Open Sky International is a private international bilingual English-French school located 5 minutes from Paris, in Boulogne-Billancourt.
In our primary school, the curriculum is ambitious and carefully sequenced to develop each child’s knowledge and subject skills. Our primary curriculum has been carefully designed and structured to provide scope and sequence and support pupils in their learning. It incorporates the strongest aspects of different international curricula and is unique to Open Sky International. In addition, all aspects are systematically reviewed to ensure that it continues to meet our vision and objectives.
A bilingual French and English timetable is followed by all pupils. English, science and mathematics are taught in English, French, history and geography are delivered in French.
The curriculum for all primary pupils is enriched by lessons in sport, drama, art, chess and capoeira.
Our vision is to provide a bilingual education of excellence and all primary students follow a structured bilingual timetable, using and learning French and English in lessons and school activities.
Thanks to this curriculum, our students are able to join any type of school worldwide after their time at Open Sky International.
French is taken by all classes on two days a week and every alternative Wednesday morning. Students with a very high or native level study French as a first language on our own inhouse course and also follow lessons in history and geography in the language. If a student arrives at the school with little or no French, during timetabled lessons he or she follows an intensive French as an Additional Language (FAL) and this course aims to build language skills and confidence as quickly as possible. The integration of the student into mainstream French classes depends on the progress made. Subjects such as capoeira, sport and drama are also taught in French for all students and help develop language and fluency.
All children follow our English literacy course and mathematics and science are also taught in the language. Lessons taught in English take place on two days a week and alternative Wednesday mornings. Learners who are fluent follow the native-level English literacy course, and English as an Additional Language (EAL) is offered to students who are still developing their fluency.
In the primary school, the timetable is divided into days when subjects are taught in French and days when subjects are taught in English, and this is to help pupils gain fluency and confidence in both languages.
All parents receive a timetable at the beginning of the academic year that shows which days pupils study which subjects.
We aim to develop a deep love of French language and values in all of our pupils. Learning materials and the curriculum have been designed and written for the school’s own specific needs and help children reach a high level of language and structure in French at an early age. Our approach is that mastery of French, whether as a mother tongue or as a second language, requires an orderly and analytical style of learning. As a result, the curriculum is divided into different areas : grammar, conjugation, spelling, vocabulary and written expression.
The school’s methodology allows pupils to acquire a deep knowledge of the language to allow them to express their opinions, feelings and thoughts. They learn to do this using a rich vocabulary. Stimulating texts are used to motivate learners and opens their minds to the potential of the French language. The programme is designed to help them use French in other fields.
Children learn about many different topics in history and geography lessons, and they are taught in French. The school’s curriculum for the two subjects has also been devised for the school’s own needs. In geography, learners develop their knowledge and understanding of France, its mountain ranges, plains and rivers and global geographical topics. In history, children learn a range of historical concepts and facts and an understanding of chronology. They revisit topics, and generally study along a time line; during lessons, they learn how to discuss important events in a range of cultures and how to link them to other historical contexts. Throughout the school, the study of the history of France is a key focus but pupils also learn about other important civilisations around the world.
As an international school, we know that fluency in spoken and written English is an essential requirement in the world today, and our literacy curriculum is carefully structured to ensure that children develop a strong base in all language skill areas of listening, speaking, reading, writing, grammar and spelling.
Our primary classes use core curriculum resources that meet the academic standards of the UK National Curriculum for English-speaking learners. Literacy lessons also focus on :
Open Sky International has chosen a mathematics curriculum that has been developed in Singapore for all of its primary classes. This is because the mathematics teaching and methodology used by Singapore have produced a world-class level of achievement and its students have achieved the highest place internationally in the previous three Trends in International Mathematics and Science Studies (TIMSS).
This challenging and stimulating curriculum is taught in English and is based on is a highly effective teaching approach originally developed by Singapore’s Ministry of Education. The approach is built on maths mastery, and stresses the importance of mental mathematics. It uses a variety of approaches to help learners gain a richer understanding of concepts and greater confidence in problem-solving and mathematical reasoning.
