Open Sky International is a private international bilingual English-French school located 5 minutes from Paris, in Boulogne-Billancourt.
We consider that what children do in these classes should be very different from our curriculum at primary level. This is because early childhood or preschool is one of the most important and decisive stages of human life, as it marks the future evolution of personality. For the youngest children, our curriculum is carefully planned to promote development of the child over time and at the child’s own pace, using a wide range of stimulating activities and play. These three classes are the beginning of a life-long journey of learning and help form children’s future attitudes towards their lives.
Teaching and learning in these classes are not formal as young pupils learn in all kinds of situations, at school, with their friends and at home with their parents. In fact, they learn all the time, frequently through purposeful and imaginative play. Songs, rhymes and games in different languages are used daily to help develop cognitive understanding and language, engage children and provide opportunities for the development of motor skills.
For information on our Year 1 (GS) class, please see our primary school page
At Open Sky International, the preschool day is based on a mix of traditional teaching methods and independent activities that help children learn important skills through collaboration, communication and self-reliance. The pre-school curriculum teaches children skills and understanding in language and literacy. We focus on developing children’s receptive skills of listening, reading and observing, and increasingly their productive skills of speaking and writing.
Teaching in our preschool is half in French and half in English, whereas most other bilingual schools tend to favour the use of one language more than the other. As a result, our children leave their Open Sky International pre-school class speaking both languages and have a good written foundation. Our commitment to academic excellence also means that our pupils are two years ahead of all public and private schools. At the age of four, children can read and write in English and at five, they can read and write in French, while in the France system reading and writing are learned in CP, at around the age of six. From a very early age, Open Sky International also introduces the concept of addition in mathematics.
In addition to academic excellence, our school prepares children for openness to the constantly changing world and from the age of three years, we develop children’s awareness of themselves and their environment and talk to them about the different cultures of the world. We believe that children can enrich their peers’ understanding by telling them about their own cultures and our teachers help them learn to understand each other. Our preschool classroom is a place for our children to exchange and share their lives and experiences.
In this class, teachers focus on building children’s communication and language skills, as well as their physical, personal, social and emotional development. They use a range of strategies and activities with their classes to work towards these goals. Toddlers absorb information from sights, sounds, smells, textures and taste without formal lessons and so in the TPS classroom, teachers organise engaging, meaningful activities that :
Teaching and learning are not formal as small children learn in all kinds of situations and contexts, both at school, with their friends and at home with their parents. They are in fact learning all of the time, frequently through purposeful and imaginative play.
Songs, rhymes and games in different languages are used daily to help develop cognitive understanding and language, engage children and provide opportunities for the development of motor skills. Children also participate in other learning areas such as art, music, painting and drawing.
All teachers focus on developing children’s skills in listening and attention, understanding and speaking. French and English are used for classroom language and activities, so that children learn to use and work in both languages from a very early age. Teachers and assistants use a very wide range of activities to develop communication and language, including daily reading and discussion of books and stories, modelling language for children, building vocabulary by giving children choices, pre-teaching vocabulary, using complete sentences and not one word responses to develop children’s language and echoing back what children say with new vocabulary added to build vocabulary.
This includes moving and handling, the development of gross and fine motor skills and health and self-care. These are promoted through classroom activities which include manipulating toys and objects, drawing lines, cutting with intent and holding tools. Activities to develop coordination, control through movement and physical activity take place daily. We also help children to understand the importance of physical activity, and to make healthy choices in relation to food.
Teachers help pupils to develop self-confidence and self-awareness, by managing their feelings and behaviour and making relationships. Activities help children to develop a positive sense of themselves, providing opportunities for responsibility, leadership, independent choices and sharing ideas and personal experiences. In the TPS class, children learn how to form positive relationships and develop respect for others, how to share and how to behave in groups and social situations.
In the PS class, teachers continue to apply many of the strategies used in TPS. The curriculum remains focused on each child’s development in communication and language, and his or her physical development and personal, social and emotional development; however as children progress through the academic year, teachers start to introduce more pre-literacy and early mathematics skills.
