31 décembre 2020
First school year: 2026–27
Estimated final school year ends: 2038
Usual starting year · This estimate assumes your child moves up one grade each year. An early or delayed start, repeating or skipping a grade will change the dates.
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France primary school entry calculator
When will your child start CP in France? Use their birthday to plan primary school, collège and a possible three-year lycée course.
When can my child start school?
Your child normally needs to turn 6 on or before 31 décembre.
Official sources →Page, results and downloads: English
Estimated school pathway
This estimate assumes your child moves up one grade each year. An early or delayed start, repeating or skipping a grade will change the dates. Check starting arrangements and graduation requirements with your child’s school.
Primary classes are CP, CE1, CE2, CM1 and CM2, followed by four collège years. The table then illustrates seconde, première and terminale; other routes, including CAP, have different structures.
| School year | Year / class | Education stage | Age reached in starting calendar year |
|---|
How school entry works
CP begins in the calendar year the child turns six. A December-born child can therefore start lessons before their sixth birthday.
Primary classes are CP, CE1, CE2, CM1 and CM2, followed by four collège years. The table then illustrates seconde, première and terminale; other routes, including CAP, have different structures.
Before you enrol
Contact the mairie about the school catchment and the school to complete registration. Actual calendars, individual support and transfer from another education system need local review.
What this estimate does not decide
This starts at CP, not at the beginning of compulsory education. Preschool, early entry and individual pathways are not calculated. Overseas jurisdictions may need specific verification.
Worked examples
1 janvier 2021
First school year: 2027–28
Estimated final school year ends: 2039
Usual starting year · This estimate assumes your child moves up one grade each year. An early or delayed start, repeating or skipping a grade will change the dates.
Questions parents ask
Must a child already be six on the first school day?
No. The sixth birthday can fall later in the same calendar year.
Is preschool included?
No. The table begins at CP; it does not imply that compulsory education starts only at six.
Is the baccalauréat guaranteed in that year?
No. It models progression without repetition; track choices and exam success still matter.
Does each commune have a different CP entry age?
The rule shown is national; catchments and registration arrangements are local.
Official sources
Sources checked: 2026-10-21 · 2026-10-21.2