Science is a very popular subject for our pupils at OSI, and lessons focus on a broad range of science topics to engage children and create a passion for science as a discipline. All primary classes follow a general science curriculum designed to meet the needs of international learners. The course takes an investigative, skills-based approach to learning and teachers develop scientific skills at an age-appropriate level as pupils move through primary classes. They promote curiosity and challenge misconceptions. Pupils also have the opportunity to carry out simple practical investigations to help them develop their scientific or 'working scientifically' skills, and learn key skills such as being observant and analytical. The science curriculum is taught in English.
The curriculum for all children is enriched and broadened by lessons in art, chess, music, drama and capoeira and sports. These curriculum activities help children to develop their self-confidence, self-reliance, values, social and emotional skills, creativity and curiosity.
Art is taught across the primary in English and children study topics based on either artists or themes, and work across a selection of mediums within each unit. The first session in a topic is typically about the artist and looking at their famous works. The pupils are then encouraged to give their opinion about the art and explain their thoughts. In a separate sketch book, which the pupils will use as they progress through the years, the pupils produce their pieces of work. A selection of this work is on display around the school.
We place a high importance on learning chess. The aim of this course is to develop concentration, strategy, anticipation and creativity. Children develop their capacity for logic and playing chess can improve cognitive skills such as memory, planning and problem-solving. Chess lessons take place in French.
As a result of the partnership between Open Sky International and the Stade Français Omnisports (www.stadefrancais.com), primary classes practise various team and individual sports over the course of the year.
The aim of this partnership is to introduce children to different sports activities, develop an early interest in sport and introduce them to the ethos behind sport, which is based on the principles of sharing, solidarity and respect.
Our drama curriculum aims to develop a range of areas, including:
We have introduced capoeira into our school day to provide an activity that mixes rhythm and flexibility, and helps children to increase their coordination and concentration. Capoeira allows the development of bodily control and creativity, but also teaches children how to respect rules and their partners during group training. Capoeira helps children to channel their energy and will to promote learning.
Our primary class teachers aim to develop essential learning skills during lessons to help children to develop confidence, independence and a range of age-appropriate study and higher level thinking skills.
We want our children to become lifelong learners and develop good learning habits which will help them as they progress up the school, and we encourage and develop oral and written expression by drawing on children's creativity.
Teachers help children to learn how to organise themselves and their work and their learning spaces, and also to understand that presenting their work well is a priority. Children learn how to present their work correctly and to write legibly and neatly. We value autonomy, and children are encouraged to learn to do things on their own. They gradually become independent, and can eventually work alone or in a team without frequent support from their teachers. Our primary students are used to thinking, trying, succeeding, failing, trying again and experimenting in their work.
Our ethos for our primary classes can be summarised as:
We also believe that homework plays an important role in reinforcing children’s learning and understanding of their class work. Homework is set regularly by all teachers and children are expected to hand in homework on time and complete it to the best of their ability.
Trips and activities develop children’s confidence and social skills and help them to understand the topics that they learn about in their lessons. The location of the school and the excellent local transport links that are available to us mean that our students benefit from a wide and stimulating range of opportunities within Paris and the Île-de-France area.
We organise age-appropriate events within the primary school including Carneval, Maths Day and Book Day, and we encourage children to participate in external competitions such as story writing and poetry composition. Regular library trips to the American Library in Paris also take place.
Both residential and day trips take place frequently. Recent residential trips for the older primary children include a trip to the mountains in Jura and the Euro Space Centre in Belgium. Day trips that classes have enjoyed include a visit to a farm in the Paris region, a trip to La Défense and outings to Paris museums.
Open Sky International’s secondary school opened its doors in September 2017, and all classes to pre-university level will be open from September 2025. We welcome prospective applications from all students and registrations remain open throughout the year subject to a place being available in the required class.
We understand that it can be challenging for a student to change schools and potentially education systems during the secondary years, and so we consider all relevant information carefully with families when we place a student in his or her new class.
If a student has already been identified as having any specific learning needs in a previous school, we would appreciate parents providing details of this to the school as soon as possible, along with a copy of any formal reports or assessments that have been carried out to assess the student’s needs.