The MS or Reception curriculum builds on the learning that has taken place in PS and continues to follow the same overall objectives, however expectations of children become higher as they grow and develop. Children in the MS or Reception class are being prepared for life in the primary school, and in order to help them to adapt, they will be gradually exposed to more formal learning and teaching activities and routines. As the children grow older, our curriculum framework develops and new objectives are gradually introduced and revisited. There is increasing focus on :
This relates to the development of pre-reading skills, reading, pre-writing skills and writing. We encourage children to link sounds and letters and to begin to read and write, promoting a love of reading by giving them access to a wide range of reading materials, including fiction and non-fiction books and poems. Children are gradually introduced to letters and their sounds using the Jolly Phonics programme. At home, children are asked to practise their phonics sounds and read initial phonics readers designed for their particular stage of literacy development.
By the end of MS, children have learnt about numbers, shape, space and measures using a wide range of activities and strategies, which are play-based. Children begin to develop and improve their skills in counting, understanding and using numbers, and calculating simple addition and subtraction problems. They also learn how to describe shapes, spaces, and measure.
In this area, children are learning about people and communities, and society and the world around them. They begin to learn to make sense of their physical world and their community through opportunities to explore, observe and find out about people, places, technology and the environment.
The curriculum for all children is further enriched and broadened by lessons in art, music, drama and capoeira, and in PS and MS children also participate in sports. The aim of these activities is to help children develop their self-confidence, self-reliance, values, social and emotional skills, creativity and curiosity.
Children explore and use media and materials, and learn to be imaginative. Teachers provide opportunities and encouragement for children to share their thoughts, ideas and feelings through a variety of activities in art, music, movement, dance, role-play, and simple design and technology tasks. The teaching of art allows children to be introduced to great painters at a very early age. Art gives the PS and MS children further opportunity to express themselves creatively and also helps them to develop both their independence and teamwork.
As a result of the partnership between Open Sky International and the Stade Français Omnisports (www.stadefrancais.com), the PS and MS children can 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.
In the PS class, children learn the basics of sports including movement, jumping and running. They also do obstacle courses to work and stimulate their motor skills. In the MS or Reception sports class, children learn simple games like cat and mouse. They learn about rules and team sports and continue to develop their skills.
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 secondary programme is built on the strongest aspects of a range of international curricula and we have high expectations for all students. Teachers aim to develop essential learning skills during their lessons to help students succeed and meet these expectations. Students with good learning skills will become lifelong learners, can learn independently without a teacher being present and will develop good learning habits which serve them in their future careers.
The key learning skills that we target include:
We also believe that homework is essential to deepen a student’s learning and understanding. It creates good study habits which become increasingly important as students continue into examination courses. Homework is set regularly by all teachers and is seen as additional study at home to complement the work done in school. Students are expected to hand in homework on time and complete it to the best of their ability.
Students participate in a wide range of activities and trips in addition to our academic curriculum. Frequent trips are offered to a range of venues and events in the Paris region and recent international trips include visits to the Euro Space Centre in Belgium and Barcelona.
As a part of their normal weekly timetable, students take a range of activities depending on their level. These include a range of sports with our partner, le Stade Français, drama, improvisation, art, capoeira and chess.
The school is divided into three different stages or cycles, and generally a student’s secondary education lasts for seven years in total:
Classes are called by their French system and English system names. These are shown below, along with an approximate student age for this class level :
| Typical age | French system | British system | American system |
|---|---|---|---|
| 11-12 | 6ème or Sixième | Year 7 | 6th Grade |
| 12-13 | 5ème or Cinquième | Year 8 | 7th Grade |
| 13-14 | 4ème or Quatrième | Year 9 | 8th Grade |
| 14-15 | 3ème or Troisième | Year 10 | 9th Grade |
| 15-16 | 2nde or Seconde | Year 11 | 10th Grade |
| 16-17 | 1ère or Première | Year 12 | 11th Grade |
| 17-18 | Terminale | Year 13 | 12th Grade |
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.
Students are offered one of 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, 5 minutes walk from the school.
Please contact Open Sky International if you wish to enrol your child. We will send you an admission form suited to your needs.
We welcome enquiries from families who would like to enrol their son or daughter with us. For enrolment in our preschool, children should be aged from two to five years old. We encourage parents to apply through the admission system as early as possible to avoid disappointment.
Although we aim consistently for educational excellence, we do not put academic barriers in the way of pupils who would like to join our preschool.
Instead we admit pupils who have a wide range of backgrounds and abilities and we accept children who speak English, French or neither.
To find out more, click on the admission link :
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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