How the French school network in London works
The French Ministry of Education accredits schools abroad through two routes. Etablissements conventionnes have a partnership agreement with the Agency for French Education Abroad (AEFE) and benefit from subsidised tuition; etablissements homologues follow the French national curriculum independently, with fees set on a fully private basis. The two structures matter for cost, admissions priority and university pathway, and the difference is the first thing to understand before drawing up a London French-school shortlist.
Within London, two schools sit in the conventionne network (the Lycee Francais Charles de Gaulle and the Lycee International de Londres Winston Churchill), one in the partner network operating under the conventionne umbrella (CFBL Kentish Town), and a small number of fully private accredited French schools. Beyond these, several British curriculum schools operate bilingual French-English streams, and a network of supplementary French Saturday schools serves children attending mainstream British schools during the week. See our French national curriculum guide for the structural picture.
Lycee Francais Charles de Gaulle
The Lycee Francais Charles de Gaulle (LFCG) in South Kensington is the historical anchor of French education in London, founded in 1915. The main site at Cromwell Road covers college and lycee year groups, with three primary sites at Andre Malraux (Ealing), Marie d'Orliac (Fulham) and Wix (Clapham). LFCG follows the French national curriculum from maternelle through to the Baccalaureat, and as a fully conventionne school operates within the public service of French education, with tuition correspondingly set below private market levels.
Tuition 2026 to 2027. Approximately GBP 7,000 to GBP 9,500 depending on year group, with bursaries available for French citizens on the AEFE means-tested scale.
Admissions. Priority is given to French families and to children moving from other AEFE schools abroad. Non-French families can apply, with admissions windows opening in November for the following September entry.
Lycee International de Londres Winston Churchill
The Lycee International de Londres Winston Churchill (LIL) opened in Wembley in 2015 as an explicitly international school within the French network. It runs the French national curriculum alongside the international option (OIB) at the lycee level, with strong bilingual provision throughout. LIL is fully conventionne and offers an alternative to LFCG with a more international cohort profile, smaller class sizes and a modern campus building.
Tuition 2026 to 2027. Approximately GBP 8,000 to GBP 11,000 depending on year group, with the same AEFE means-tested bursary support available to French citizens.
Admissions. Annual application window from November, with assessment at the year of entry; non-French families admitted on the basis of language competence and academic profile.
Compare three London French-curriculum schools side by side
The cleanest way to test a French shortlist is to put two or three schools on the school compare tool and look at fees, location and curriculum next to each other. Pair this with our best international schools in London ranking for the wider context, and send the shortlist through the contact form if you would like a free editorial review.
College Francais Bilingue de Londres
The College Francais Bilingue de Londres (CFBL) in Kentish Town is the bilingual French and English school operating within the conventionne umbrella. Founded in 2011, CFBL runs the French national curriculum from primaire through college, with a strong English-language stream that allows children to maintain or develop English alongside French. CFBL has become a popular choice for mixed-nationality families based in north and central London where the South Kensington commute is impractical.
Tuition 2026 to 2027. Approximately GBP 9,500 to GBP 12,000.
Admissions. Sibling priority and French passport priority apply; non-French applicants admitted by year group on the basis of language profile and waitlist position.
Ecole Jeannine Manuel London
The London branch of the Paris-headquartered Ecole Jeannine Manuel opened in 2015 in Bedford Square, Bloomsbury. The school runs a strongly bilingual programme, with French and English roughly evenly weighted through primary years, transitioning into IGCSE and the IB Diploma at upper school. It is accredited within the French education system but operates independently of the conventionne network, with fully private tuition.
Tuition 2026 to 2027. Approximately GBP 22,000 to GBP 24,000.
Admissions. Selective entry with assessment at older year groups; sibling priority applies. Strong cohort of dual-language families across French, English, German, Spanish and Italian first-language profiles.
EIFA International School
The Ecole Internationale Franco-Anglaise of London (EIFA) in Marylebone runs a bilingual French and English programme from early years through to IGCSE and the IB Diploma. EIFA is accredited within the French education system and follows the French national programme in parallel with strong English-language provision. The school is fully private and operates on a single central London site.
Tuition 2026 to 2027. Approximately GBP 21,500 to GBP 23,500.
Admissions. Rolling admissions outside the principal entry points, with the heaviest concentration of applications between November and February for the September following.
Smaller and supplementary French options
Beyond the principal accredited schools, several smaller French-speaking and bilingual options serve specific niches across London. The Petite Ecole de South Kensington and Petite Ecole Bilingue Maida Vale offer bilingual early years and primary provision. The Cours Florent Theatre School, although a specialist drama institution, runs French-language sessions for older students. Saturday-only French schools operating under the FLAM network (Francais Langue Maternelle) provide weekend mother-tongue support for children attending mainstream British schools, with sites in Chiswick, Wandsworth, Greenwich, Richmond and several other London neighbourhoods. The Saturday schools are not a substitute for a full French curriculum but are widely used by Anglo-French families who have chosen a British primary route.
Fees, admissions and how to choose
The choice between London's French schools is rarely about academic outcomes; both the Lycee and Ecole Jeannine Manuel produce strong Baccalaureat and university destinations consistently. The choice is principally driven by three practical factors. First, language balance: a fully French environment at LFCG produces a different bilingual outcome from the balanced French-English environment at Ecole Jeannine Manuel or CFBL. Second, location: South Kensington, Wembley, Kentish Town, Bloomsbury, Marylebone and the primary sites all serve distinct catchments, and a fifteen-minute commute matters more in London than a curriculum nuance. Third, fee structure: the conventionne network costs around a third of the fully private schools, which materially shifts the year one budget shape.
For families considering a return to France after the London posting, the curriculum continuity provided by LFCG, LIL, CFBL and EIFA is meaningful. For families on indefinite London postings, the bilingual schools tend to produce a more London-anchored outcome at the cost of slightly less seamless return to the French system. Run the choice through our London school fees piece and our cost calculator for a clean year one number.
FAQ
Which French schools in London follow the official French national curriculum?
The Lycee Francais Charles de Gaulle in South Kensington, the Lycee International de Londres Winston Churchill in Wembley, CFBL in Kentish Town and EIFA in Marylebone follow the French national programme. Ecole Jeannine Manuel London operates a strongly bilingual programme accredited within the French education system.
How much do French international schools in London cost in 2026?
Tuition ranges from GBP 7,000 to GBP 24,000 per child per year for 2026 to 2027, depending on whether the school sits within the conventionne network or operates independently. The Lycee Charles de Gaulle is the most affordable option at the lower end.
Can non-French families attend French international schools in London?
Yes. Several London French schools admit children from non-French backgrounds, particularly at early years entry where intensive French language support is available. LIL, Ecole Jeannine Manuel and EIFA operate explicitly bilingual programmes designed for mixed-language families.
Is the Lycee or Ecole Jeannine Manuel a better choice for a Franco-British family?
Both are strong. The Lycee produces a more clearly French-anchored bilingual outcome; Ecole Jeannine Manuel produces a more balanced French-English profile and exits to the IB Diploma rather than the Baccalaureat. The right answer depends on intended university route and likely future country of residence.
Are there waitlists at London French schools?
Yes, particularly at the conventionne schools (LFCG, LIL, CFBL) where French-citizenship priority and sibling priority absorb most year-group capacity at the main entry points. Plan to apply in November for the following September entry.