Shanghai French School makes language learning one of its priorities with French, English, and Chinese learning starting from kindergarten. Our Anglophone programs, developed by the ministry of national education, allow students to join the International American Stream (SIA) from K3, and the European Stream (SEA) from Grade 2, and benefit from an increased learning of the English language, as well as other disciplines taught in English. If these two streams are equivalent in terms of language level, they vary in terms of linguistic objectives and according to the student’s and family’s project.
Check out the video presenting our European Stream and International American Stream, an undeniable advantage to join the best schools and universities, in France or abroad!
Why choosing Shanghai French School’s Anglophone streams?
The two streams target all types of students with the mastering of French language being the only prerequisite.
French families choose one of these sections to give their children an international openness and a real mastering of the English language (level B2/C1 for the SEA, and level C1/C2 for the SIA, based on the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages), allowing them to easily choose to pursue their higher education abroad.
For Sino-French families, choosing these streams enables the child to continue learning Chinese in language group while mastering English.
Students coming from another education system or whose mother tongue is English, will first strengthen their French level at Shanghai French School, in the general stream with, if necessary, an accompanying program in French language. They will be able to continue within an Anglophone language stream once having mastered French.
Which stream choosing?
The International American Stream (SIA)
Who is it aimed at?
Students in SIA have an appetence for reading, literature, and literature analysis.
It is aimed at motivated students able to take on an increased workload, heavier than in other streams.
It allows students to practice English with depth and aim at getting a bilingual level.
In Primary School, the SIA offers 10 hours of teaching in English weekly. English language but also literature, mathematics or history-geography are taught in English.
In Middle School, the SIA offers 13 hours of teaching in English language whereas the SEA offers 10 hours.
In High School, students in SIA have 6.5 hours of English, and 2 hours of literature and history-geography. They prepare the IGCSE Cambridge (International General Certificate of Secondary Education) Language and Literature. Preparing for this exam enables them to strengthen their writing skills and to develop English techniques of literature analysis. In Grades 11 and 12, they prepare the OIB, the International Option of the Baccalaureate, which is not a distinct diploma nor the International Baccalaureate (IB), but a specialisation within the French Baccalaureate.
The European Stream (SEA)
Who is it aimed at?
Within this stream, students strengthen their skills, acquire a very high level of English and a deep knowledge of the Anglo-Saxon culture.
In SEA, English is a daily communication tool (press articles, news reviews). The approach is more holistic and less based on literature.
In Primary School, the SEA offers 6 hours of English language, to which are added mathematics, sports, visual arts, history, or science in English.
In Middle School, the SEA offers 10 hours of teaching in English.
In High School, students in SEA have 4 hours of English and then either choose 2 hours of mathematics or history-geography in English. They prepare the IGCSE Cambridge ESL (English as a Second Language). In Grades 11 and 12, they prepare the Baccalaureate with a European specialty (which includes an oral exam in mathematics or history-geography in English).
The Shanghai French School teams are very invested in the accompanying and guidance counselling to allow each student to choose the stream the most adapted to them, but to also evolve from one stream to another throughout their school years.