or in writing, with native ease and compelling effectiveness. The school achieves this by providing students with rigorous and innovating language teaching, as well as with a complete cultural immersion. All of our teachers are either native French or English speakers, and a significant part of the student body have either French or English as their mother tongue.
International
With students of 80 different nationalities representing every major culture and religious tradition, our school is a truly international and multicultural community.
We have organised the information available for this school into 10 sections and 42 questions. Click or tap on the name of each section to read more.
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Number of students
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2400
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Number of nationalities represented in the school
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80
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Most common nationality
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French, British, US
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Ratio of local students to international students
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We keep a ratio of 1/3 non-French families, 1/3 mixed French and non-French families, and 1/3 French families.
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Native English and French speaking teachers
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Yes
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Language support for students not fluent in English and French
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Each year, the school welcomes more than 100 new non-French speaking pupils. These students, key to the cultural diversity of the school, are enrolled in an adaptation program where they receive intensive and immersive French tuition tailored to their individual level.
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Additional language classes offered by the school
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Chinese (Mandarin), Spanish, German, Italian
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Max. number of students per class
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28
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Average number of students per class
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25
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Does the school employ teaching assistants?
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Yes
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Use of technology in the classroom
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Technology at École Jeannine Manuel is used as a tool to support learning in all subjects.
All of our classrooms are equipped with projectors and some with interactive white boards, and every middle school student is given an Ipad. At École Jeannine Manuel, the focus is not on the technology itself but rather on how technology can enhance learning in the classroom.
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Is the school ready to use virtual classrooms when needed? (e.g. teaching lessons online if the school is closed, e.g. during COVID-19 closures)
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Yes. During the first lockdown in March 2020, our school put in place a distance learning timetable that allowed students to have regular contact with their teachers and classmates via a virtual GotoMeeting classroom, while also encouraging student autonomy through individual study and group work.
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Do students practice religion at the school? What religion?
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Every major religious tradition is represented in the student body. As a school under contract with the French state, the school operates under the concept of laïcité.
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How does the school accommodate non-religious students or students of a different religion?
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Students of all religions or none are treated equally.
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External examinations or assessments available
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IB Diploma, French International Baccalaureate (BFI), American High School Diploma.
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Results in these examinations
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Our students achieve excellent results every year. Our baccalaureate results for 2024 are as follows:
French International Baccalaureate: 100% pass rate, 99% of students with distinctions, 87% of students receiving Good or Very Good distinctions, 63% of students with Very Good distinctions, & a quarter with congratulations from the jury!
International Baccalaureate results: 100% pass rate with 80% receiving a bilingual diploma, average of 37.5 (7 points higher than the world average), 36% of students scoring 40 points or higher (4 times the world average).
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Do teachers assign homework to their students?
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Yes
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Approximate hours of homework given
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There are no formal homework requirements in the Primary School. In Middle School, students are expected to dedicate around nine hours per week to homework. Aside from daily lessons, assignments are usually given one week in advance. Upper school students will need to spend more time on their work at home, although most 11th and 12th grade students will have study periods available during the week, depending on their electives.
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Percentage of students who pursue further education post-graduation
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100%
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Dedicated staff/programs for students with special learning needs
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The School is committed to equal treatment for all, regardless of an applicant’s sex, race, ethnicity, religion, disability, sexual orientation or social background. Providing that we can support students according to their needs, we will do what we can to accommodate them. We welcome students with physical disabilities provided that we can make the site suitable. The School may require a copy of a medical report or psychologist’s report to support any request for special arrangements.
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Learning support offered
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The School endeavours to ensure that all teachers in the School are able to provide for SEN students, to allow them to join in the activities of the School together with students who do not have SEN, so far as is reasonably practical and compatible with the student receiving the special educational provision and the efficient education of the students with whom they are educated.
When learning issues are discovered after admission, usually through outside testing triggered by emerging learning issues at school, the School helps parents seek remediation with outside specialists. The School makes every effort to adapt to the needs of the student in coordination with outside remedial specialists, including through the implementation of flexible assessment procedures, extra-time or computer-assisted examinations.
For an (Individual Education Plan) IEP to be developed, students must have formal documentation of a specific diagnosis from a medical doctor. Students who start their education at the School with formal documentation of a specific diagnosis will be supported by an IEP within the first term of arrival at the School. For students who do not have a diagnosed SEN, the School undertakes a graduated approach to
the identification, assessment and support of students with SEN. The approach recognizes that there is a continuum of SEN and that, where necessary, increasing specialist expertise should be brought to bear on the difficulties that a student may experience.
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The school supports gifted, able and talented students
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The school has a specific enriched program that supports gifted students.
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Student access to education psychologist
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Where necessary, students will be referred to specialist expertise.
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Entry evaluation for students
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Candidates are asked to take part in age-appropriate evaluations, and older candidates may be offered an interview.
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Brief description of entry evaluation required
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All France-based candidates for Pre-K, Kindergarten and 1st Grade are invited to participate in a “playdate” (educational activities in small groups) coordinated by two teachers. Families have the choice between a French or English-speaking playdate.
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Waiting list
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If a school is interested in a candidate but there are no places available at that time, they may offer that candidate a spot on the waiting list.
