Key Facts
| School type | Independent day, co-educational, French curriculum with a British Section, 3 to 18 |
|---|---|
| Location | South Kensington, London (Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea) |
| Entry points | 11+, 14+, 16+ |
| Assessment | Entry to the International Section is by the GL Assessment Type 11+ English test, sat in the spring of Year 6; the written test makes up most of the mark, with teacher grades for oral and written English and skills such as autonomy, participation and organisation. Plurilingual Section entry from outside the school system is assessed in French and mathematics. |
| Test provider | GL Assessment Type 11+ English test for International Section entry at Year 7; the school's own written test and interview for the British Section |
| Registration deadline | British Section Year 10 entry: registration closes on Friday 26 February 2027. Year 12 (PAL): open all year. |
| Assessment date | International Section entry test (Year 7): Saturday 24 April 2027. British Section Year 10 test: Tuesday 2 March 2027, 9:30am. |
| Scholarships and bursaries | No school scholarships found; means-tested French government bourse scolaire for French families via the Consulate |
| A level average point score per entry (DfE, 2024/25) | 41.23 (average grade B) |
Figures correct at the time of writing. Confirm current fees and deadlines with the school or university directly.
How do you get into Lycée Français Charles de Gaulle? Families pre-register online on the Skolengo platform, and an enrolment committee allocates places by priority criteria. At Year 7 (11+) the International Section adds the GL Assessment Type 11+ English test, and the British Section admits at Year 10 and Year 12 after a written test and interview.
The school is a French-curriculum school in South Kensington with primary sites in Ealing, Fulham, Clapham and South Kensington. Pre-registration is free, and the initial registration fee falls due only once a place is accepted. Most of the process is shared across entry points, while the tests differ at each stage.
| Entry point | Year group | Assessment | Interview | Places |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 11+ | Year 7 (6ème) | Entry to the International Section is by the GL Assessment Type 11+ English test, sat in the spring of Year 6; the written test makes up most of the mark, with teacher grades for oral and written English and skills such as autonomy, participation and organisation. Plurilingual Section entry from outside the school system is assessed in French and mathematics. | No interview stated for Year 7 entry. | Not published |
| 14+ | Year 10 (3ème GCSE, British Section) | A one-hour written test on a text, marked by GCSE English teachers, ranked for the admissions committee. | A 10-minute oral interview with a British Section team member, which also assesses French and/or English. | Not published |
| 16+ | Year 12 (PAL, British Section) | External offers are conditional on GCSE results (minimum 9 in French, 6 in five GCSEs and 7 in intended A-Level subjects), plus a written assessment in two A-Level subjects. | Interview for all external candidates. | Not published |
Entry points and places
The school admits at Year 7 (6ème), Year 10 (3ème GCSE, into the British Section) and Year 12 (PAL, the British Section sixth form), in addition to its younger primary entry points. The pages read do not publish a number of places at any of these stages.
Year 7 offers two pathways. The Plurilingual Section starts a second language (German, Spanish, Italian or Russian) in 6ème, whilst the International Section teaches stronger English and history-geography in English. Entry during Years 8 to 10 is possible only for pupils from a British or American International Section at an affiliated school, and only if places are available.
How the Year 7 International Section test works
Entry to the International Section from Year 7 depends on the GL Assessment Type 11+ English test, which is aimed at advanced or fluent pupils. Year 6 (CM2) pupils sit it in the spring; London candidates take a written test at South Kensington, and pupils abroad sit it at their own school under the headteacher.
The written test makes up most of the mark. The pupil's English and French teachers also grade oral and written English, along with skills such as autonomy, participation and organisation. Sample papers and a parents' guide are available from the school.
Pupils from other school systems entering the Plurilingual Section take a test in French and in mathematics to confirm their level.
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Enquire about this tutorHow the British Section Year 10 test works
Year 10 entry to the British Section involves a one-hour written test on a text, marked by GCSE English teachers, followed by a 10-minute oral interview with a member of the British Section team. All pre-registered candidates sit the test, and results are ranked for the admissions committee.
External candidates need only a good level of French and a wish to keep studying it, which the interview assesses; full bilingualism is not required. Pupils already in the school can also move up from the Plurilingual Section by test at the end of 4ème, and International Section pupils can join at the same point.
Registration and the admissions sequence
Registration runs through the Skolengo online platform, and the sequence follows the steps below. Applications are not handled in order of receipt, and the school notes that it cannot respond positively to every request. An application covers one September intake, and families can list up to three choices across streams or primary sites.
- Read the enrolment guide, then create an account on Skolengo and complete the Inscriptions tab.