Although we aim consistently for educational excellence, we do not put language barriers in the way of prospective students who would like to join our secondary school. Instead we try to admit students who have a wide range of backgrounds and abilities and we accept children who speak English, French or neither. When students arrive, their language level is assessed, and as a result they will be either:
Parents will receive a copy of the school calendar at the start of each academic year. Holidays match those of the Paris public school system.
Children are expected to arrive between 8:20 am and 8:40 am. The school is open Mondays, Tuesdays, Thursdays and Fridays from 8:30 am to 4:30 pm, and on Wednesdays from 8:30 am to 11:30 am. Children can also come on Wednesday afternoons as an option for parents who wish. There is a daycare facility also available from 4:30 pm to 6:30 pm.
Children are proposed two options:
Canteen / cafeteria: a catering partner prepares and delivers food every morning. Two menus are proposed every day (with the exception of Wednesday).
Lunch box: children bring their own lunch box.
Children visit the park every lunchtime. The Parc des Glacières is a three-minute walk from Open Sky International, and children are accompanied by the teaching team for their safety.
Wearing school uniform is compulsory at Open Sky International and we encourage all students to take pride in their appearance at school and in their uniform. Open Sky International works with Morgane Diffusion, located at 2 rue Liot in Boulogne-Billancourt, five minutes’ walk from the school.
We offer six classes in our primary school, and many of our children continue into primary from our nursery classes. Classes are called by their French system and English system names, and at Open Sky International, the GS or Year 1 class is in our primary school, and not the maternelle or Early Years.
Our classes are shown below, along with an approximate student age for this class level. This is a guide only. The class that a child eventually enters will depend however on previous learning, level of language and maturity, and will be agreed with parents during the admissions process.
| Typical age | French system | British system | American system |
|---|---|---|---|
| 5-6 | GS | Year 1 | Kindergarten |
| 6-7 | CP | Year 2 | 1st Grade |
| 7-8 | CE1 | Year 3 | 2nd Grade |
| 8-9 | CE2 | Year 4 | 3rd Grade |
| 9-10 | CM1 | Year 5 | 4th Grade |
| 10-11 | CM2 | Year 6 | 5th Grade |
We welcome prospective applications from all families with primary-aged children and registrations remain open throughout the year subject to a place being available in the required class.
If a student has already been identified as having any specific learning needs in a previous school, we would appreciate parents providing details of this to the school as soon as possible, along with a copy of any formal reports or assessments that have been carried out to assess the student’s needs.
Although we aim consistently for educational excellence,we do not put language barriers in the way ofprospective students who would like to join secondary school.Instead we try to admit students who have a wide range of backgrounds and abilities and we accept children who speak English, French or neither.When students arrive, their language level is assessed, and as a result they will be either:
Directly integrated into the class corresponding to their levelwithout a catch-up programme in French or English.
Directly integrated into the class corresponding to their level with a catch-up programmeas required, for example, in French if their level of French requires it.
Supported during a transitional period of a few months, or if necessary an academic year, to allow the pupil toacquire the necessary language base.This will be the case, for example, for a pupil wishing to join the school with no or very little English and/or French. After this transitional period, pupils will enter the class corresponding to their level..
An introduction to our upper secondary
The two classes of Troisième and Seconde (Year 10 and Year 11 in the British system) are a challenging and very important stage in every student’s education. To support our classes and help them to make the progress that they need, we ensure close communication with our parents. We offer a common curriculum, and students study all subjects offered. This curriculum has been strategically designed to cover a broad range of academic disciplines including all three of the sciences studied traditionally at this level. Students follow a formal weekly timetable which is structured to provide all classes with an agreed number of lessons in French and English.
Each student will study the following subjects:
External qualifications offered at this level
OSI is an accredited examination centre with Pearson Edexcel and the end of the second year of the cycle, students sit a range of internationally recognised examinations known as:
offered by this UK government approved examining body. Pearson’s qualifications have been selected by OSI as they are offered in 80 countries worldwide and are recognised and accepted by universities and employers all over the world. The organisation is also fully regulated to ensure that their external examinations meet the international highest standards.
