Choosing a path at the end of collège (the French equivalent of lower secondary school, roughly ages 11-15) is often a source of worry for parents. Between the brevet exam and the choice between a general, technological or vocational lycée track, it can be hard to know how best to support your child. In this article, we explain how to help them make an informed choice about their school future.

Why is the final year of collège (Troisième) such a key stage?

In France, Troisième (roughly Year 10 / 9th grade) marks the end of the four-year collège cycle, the first stage of secondary education.

At the end of this Troisième year, pupils sit the “brevet”, the national diploma that assesses the knowledge and skills gained by the end of collège.

During this Troisième year, pupils are asked to choose their next path. In fact, from the very start of the school year, teachers begin talking to them about it.

How does the “conseil de classe” (school progress board) work?

In most collèges, the second-term school progress board meetings take place during the first half of March. By this point, pupils will have been asked to submit their path preferences.

For example, do they want to continue on to a general “seconde” track? Or would they rather choose a technological or vocational path?

During the progress board meeting, teachers give a preliminary opinion on their pupils’ preferences, meaning they say whether, based on their knowledge of the pupil, the chosen path seems realistic or not.

More specifically, they will say whether they are in favour, have reservations, or are against moving on to a general “seconde”, for example. This means they feel the pupil does or doesn’t have a sufficient level to keep up in that track, and that letting them go ahead anyway wouldn’t actually be doing them a favour.

At the third-term progress board meeting, the preferences, whether updated by the pupil and family or not, are reviewed again by the teaching team, who will issue a final decision.

It’s worth remembering that, in doing this, teachers are trying to avoid setting pupils up for disappointment. That said, families can appeal and go against the progress board’s decision.

Possible paths: how to choose?

General and technological “2de” followed by “1ère” and then “terminale”. A 3-year cycle in a general and technological lycée that often prepares pupils for higher education. It logically leads to the general and technological BACCALAURÉAT.
Vocational “2de” the first year of a 3-year cycle in a vocational lycée, leading to a vocational baccalauréat. It suits pupils who already have a career plan in mind and want to combine theory and hands-on practice.
1st year of CAP The CAP (vocational aptitude certificate) takes 2 years to complete. It opens up the possibility of entering the workforce more quickly. It is aimed at learners looking for training that is more hands-on and less theoretical, with more practical work and work placements.

The role of the Troisième work placement

To help them with their choice of path after collège, all pupils in Troisième must complete a one-week work placement.

For many of them, this will be their first taste of the world of work. When this placement was introduced in 2005, its main aim was to help pupils refine their choice of path.

I remember, for example, pupils who idealised a particular job and then realised that the day-to-day reality wasn’t quite what they had imagined.

So yes, the work placement is a very good thing, even though we know it isn’t always easy to find a company in the field the young person is interested in.

How to support your child without piling on the pressure

  • Parents worried about their child’s schooling:

As a parent, it can be tricky to help your child with their choice of path, especially if they keep telling you they don’t know. This worries you, and you don’t know how to help without piling extra pressure onto a child who may already be stressed about preparing for the brevet.

You feel lost in the “jungle” of possible paths and worry your child might make the wrong choice.

  • Parents worried about their child’s future:

This is all the more anxiety-inducing for parents because they sometimes struggle to understand the new world of work, with so many new jobs appearing.

Looking ahead to 2045, we can reasonably expect several thousand new or heavily reinvented jobs.

  • So what can you do:

Starting by telling yourself that there isn’t really a “wrong” choice helps put things into perspective.

Realising that it’s completely normal for a 15-year-old not to have a clearly defined idea of what working life will look like, what matters most for them is learning about themselves, so they can work out which field to head towards.

Accepting that your child may choose one path, then realise it doesn’t suit them, and that they’ll be able to change direction.

Knowing how to listen to your child, hearing their interests and aspirations, even when they don’t match your own.

Taking your child’s actual abilities into account, and not expecting too much of them, at the risk of seeing them disengage completely.

It’s also worth keeping in mind that:

    • it’s entirely possible to go back into longer studies after a CAP or a vocational baccalauréat
    • shorter courses leading to hands-on trades are once again in the economic spotlight
  • Useful resources for parents:

To reassure you and help you support your teenager through this new stage, don’t hesitate to:

    • ask for a meeting with the head teacher
    • talk to the placement supervisor
    • visit schools during their Open Days (though be careful not to overdo it, which can have the opposite effect to the one you’re hoping for)
    • find out whether there are careers fairs in your area
    • get help by booking an appointment with a careers advisor on Ora-Visio.com, who will support your child in getting to know themselves better.

Useful links: