How many French schools in London
London has roughly 10 schools delivering the French national curriculum at primary or secondary level. Six of those are accredited by AEFE, the Agency for French Education Abroad, and feed directly into the French baccalaureat. The Lycee Francais Charles de Gaulle in South Kensington is the anchor, with around 4,200 students across three sites: the main campus on Cromwell Road, the Wix Primary in Clapham, and the Andre Malraux Primary in Ealing. The Lycee is the largest French school anywhere outside France.
Outside the Lycee orbit, the College Francais Bilingue de Londres in Kentish Town delivers French national curriculum from Maternelle through Annee 3 of College. A growing private cluster includes L'Ecole de Battersea, L'Ecole Marie d'Orliac in Fulham, L'Ecole du Parc des Princes in Brook Green and L'Ecole de Wix in Clapham. These independents serve families seeking smaller class sizes, central locations or the bilingual stream rather than the strict French national programme.
AEFE and the baccalaureat
AEFE accreditation matters for two reasons. First, it guarantees the school delivers the French national curriculum as set in Paris, follows the same academic calendar, and prepares students for the baccalaureat with the same examination centre infrastructure used in France. Second, AEFE-accredited schools receive partial French government subsidy, which makes their fees substantially lower than commercial competitors offering similar provision. AEFE-accredited families can also apply for needs-based bursaries through the Bourses Scolaires programme, administered by the French consulate.
The baccalaureat reform in 2019 to 2021 modernised the secondary pathway, replacing the strict L, ES and S filieres with a more flexible specialism model. Lycee Charles de Gaulle pupils continue to take a high-specialisation slate at Premiere and Terminale, including mathematics, physics, biology, history and geography, and modern languages. Our guide to the French baccalaureat walks through the structural changes in detail.
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Fees and the London tiers
French school fees in London split sharply between AEFE-accredited and private. AEFE-accredited primary fees at the Lycee Francais Charles de Gaulle and the CFBL run from GBP 6,500 to GBP 9,500 a year, materially lower than any commercial alternative in central London. AEFE secondary fees at the Lycee sit around GBP 11,000 to GBP 14,000 a year. Private French schools outside the AEFE network, including L'Ecole de Battersea, L'Ecole Marie d'Orliac and L'Ecole du Parc des Princes, charge commercial rates from GBP 14,000 to GBP 22,000 a year, comparable to mid-tier London independents.
Many French families combine an AEFE-accredited school with French-speaking childcare and Saturday cultural programmes through the French Institute or the Mairie network. For a wider London cost picture see our London school fees deep dive, and the complete list of London French schools.
Illustrative example schools
The schools below are illustrative, not a ranking. Each anchors a different role in the London French ecosystem.
Lycee Francais Charles de Gaulle in South Kensington is the gravitational centre of the cluster. Around 4,200 students Maternelle through Terminale, plus two satellite primaries at Wix in Clapham and Andre Malraux in Ealing. Almost every French family relocating to London considers the Lycee first.
College Francais Bilingue de Londres in Kentish Town delivers Maternelle through Annee 3 of College in a true bilingual model, with half the curriculum in French and half in English. North London catchment.
L'Ecole de Battersea in south London serves the family cluster around Clapham, Battersea and Wandsworth with private French primary education.
L'Ecole Marie d'Orliac in Fulham and L'Ecole du Parc des Princes in Brook Green serve the south-west London French community at primary level, with most secondary-age siblings transferring to the Lycee for College.
L'Ecole de Wix in Clapham is the Lycee satellite primary running both the French national stream and a parallel bilingual stream.
Where French families live
French families in London concentrate in three clear belts. South Kensington, Chelsea and Knightsbridge form the historic core around the Lycee Charles de Gaulle main campus, with Cromwell Road and Kensington High Street still anchoring the daily French school run. Battersea, Clapham, Wandsworth and Fulham have absorbed most of the south London family growth since 2005, with the Wix Primary and L'Ecole de Battersea serving the area. North London around Kentish Town, Tufnell Park, Camden and Hampstead supports the CFBL catchment, particularly families working in the City or finance. Ealing and Acton in west London anchor the Andre Malraux Primary and the smaller French-speaking community along the District line corridor.
Admissions calendar
The Lycee Charles de Gaulle runs its main intake round between January and April for September entry. Late applicants are placed on a waiting list and offered places only as withdrawals come through, typically May to August. AEFE priority is granted to families relocating from another AEFE school anywhere in the world, which is a meaningful factor in admissions for a large minority of the cohort. CFBL operates a similar timetable. Private French schools accept rolling applications throughout the year.
Frequently asked questions
How many French curriculum schools are there in London?
London has roughly 10 schools delivering the French national curriculum, of which six are AEFE accredited and feed directly into the French baccalaureat. The Lycee Francais Charles de Gaulle in South Kensington is the dominant operator, with around 4,200 students across three sites and the largest French school overseas anywhere in the world.
What is AEFE and why does it matter?
AEFE is the Agency for French Education Abroad, the French government body that accredits and partially funds French schools outside France. AEFE accreditation guarantees the school delivers the French national curriculum, follows the same calendar, and prepares students for the baccalaureat. AEFE-accredited tuition is substantially subsidised, hence lower fees than commercial competitors.
How much do French curriculum schools cost in London?
AEFE-accredited primary fees at the Lycee Francais Charles de Gaulle and the CFBL run from GBP 6,500 to GBP 9,500 a year. Lycee secondary fees sit around GBP 11,000 to GBP 14,000. Private French schools outside the AEFE network, including L'Ecole de Battersea and L'Ecole Marie d'Orliac, charge commercial rates from GBP 14,000 to GBP 22,000 a year.
Can my child join a London French school without French?
Yes, but only up to the end of Year 2 or Maternelle GS. From Year 3 onwards, full functional French is required for entry. The Lycee Francais Charles de Gaulle and the CFBL run small support programmes for late-arriving children with partial French, but space is highly competitive. Most English-speaking families opt for the bilingual stream at Wix or Marie d'Orliac instead.
What is the bilingual section in London French schools?
Several London French schools run a parallel English-French bilingual stream within the same campus, where half the curriculum is taught in English and half in French. L'Ecole de Wix, L'Ecole de Battersea and the Charles de Gaulle Wix Primary in Clapham all operate this model, designed for French-English bilingual families and ambitious English-speaking families.
