1. The National French educational system Compulsory education: 6 – 16 years 12 million pupils12 million pupils –6.5 million at primary school (up to 11 y) –5.5 million in secondary education (from 11 to 18 y) 2 million students2 million students 1 million people employed1 million people employed

2. STRUCTURE OF THE FRENCH NATIONAL EDUCATION SYSTEM 2011-2012  Primary education (5 years, 6 - 11 years) Secondary education : - Lower secondary education (4 years, 11 - 15 years) Certificate awarded: Brevet des Collèges, or CFG - Upper secondary education (3 years, 15 - 18 years) National diploma awarded: general, technological or vocational school diploma (BAC) National Vocational training diploma (CAP), prepared in two years in order to join the job market immediately or to continue one more year to get the vocational Baccalauréat. Higher Education (A system based on the european model) 3 degrees : Bachelor (Licence) :3 years – 180 ECTS Master : 2 years – 120 ECTS Doctorate : 3 years National short cycle higher education Diploma (BTS)– Vocational training certificate, at the end of secondary school

3. After Baccalaureat 8 2 3 4 5 6 7 1 BACCALAUREATE – A Level Doctorat Master L1 Santé méd. Phar Dent Licence BTSDUT Grandes Écoles Engineering Littérature Management CPGEPI Archi Art Health Social Other schools Professional licence

4. VAE acronym that stands for “accreditation of prior experiential learning » This system exists since 2002 in FranceThis system exists since 2002 in France It enables a candidate to validate any professionnal qualification (17000) based on professionnal experience It enables a candidate to validate any professionnal qualification (17000) based on professionnal experience The candidate has to testify at least 3 years of full time employment during the 10 last years by payslips or attestation from the employer The candidate has to testify at least 3 years of full time employment during the 10 last years by payslips or attestation from the employer The counsellor estimates if he has gained enough abilities and decides which certification is most suitable to the candidateThe counsellor estimates if he has gained enough abilities and decides which certification is most suitable to the candidate Then he has to write a report to describe different work situations in which he will demonstrate that he has each skills required for the diplomaThen he has to write a report to describe different work situations in which he will demonstrate that he has each skills required for the diploma He has to present it in front of a jury who will decide to give a total, a partial or a non validationHe has to present it in front of a jury who will decide to give a total, a partial or a non validation In case of a partial validation the candidate has 5 years to do further training or get additional professional experience and to submit another file for the missing competenciesIn case of a partial validation the candidate has 5 years to do further training or get additional professional experience and to submit another file for the missing competencies

5. The national Guidance service Depends on the ministry of educationDepends on the ministry of education 550 guidance centers550 guidance centers 4000 guidance counsellors and directors4000 guidance counsellors and directors I. Guidance outside school : The Guidance Centers (CIO) The staff : D irector, guidance counsellor (from 2 to 15), counsellor for insertion (MGI) and VAE, administrative staffThe staff : D irector, guidance counsellor (from 2 to 15), counsellor for insertion (MGI) and VAE, administrative staff The role :The role : - Meeting and counselling every publics pupils, parents, students, adults, unemployed - Meeting and counselling every publics pupils, parents, students, adults, unemployed - Information on courses, with ONISEP (information provider on studies - Information on courses, with ONISEP (information provider on studies and professions) and professions) - Observatory role of the school area -with differents partners - Observatory role of the school area -with differents partners (parents, employment agency, social workers, youth employment network) (parents, employment agency, social workers, youth employment network) II. Guidance inside school, with the guidance counsellor psychologist (COP) who works essentially with pupils in lower and upper secondary schools and higher education in the process of professional integration who works essentially with pupils in lower and upper secondary schools and higher education in the process of professional integration who is in charge (with the main teachers) of conducting personalised guidance interviews who is in charge (with the main teachers) of conducting personalised guidance interviews

6. The guidance counsellor-psychologist Recruitment based on bachelor of psychology + 2 years trainingRecruitment based on bachelor of psychology + 2 years training Civil servant and contract employeesCivil servant and contract employees Sharing his working time between guidance center and secondary schools and universitiesSharing his working time between guidance center and secondary schools and universities Collective sessions, individual interviews, technical advisors with the headmaster and teaching staffsCollective sessions, individual interviews, technical advisors with the headmaster and teaching staffs Tools : questionnaires based on personal interests and motivation, intelligence measurment tests (WISC)Tools : questionnaires based on personal interests and motivation, intelligence measurment tests (WISC) Specialization: disabled pupils and adults, Validation ofSpecialization: disabled pupils and adults, Validation of Workexperience, european mobility,… Workexperience, european mobility,…

7. M.G.I (General Insertion Mission) French National educational initiative (*1989) cofinanced by the European Social Fund (ESF) Public rates of drop out pupils estimated between 15 -20% (depending on definition) and mostly out of upper secondary vocational school Status : Public agents and contracted employees Fonction: School teachers for coordination and engeneering of school programs (orientation + qualification) Publics: disaffected and drop out pupils above 16 years Objective : to rescolarize, to get them into apprenticeship or on the job Partners : inside and outside the national educational netwoork