école

école [ekɔl] nf → school;

aller à l'école → to go to school;

faire école → to collect a following;

les grandes écoles → prestige university-level colleges with competitive entrance examinations;

école maternelle → nursery school;

école primaire → primary (Brit) ou grade (US) school;

école secondaire → secondary (Brit) ou high (US) school;

école privée/publique/élementaire → private/state/elementary school;

école de dessin/danse/musique → art/dancing/music school;

école hôtelière → catering college;

école normale (d'instituteurs) (ENI) → primary school teachers' training college;

école normale supérieure (ENS) → grande école for training secondary school teachers;

école de secrétariat → secretarial college

école maternelle

Nursery school (kindergarten) (l'école maternelle) is publicly funded in France and, though not compulsory, is attended by most children between the ages of three and six. Statutory education begins with primary (grade) school (l'école primaire) and is attended by children between the ages of six and 10 or 11.