- Receive an automatic confirmation email with a file number beginning PT.
- Sit any entrance test or interview set for the entry point.
- Wait for the enrolment committee (commission d'affectation) to review applications against priority criteria.
- Receive an admissibility email; if eligible, send supporting documents by email.
- Pay the non-refundable initial registration fee to confirm the place.
- Families arriving during the school year should contact the registration department between one and two months before arrival.
Interviews and references
Interviews feature at the British Section entry points. At Year 10 there is a 10-minute oral interview, and at Year 12 external candidates have an interview plus a written assessment in two A-Level subjects. Year 7 entry is decided mainly on the written English test and teacher grades.
School reports are not requested at pre-registration, so previous results do not feature in the first stage. Candidates for the British Section need very good French and English and must show motivation for the section.
Sixth form entry
Year 12 (PAL) entry for external candidates is conditional on GCSE results, with a minimum of 9 in French, 6 in five GCSEs and 7 in each intended A-Level subject, plus an interview and a written assessment in two of those subjects. Registration for Year 12 is open all year through the British Section secretariat and Skolengo.
Internal candidates from the French section need at least a B in IGCSE English Language and an interview, and may sit a written test in maths or English. Internal British Section pupils need 6 in five GCSEs and 7 in their intended A-Level subjects, with extra grade requirements for Economics, History of Art and Politics.
Fees and what they include
Tuition is set in a published fee schedule, linked in the fees field, with VAT charged at 20 per cent on secondary and British Section classes. It is billed in three terms (September to December, January to March, April to June), and each term started is due in full.
The initial registration fee is non-refundable and is not deducted from tuition. School meals, examination entry fees and British exam costs are charged separately, and the dining option chosen at the start of the year cannot be changed during the year.
Bursaries and financial help
The pages read describe one form of financial help: the French government bourse scolaire, a means-tested grant for French families who apply through the French Consulate in London. It covers pupils from nursery to final year, with the campaign opening in February of the preceding school year.
No school-run scholarships or bursaries appear on the pages read, so families who are not French should confirm directly with the admissions office at inscription@lyceefrancais.org.uk.
How to prepare
For Year 7 International Section entry, preparation centres on the GL Assessment Type 11+ English test, so working through the school's sample papers and parents' guide is the most direct step. Reading widely in English and practising written responses under timed conditions suits a test that favours advanced or fluent pupils.
For Year 10 British Section entry, practise a one-hour written response to an unseen text and talk through ideas aloud in both French and English, since the 10-minute interview assesses both. For Year 12, the GCSE grades in French and the intended A-Level subjects are the main focus.
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Preparing for the Lycée Français Charles de Gaulle 11+ with Taylor Tuition
Preparation for the Lycée Français Charles de Gaulle 11+ tends to go best when it starts early and stays steady, and most families who work with us begin between twelve and eighteen months out. Our tutors, who have prepared pupils for entry to leading independent and grammar schools including Westminster, St Paul's, Wycombe Abbey and Eton, plan the work backwards from the school's own assessment format and registration deadline.
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Frequently asked questions
- How do you get into Lycée Français Charles de Gaulle?
- Families pre-register on the Skolengo platform, and an enrolment committee allocates places according to priority criteria, with order of application playing no part. Some entry points add a test: the GL Assessment Type 11+ English test for the Year 7 International Section, and a written test and interview for the British Section at Year 10.
- Is there an entrance exam for Year 7?
- Entry to the International Section from Year 7 is subject to the GL Assessment Type 11+ English test, taken in the spring of Year 6. Pupils from other school systems entering the Plurilingual Section take a test in French and in mathematics to confirm their level.
- How much are the fees?
- Fees are published in a school fee schedule, billed in three terms, with VAT on secondary and British Section classes. The initial registration fee is non-refundable and is payable only once a place is accepted. Meals and examination fees are separate. See the fees field for the published figures.
- Does the school offer scholarships or bursaries?
- The pages read mention only the French government bourse scolaire, a means-tested grant for French families applying through the French Consulate in London, covering nursery to final year. No school scholarships are listed, so other families should ask the admissions office.
- What are the sixth form entry requirements?
- External candidates for Year 12 in the British Section need a minimum of 9 in French GCSE, 6 in five GCSEs and 7 in their A-Level subjects, plus an interview and a written assessment in two A-Level subjects. Offers are conditional on GCSE results.
- Does French nationality or catchment affect admission?
- The FAQ gives French nationality no priority and does not mention catchment areas. Pupils already in the French school network have priority, AEFE schools first and then schools in France. Reports are not requested at pre-registration.
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