Essential French School Vocabulary Every Expat Parent Should Know

Having a child at school in France means discovering not only a new education system but also an entire world of cultural habits and specific words. At first, it can feel overwhelming: the teachers, the parents’ association, the school supplies… and all the little details of daily life at school. As a mother of three children and a long-time member of the parents’ association, I know how much easier it becomes once you understand the vocabulary. Let me walk you through the essentials you’ll hear every week between September and July.

Teachers, maîtresses, and “professeurs des écoles”

In everyday life, children almost always say maîtresse (female teacher) or maître (male teacher). The official title is professeur des écoles, but you will rarely hear it in the playground!

For English speakers, this can sound unusual because in English the word mistress has lost its old meaning (“female teacher”) and now carries very different connotations. In France, however, maîtresse is completely neutral and affectionate—it’s the most common word children use for their teacher.

Example from the schoolyard:
– Maman, la maîtresse a dit qu’on a une sortie demain !
– Mom, the teacher said we have a school trip tomorrow!

What Who is an ATSEM?

An ATSEM (Agent Territorial Spécialisé des Écoles Maternelles) is unique to French preschool (maternelle). Beyond its very administrative terminology, the role of ATSEMs is essential and very practical, as they are here to support both the teacher and the children: helping with coats and shoes, supervising during activities, comforting children who miss their parents, taking the children to the bathroom, etc.

This role often surprises expat parents, because in many other countries preschool teachers are assisted only by other teachers or classroom aides, without a specific official title. But in France, preschool starts very early - as soon as 3 years old. So an ATSEM is essential!

At the preschool gate, you might hear another parent say:
– Aujourd’hui, c’est l'anniversaire de l’ATSEM ! Louise lui a préparé un dessin.
– Today, it’s the ATSEM's birthday. Louise made her a drawing.

School supplies and the famous cartable

In France, the cartable (a sturdy rectangular school bag) is almost a symbol of childhood. Every September, you’ll see children proudly carrying a (not-always-so) brand-new one. But before they can fill it, families meet the famous liste de fournitures scolaires—the official school supply list.

This liste is often very specific and teacher-dependent: the exact size of notebooks, the grid type (petits carreaux), preferred brands for glue or pens, even how many folders and which colors. Because each teacher has their own system, don’t shop too early. It’s better to wait for the printed list your child’s teacher gives you at the end of the school year (or in early September if you are joining a new school).

One item that surprises many expat families: “deux boîtes de mouchoirs” (two boxes of tissues) requested per child, from preschool (petite section) up to CM2. The goal is practical—fewer autumn/winter runny noses without constant trips to the office—though yes, classroom bins fill up fast.

In some communes, parents are spared the shopping: the local authority provides kits de rentrée (pre-packed supply kits) with everything required. If you hear other parents mention “super, cette année, on a le kit de rentrée de la mairie !”, it means the town supplies the basics.

Conversation in late August:
– Tu as pris la liste de fournitures de ta maîtresse pour aller au magasin faire les courses de rentrée ?
– Have you taken your teacher's list to go shopping for back-to-school?

Break time and the cour de récréation

Children’s favorite moment is la récré (recess), which takes place in la cour (the playground). They play tag (chat or loup depending on the local culture - games that have many variations such as loup bougie, loup glacé, etc. ), jump rope (corde à sauter), soccer (foot) or trade cards. For anglophones, the notable difference is that recess can be longer and more frequent than elsewhere—often a morning and an afternoon break. It’s central to social life at school.

Typical phrase you might hear at 5pm after school:
– Maman, à la récré, Théo m'a embêté ! Il voulait pas que je joue au foot avec lui !
– Mom, during recess, Theo teased me! He didn't want me to play soccer with him!

Parents’ associations and school trips

As soon as your child is at school, you become a parent d’élèves (parent of pupils). Some of the parents d'élèves are parents délégués, which are parent representatives to discuss matters with the teachers, and to facilitate relations between parents, teachers, and school administrators, as they represent families in meetings with the headteacher or the mayor.

Alongside the parent representatives, there is also the association des parents d’élèves. This parents' association is not directly involved in education and in the school politics, unlike parent representatives. It is a much more social organization, as the parents of the association des parents d’élèves organize events, help raise money. They are often the ones offering crêpes for a nice goûter after school or on a Saturday, and the organizers of the famous end-of-the year kermesse. The association de parents d'élèves is also a great way to meet other parents as they often gather 10 or more parents (let me correct this: mothers) from the same school - and so, from the same living areas. Which is a nice way to integrate a community!

This can feel unfamiliar if you come from a system where parents are less involved. In France, these associations are visible and active.

Teacher’s note in the schoolbag:
– Sortie scolaire au musée des Beaux-Arts, financée par l'association des parents d'élèves. Merci de fournir un pique-nique.
– School trip to the Fine Arts Museum funded by the parents' association. Please provide a packed lunch.

The coopérative scolaire

At the start of the year, you may be invited to contribute to the coopérative scolaire, a common fund for projects, outings, or small purchases. This is again different from the fundings of the association de parents d'élèves. Let me clarify this for you, as it was very confusing for me at first too.

First and foremost, the coopérative scolaire is an association that helps improving financially everyday life at school. Because, as an association, it can have its own budget, which is not the case for a school, which depends on the mairie for all its expenses.

This means 2 things: you will be asked to contribute to the coopérative scolaire, either at the beginning of the year or during the year through fun activities (and it is never compulsory). And that the coopérative scolaire makes it possible to carry out non-compulsory educational projects like outings, trips, the purchase of new games, equipment, or books for the library, etc.

Unlike in systems where fees include all extras, French public schools often rely on this cooperative spirit. It’s not mandatory, but most families participate.

Understanding the different stages of school

The terms can be confusing because they are not very transparent and inherit from a long history of administration:

• Maternelle = preschool, ages 3–6. Which include 3 grades: "petite section", "moyenne section" and "grande section".

• Élémentaire = primary school, ages 6–11. Which include 5 grades: CP (cours préparatoire), CE1 (cours élémentaire 1), CE2 (cours élémentaire 2), CM1 (cours moyen 1), CM2 (cours moyen 2).

• Together = it is l’école primaire (in opposite to le collège - middle school)

The highlight: the kermesse

In late June, many schools organize a kermesse, a festive fair with games, raffles, and often a show by the children. Parents usually run the stalls and bake cakes. It’s joyful, busy, and very community-driven.

Typical announcement:
– Samedi, grande kermesse de l’école organisée par l'association de parents d'élèves, avec tombola et pêche à la ligne !
– Saturday, the school fair with a raffle and a fishing-for-prizes game!

Conclusion – Learn French school life vocabulary with confidence

Getting familiar with these words will not only help your child feel more at ease, but also allow you to integrate more smoothly into French school life. If you’d like to go further and practice this vocabulary in real-life contexts, feel free to contact me at contact@clemenceparis.fr or book a French lesson with me. Together, let's make your family’s school experience in France less stressful and much more enjoyable.