Differences between schools in Ireland and schools in France

While teaching in a seconday school in Ireland, I've noticed some huge differences between France and Ireland's educational systems. First of all you must know that schools in Ireland are mainly denominational – meaning that most schools are associated with a religion or a Christian denomination (Ireland being a very religious country). This implies that there are a lot of all girls or all boys schools in Ireland and students have to wear uniforms! I worked in an all girls Catholic secondary school* and here the biggest differences I've noticed...

The educational system

• First of all, a day in school for an Irish teenager is less long than one of a French teenager. Although us French would start school around 8.30am, they start around 9am and while we would finish at 5 or 6pm sometimes, they finish at 4pm at the latest. But then on the other hand, we have more and longer break times (2 of at least 15mins when they have just one of 10mins) and a much longer lunch time!

• Each class only last 40mns and there's what we call "doubles" sometimes and it lasts 1.20hrs. Are you jealous collégiens and lycéens you who have sometimes classes of 2 or 3 hours long?

• Subjects... They're so different! Of course like us, they have mathematics, sciences (biology, chemistry, physics), PE (EPS), history, geography, English (as we would have French), music and arts. But there's more to these basic subjects... They have Irish as a first language which most of them learn from primary school, they have a second language which is either French or German (the two most popular ones) or it can also be Spanish or Italian in some schools. And then they have home economics or woodwork. And as I was in all girls school, there was only home economic although my friend was in all boys school and there was only woodwork! In fairness I've never really known what both subjects consist of but I know that in home ecs you cook and I guess you learn to be handy in woodwork...

• From 3rd Year (the equivalent of French 3ème), each of those subjects are divided into different levels: Foundation level – Ordinary level – Higher level so the students are also divided according to their levels which I find really good and that's one thing we should take from the Irish educational system I reckon. In secondary school there are 6 years, it starts from 1st Year (la 6è) to 6th Year (la terminale) and there's an optional year right in the middle... This year is called the Transition Year or "TY". After their Junior Certificate (le brevet) in 3rd Year, students can choose to do this year or directly go into 5th Year (la première). In TY, there's no homework, no exams and the year is all about educational projects, school trips and learning new subjects / things. In one hand I'd say it's very beneficial for the kids and they usually love it because they get to do a lot of fun things but I feel like it also tends to make them ease up too much and then it's really hard for them to go back on study track in 5th Year...

• Exams... There are two exams in the secondary school cycle: the Junior Certificate (le brevet) in 3rd Year (la 3è) and the Leaving Certificate (baccalauréat) in 6 Year. If I remember well in 3rd Year they have to sit not less than 13 exams (for 13 subjects) while we only have 4 in France for le brevet... And in 6th Year it goes down to 6 or 7 exams. Because in 5th Year they have to choose 6 or 7 subjects to study – the ones that'll be best for them to enter the college course of their choice. Unlike France with our moyennes, in Ireland it's a points system it means they have to get a certain amount of points to enter the college course they want. The points are usually really high and hard to get which explains the high anxiety of students during exam periods.

Lunchtime and breaktimes

Like classes, lunchtime only lasts 40mns and students don't actually sit down and have their food (well some of them do of course but not all of them like we would)... They go around the school with their lunch in hand. And speaking of food let me tell you it's really different than the meals we are served in France. I mean we're very well-treated in France with our choices of starters, mains and desserts! In Ireland, they don't have a full meal like that, they can choose between sandwiches, pizzas or salads. So yeah who's lucky here...

Still in the food-theme, here's a big difference with France... In Ireland, vending-machines are actually allowed in schools. So at anytime of the day, you can see a student nibbling a chocolate bar or crisps (their favourite). In France, vending-machings have been banned from schools for years now and anyway it's not in our culture to snack between meals.

Students

Well... Teenagers are all the same all around the world aren't they? Although I've noticed some differences... On the overall, the students of my school had a good behaviour and were willing to learn but they could be very bold sometimes and would ask very nosy questions to teachers (just try to imagine my face when a young student asked me if I had a boyfriend and if not, they could introduce me to their brother). French students would definitely be too shy (or just respectful...) to ask personal questions I assume.

Now, it's quite contradictory but despite their sometimes bold attitude, they can be very mannerly (much more than some French kids...) and above all, very grateful. At the end of every class, students thank their teacher before leaving the classroom to head to their following class. And at the end of the year, most teachers receive cards, chocolats or little presents from some students and it's lovely. I mean, who does that in France!?

In conclusion, I don't think one educational system is better than the other. I just believe there's positive and negative points on both sides and if we could get a mix of them both, that'd be just perfect! Although I wouldn't have traded our lunch breaks for the Irish ones...!

* A secondary school gathers le collège and le lycée – in Ireland they're not separated like in France.