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Deadline for registration (new academic year)
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[Admissions 2026-2027] For families based in France, the deadline for applications is January 13th, 2026. There is no deadline for families based outside of France, but we recommend that you apply as early as possible.
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Students can join after academic year begins
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Rarely.
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School start time
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8:30
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School finish time
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Primary classes: 15:15
Secondary classes: 16:30
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Supervised care before/after school
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Yes (after the school day).
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School bus service available
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No.
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School provided lunches
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Primary School students may opt for a full meal provided by the school or bring their own lunchbox. Middle school students choose a full meal (demi-pension) or the lunchbox option, and high school students eat off site.
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Food alternatives for special dietary needs (ie. vegan, kosher, halal etc)
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The school lunch plan offers a vegetarian option.
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Uniform required
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No, however the students are expected to dress appropriately for their day at school.
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Facilities at the school
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The school has a well-stocked middle school library, science labs for middle school and high school, and a 180-seat theater.
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Sports facilities at the school
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The school has a gymnasium with a climbing wall. Students also have access to nearby sports facilities that are a short bus ride away.
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Qualities and characteristics best defining the school
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École Jeannine Manuel is a French bilingual and international school founded in 1954 with the mission to promote international understanding through the bilingual education of a multicultural community of students. It believes in pedagogical innovation and the constant exploration of best practices, in the context of an ever-changing global environment.
An associated UNESCO school, École Jeannine Manuel welcomes over 3,300 students from Pre-K to twelfth grade. representing almost eighty nationalities and every major cultural and religious tradition. Students follow an enriched bilingual curriculum and, in eleventh grade, choose between the French track leading to the international option of French baccalaureate (American section) and the International Baccalaureate Diploma (IB). Academic standards are high: Ecole Jeannine Manuel is consistently ranked among the top French schools (ranked first among French high schools – public or private – for eight consecutive years). The school is accredited by the French Ministry of Education, the International Baccalaureate Organization (IBO), the Council of International Schools (CIS) and the New England Association of Schools and Colleges (NEASC).
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Teaching approach of the school
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The school’s teaching approach is based on constant self-evaluation and innovation with regards to its methods and objectives. Innovation in the classroom is inspired by the latest research in the fields of education and cognitive science, as well as by the creativity of its teaching staff. Students are encouraged to be active learners and to develop a heightened self-awareness of their own progress. The school promotes a collaborative approach to learning: students take part in group work and discussion across all subjects.
The school has developed several in-house programs in collaboration with leading researchers, including an integrated science program designed with Nobel Prize winner physicist Georges Charpak, and an audiovisual Chinese language-learning tool developed with the Sesame Street team.
École Jeannine Manuel was the first school in France to establish a well-being program for its students. The school’s current wellbeing program for 4th-7th graders is based on the work of Ilona Boniwell, a leading figure in the field of positive psychology. 8th-graders are enrolled in the SPARC Resilience program, which aims to equip students with psychological and emotional tools they can use in difficult or stressful situations. For high-school students, the school offers mindfulness workshops that focus on reducing stress and increasing students’ emotional self-awareness.
Students finish their secondary studies by either sitting the French International Baccalaureate (BFI) or the International Baccalaureate (IB), two diplomas recognized by prestigious universities around the world. The French International Baccalaureate (BFI) is an academically-enhanced version of the French baccalaureate: it is a bilingual and bicultural exam taken by less than 1% of French baccalaureate candidates worldwide. The International Baccalaureate (IB) Diploma Program offers a liberal arts international curriculum respected by leading universities across the globe. The curriculum is made up of a program core and subjects distributed among six subject groups, which include an array of courses to choose from.
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A centrally located Parisian campus
École Jeannine Manuel Paris benefits from an exceptional location, with its three campuses situated in the heart of the 15th arrondissement—a safe, family-friendly, and vibrant neighborhood on the Left Bank of Paris. All campuses are within a 15-minute walk of one another. The area is well served by public transportation and offers a wide range of parks, cultural venues, and local amenities. Our facilities include well-equipped science labs, libraries, art studios, an indoor gym and climbing wall.
Two prestigious baccalaureate programs
French International Baccalaureate (BFI)
The French Baccalaureate with International Option (BFI) is an academically challenging bilingual and bicultural exam. It is the most advanced French-English bilingual certification for secondary school students in the world. Over the challenging two-year program, American BFI students follow a core curriculum with two concentrations and three BFI college-level courses.
International Bacalaureate (IB DP)
The International IB Diploma Programme (IBDP) is an academically rigorous college-preparatory curriculum, in which students engage in 6 challenging academic subjects and the Diploma Programme (DP) core, preparing students with skills required in post-secondary education. There is a focus on developing the whole person, with our students flourishing physically, intellectually, emotionally and ethically.
A focus on pedagogical innovation
Our approach to learning rests on 6 pedagogical pillars:
- Ensuring that students master core academic skills
- Helping students become truly bilingual
- Fostering the wellbeing and social-emotional development of each student
- Practicing collaborative, peer learning and fostering team spirit
- Developing students’ agency, autonomy, and inquisitiveness
- Nurturing students’ curiosity, creativity, and appetite for culture and lifelong learning
Constant research & innovation
Constant and coherent innovation is the driving force behind our pedagogical principles. Whether inspired by current research in the cognitive sciences, by best practices from around the world, or by our very own pedagogical teams, our approach to learning is constantly evolving.
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