In this guide

  1. What learning support means in Paris
  2. How we chose these schools
  3. Schools to investigate for learning support
  4. Questions to ask each school
  5. Related guides
  6. Frequently asked questions

What learning support means in Paris

Provision across Paris ranges from light in class differentiation to structured learning support departments with specialist staff and individual education plans. The city mixes English medium international schools with bilingual French English schools, and the two routes handle additional needs quite differently, so your child's language profile shapes the shortlist as much as the support offer does. The larger, longer established through schools tend to hold the most developed provision alongside a French as a foreign language team. Under the French framework, private international schools set their own admissions and agree provision case by case after reviewing your child's reports, so an early and honest conversation with the admissions and learning support leads matters more than any brochure.

Whichever school you consider, treat learning support as a live capacity question rather than a fixed feature. Ask about it in the same enquiry as curriculum and international school fees in Paris, and read our overview of secondary school fees so the support fee sits in context. The starting point for the wider picture is the Paris city guide.

How we chose these schools

This shortlist is drawn from established international schools in Paris that operate a full year group range and are large enough to sustain a named support function. We have not scored or ranked them on special educational needs, because there is no independent, verified SEN rating for the city and it would be wrong to imply one. Instead we point you to schools worth an early enquiry and tell you what to confirm. Most run a recognised curriculum such as the IB curriculum or the British curriculum, both of which offer approved exam access arrangements for eligible pupils. Every school named below links to its full profile, and you should verify current provision directly with each one.

Schools to investigate for learning support

Each school below has a full profile on this site. The notes describe what to confirm rather than a verified SEN grade, because provision and places change each year.

  • International School of Paris, a long established IB continuum school in central Paris. Ask the learning support lead about current specialist staffing and how individual plans are reviewed.
  • British School of Paris, a long standing British curriculum through school. Ask about the learning support team, entry assessment and any additional support fee.
  • American School of Paris, an established American curriculum school offering the IB. Ask which support tiers currently have places for your child's stage and profile.
  • Marymount International School Paris, an established Catholic international school. Ask how support is coordinated across the year groups and what documentation is required at application.
  • Ecole Active Bilingue Jeannine Manuel, a well known bilingual French English school. Ask directly about the learning support model and how additional needs are assessed on entry, bearing in mind the bilingual demands on pupils.
  • Eurecole International School, a smaller multilingual school. Ask which needs the school can currently support and what the enrolment process involves for a child with an existing plan.

Compare schools side by side

Our school comparison tool lets you put up to three Paris schools head to head on curriculum, fees and stage range, then note your questions for each learning support team. For a shortlist tailored to your child's profile, book a short call through contact. We take no school referral commissions.

Questions to ask each school

The same handful of questions will quickly separate a real offer from a vague one. Ask who leads learning support and how many specialist staff work under them, because a single overstretched coordinator is very different from a staffed department. Ask how individual education plans are written, shared with class teachers and reviewed through the year. Ask what needs the school can currently support and, honestly, what it cannot, so you are not relying on the child settling in before problems surface. Ask what documentation the school wants at application and whether it will assess your child before offering a place. Finally, ask what the support costs on top of tuition and to put that figure in writing. Schools that answer these clearly are usually the ones with provision worth having.

It also helps to visit during a normal school day rather than at an open evening, and to ask to meet the learning support lead in person. The way a school talks about its most complex pupils tells you more than any policy document, and a calm, specific answer is a strong signal of a settled and genuinely inclusive setting. Return to the Paris city guide to line these visits up alongside the rest of your shortlist.

Frequently asked questions

Do international schools in Paris have to accept children with SEN?

No. Private international schools in Paris set their own admissions criteria and can decline a place if they judge they cannot meet a child's needs. Sharing full, current reports early and asking the learning support lead directly is the most reliable way to find a genuine fit.

Does a bilingual school suit a child who needs learning support?

It depends on the profile. A bilingual French English programme adds a language load that can help some children and stretch others. Discuss your child's specific needs with the learning support lead and be honest about how they cope with a second language of instruction.

Is there an extra fee for learning support in Paris?

Often yes. Many schools charge a separate learning support or inclusion fee on top of tuition, and the amount depends on the level of support agreed. Ask each school to put the specific figure and what it covers in writing before you commit.

Can my child sit IB or British exams with support?

Yes. Both the IB and British exam boards offer approved access arrangements such as extra time or a reader when a child qualifies. Ask each school how it applies for and documents these arrangements.