Our sixth form curriculum
At OSI, the two final academic years of school are known as the classes of Première and Terminale (Years 12 and 13), and they are also called the sixth form. The typical structure is for students to study three to four subjects across the two years and students will be asked to given a range of potential choices when selecting their subjects for these two classes, with French as a compulsory subject. Exceptionally a student who is very gifted academically may take five subjects, but this is not necessary or even recommended for the majority of students as the workload for five A levels would be very significant.
During their studies, students study the theory of a subject combined with some investigative work. The curriculum for each subject is designed to give learners the opportunity to develop intellectually and deepen their knowledge as they explore a subject in great depth.
External qualifications
In their final two years at Open Sky International students study for the British qualifications of A level (Advanced level) and International A level (International Advanced level), depending on the subjects they have chosen. This is currently the most popular qualification for students at this level globally and OSI has selected it as the British system is widely recognised as the gold standard for education by universities, employers and educators around the world. University admissions officers also consistently rate A levels highest for developing in-depth subject knowledge and expertise. A levels and International A levels are the most popular qualifications in the world, recognised globally and offered by 34% of international schools with a 16 to 18 provision, compared to just 26% who offer an IB pathway.
Our school offers a bilingual programme with equal amounts of teaching in English and French, enabling students to master both languages at a high level from Year 1 onwards. After two years at Open Sky International, children will be able to write and read both languages at a native level. On arrival, additional language support can be put in place to help them make rapid progress and feel comfortable in both languages: FAL (French as Additional Language) and EAL (English as Additional Language). For students enrolled at the school, we also offer optional intensive courses in the following nationalities/languages: Hindi, Mandarin, Japanese, Arabic and Russian, provided the language will be used at home. Spanish is taught as a foreign language from Year 9.
Open Sky International has created its own academic curriculum with the objective of creating academic excellence. It is based on the strongest elements from a range of international programmes and teaching methodology, namely the British, Australian, Singaporean and French. Our curriculum enables our students to achieve a very high academic level, and they are generally two to three years ahead of the national expectations for their age. It is also designed to be flexible and offer a balanced teaching of languages, science and other subjects.
We offer an international education that guarantees a high-quality education and opens the doors to the world's top universities. This enables our students to obtain qualifications recognised by leading universities and companies throughout the world.
Our students leave with world-class qualifications that are recognised by leading universities and companies globally. These include GCSE, IGCSE, A Levels and International A levels.
We are one of the few international schools in the Paris region that accepts children of nursery age and also has the teachers, curriculum and facilities to educate a student at every level until the age of 18. Our students can follow an educational pathway from the first year of nursery (Très Petite Section) to the end of the secondary phase (the class of Terminale or Year 13), becoming bilingual after two years at our school.
We are able to offer a range of internationally recognised external qualifications in the upper secondary and sixth form as we are of the few schools in France that has been accredited as an examination centre with Pearson Edexcel.
Pearson Edexcel is a British organisation that offers students in international and UK schools a range of world-class qualifications called GCSE, IGCSE, A level and International A level. For students who are applying for admissions into these classes, a full explanation will be provided during the admissions process. If a student is fully fluent in French in Year 10, he or she can also potentially sit the French national qualification of the Brevet if agreed with the school in advance.
We believe that high-quality education and learning also take place outside of the classroom. Children and students of all levels are offered a wide range of opportunities to visit local landmarks, attend stimulating cultural events in the Paris region and participate in residential trips. These extra-curricular activities deepen students’ understanding of their curriculum work, foster independence and build self-confidence. For older students, a wide range of careers-based and higher education events is organised.
Admissions takes place in several stages. There is an initial contact, followed by a visit to the school. We then assess the child or student's academic and language skills to assess to what extent he or she could integrate into our curriculum. At Open Sky International, our students' excellent results are not based on a very strict selection process as we are an open school without selection and know that every student can succeed; our mission is to help them learn and achieve academically. We also believe that there is no incompatibility between high academic standards and the personal development of pupils. That's why our entire team works with each child to help them feel fulfilled at school. To find out more, contact us via the admissions page.
To find out more, click on the admission link :
For more information, please contact our school
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