Lisbon’s new French school in 10 questions

Update 07/28/2019: The opening is postponed to a later date, for more information please contact Anne Gasser.

Many of you regularly ask questions about expatriating as a family. In particular, you’re wondering about schooling for your young darlings. A few months ago, I wrote an article on the subject of schooling in Portugal and the different schooling options available for your children. At a time when the French school in Lisbon is having to turn down a large number of applicants, Villa Feria is delighted to announce that a new French school will soon be opening! In this article, find out more about this new French school in Lisbon.

A facebook live will also be scheduled soon on the facebook page “Vivre au Portugal”. During this facebook live, Villa Fria manager Greg Henriques will interview the school’s founders to answer all your questions.

1. Who are the founders of the school?

Anne and Raoul are a French couple who have just moved to Aroeira near Lisbon.

Anne has 27 years’ experience as a teacher, including 21 years in AEFE schools (Agence pour l’Enseignement Français à l’Etranger). She has completed 3 assignments as an expatriate teacher and educational consultant, notably in Germany, Serbia and Algeria.

As for Raoul, he has 15 years’ experience in international business. He speaks 4 languages fluently and has a good grasp of business management.

They decided to move to Portugal after seeing a report on M6. They started looking for a house and found a property in Aroeira via Greg and Virginie Henriques de Villaferia. And so began their new life in Portugal.

Anne & Raoul with their family.

2.how didthey come up with the idea of creating this school?

During her missions abroad, Anne noticed a real enthusiasm for French education, and was asked several times: “Why don’t you open a French school? She never dared, but always kept the idea in the back of her mind.

When she arrived in Aroeira, Portugal, the desire to make this project a reality was reawakened, particularly when she saw the real need in the Lisbon area.

Indeed, the Lycée Charles Lepierre in Lisbon is currently “overcrowded”. It has been turning away many students for several years, due to ever-increasing demand. Another 500 students were turned away this year. So there was a real need to increase access to the French education system in the Lisbon area.

The EPFLS school.

3. Where is the school located?

The school is called “Ecole Privée Française de Lisbonne Seixal”. It is located in Seixal(Arrentela to be exact) on Lisbon’s south bank. The Lisbon-Seixal ferry is 2 minutes from the school.

They chose this location, on the other side of Lisbon’s April 25th bridge, for two reasons:

• many French-speaking families live there,
• to avoid crossing the bridge. Indeed, crossing the April 25th bridge in the direction “Almada – Lisbon” in the morning and “Lisbon – Almada” in the evening can be a real headache. Many French-speaking families living in “Margem Sul” have to cross this famous bridge to take their children to the French school in Lisbon. This new school, located in Margem Sul, will help to alleviate this problem for some families.

Location of the school, on Lisbon’s south bank.

4. What courses are offered at this school?

The school will comprise a kindergarten and a primary school. It will welcome children from 2 ½ years old (provided the child is potty-trained) to 11 years old.

There will be a total of 8 classes: 4 nursery and 4 primary. The maximum number of pupils per class will be 18, with small classes enabling each pupil to receive the best possible support.

Anne and Raoul intend to open the collège in September 2020, either with just one ^6th grade class, or with all 4 classes (depending on demand).

5. What is the number of staff at the school?

15 people will work full-time at the school:

• 1 pedagogical director: Anne,
• 1 administrative and financial director: Raoul,
• 8 teachers,
• 3 nursery assistants,
• 1 secretary,
• 2 service staff: a cleaner and a cook.

French, maths and world discovery(history, geography, science) are taught by French teachers.

For language teaching, the teachers are native speakers of the language being taught(the English teacher is English-speaking, the Portuguese teacher is Portuguese-speaking, etc.).

For sports, arts and extracurricular activities, the teachers are Portuguese.

A kindergarten classroom.

6. What language(s) are taught?

This is a French school, so most courses are taught in French. However, as language learning is essential, other foreign languages are also taught, including Portuguese of course, the language of the host country.

7. What are the school’s opening hours, school vacations and start date?

School opening hours are as follows:

Vacations will be based on the French rhythm, but the school will be open during the vacations for courses (theater, or sports, or languages).

The start of the 2019/2020 school year will take place on Tuesday, September 3, 2019.

8. What are the school’s facilities?

The school will include

• 11 classrooms,
• an early-learning room,
• a multi-sport stadium(basketball, soccer and handball),
• a library/documentation center,
• a canteen with “home-cooked” meals, prepared daily by a cook and using organic produce,
• a school bus service will be set up.

Multi-sport stadium.

9. What are the fees for EFPLS (French school of Lisbon Seixal)?

The school’s fees are as follows:

10. How to enroll your child at EFPLS (Lisbon Seixal French School)?

If you wish to enroll your child, simply download the documents directly from the school’s website www.epfls.com and send them by e-mail to: epfldeseixal@gmail.com.

Please note that a visit to the school will be possible on Friday afternoons in June.(To make an appointment, simply send an e-mail to epfldeseixal@gmail.com). If you’re not on site, a virtual tour is already available on the school’s facebook page and here.

In a few words…

It’s never easy to make the decision to live in another country. It takes a lot of planning and change, especially when you have children. You have to find a house, a job, make new friends and find a school for your children.

The opening of this new French school in Lisbon will probably relieve some French-speaking families who wish to enroll their children in a school following the French national education curriculum.

If you still have questions, don’t miss the facebook live that’s coming soon on the “Vivre au Portugal” facebook page. Anne & Raoul will answer all your questions.

Are you ready? Are you ready for a family expatriation?

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