About La Petite Ecole Française

Bilingual French/English School in London

Family and Community, as well as a first class bilingual education, are the heart of our school.

La Petite Ecole Française

The Best Start for your Children

Based in Notting Hill London, the school caters for around 140 children from the age of 2 to 11. Entry is non-selective and we welcome non-French speakers.

Pupils leave the school fully bilingual and can progress on to French schools such as the Lycée Français Charles de Gaulle, Lycée International de Londres Winston Churchill, CFBL as well as leading English schools.

The classes are intentionally kept small so that each child can be given the individual attention they require. We provide your children with the best foundation for secondary school.

Fully Accredited Bilingual Education since 1983

La Petite Ecole Française is an independent English/French Bilingual school that follows the French national education system as well as the British national curriculum (literacy, reading and writing). The school is part of the AEFE (Agence pour l’Enseignement Français à l’Etranger) and its students progress to French and English schools.

PEF has been awarded French Education Nationale ‘Homologation’ status for all its levels from Petite Section (Nursery) to CM2 (Year 6). The ‘Homologation’ is a special accreditation given by the French Ministry of Education.

Encouraging development

Great Location and Modern Facilities

La Petite Ecole Française was founded in 1983 in Notting Hill. In 2010, the school relocated to its current location of 73 Saint Charles Square. These premises are ideal for a nursery and primary school; they are set away from the main road, the playground is large and the classrooms are light and well designed. There is a gardening area for the pupils and a separate Nursery playground for the younger ones. The school operates from two ground floors and a first floor, which have been extensively refurbished to maintain a homely feel.

Wonderful Community of Parents

We have a diverse, international community of parents who are very involved in the school. Each class has two parent representatives, who meet every half term with the Headteacher.

We greatly value the suggestions of all the parents and the school benefits from their feedback. Parents are actively involved in outings, volunteering for big events such as sports day or the school ‘fete’.

We also encourage parents to come to the school to read books, talk about their culture, jobs and so on. All communication from the school to families is in both English and French.

Welcome From the Headteacher

Welcome to La Petite Ecole Française, where bilingual learning comes to life in a warm, inclusive and vibrant community.

It is with great pleasure that I take on the role of headteacher and build upon the excellent work being done at the school. La Petite Ecole Française offers a joyful, balanced and academically rigorous bilingual education in a caring community setting. Rooted in both the French and British traditions, our approach celebrates curiosity, creativity and personal growth. We keep class sizes small so that every child is known, supported and challenged at just the right level.

Children thrive when they feel secure, inspired and seen. At La Petite Ecole Française, we place strong relationships at the heart of learning, between staff, children and families. Our dedicated team nurtures each child’s confidence, independence and love of learning, preparing them not only for academic success but also for life beyond the classroom.

Whether you are new to our school or already part of our community, I look forward to meeting you and working together to give your child the best possible start.

Anthony Artist
Headteacher

Testimonials

Kind Words from our Parents

Parents and children alike love the school, and here are some of their thoughts.

Our two daughters Sophie (15) and Charlotte (10) have been pupils at la PEF from PS until the end of CM2, from September 2010 to July 2022. We were part of the first few that saw the opening of the primary school and have always been delighted with the high level of education and teaching provided. La PEF is one of the truly bilingual schools in London with both English and French native speakers. The focus on the individual students is possible thanks to the relatively small classes at la PEF and this enables a smooth transition to the curriculum of the secondary school – in the case of our eldest Lycee CDG in section internationale. Also given the extraordinary times we lived the last couple of years during the numerous lock downs, the PEF really stepped up to the challenge and were amongst the first schools in London to offer continuation of lessons online. With this important achievement during such formative years of our children, the PEF will remain with us in fond memory and we will always be delighted to recommend la PEF to future students.

Our sons have been with La Petite Ecole for the past 5 and 2 years respectively. We’ve always been extremely happy with the standard of education and learning. With smaller class sizes, the school offers the best care and attention to the children’s individual needs to learn and grow. There is a real sense of community in the school and after these fundamental years in their development, the children from the same age group become like a family, which is lovely to see. As a Franco-British family, we truly value that whilst being a French school following the French curriculum, there are also positive influences from the English system from empathy to a positive approach and encouragement to learning.

I feel very blessed to have had my 3 children in this wonderful school for now 12 years. The small classes and attentive teachers combine to help children flourish, both academically and personally. The lovely and friendly atmosphere has also helped foster close and genuine friendships that will probably last my children for life.

One of the best schools in London: education, management, teachers … Top quality.

Visit the School

Schedule a Visit

If you’re interested in a first-class bilingual education for your child at one of London’s best schools, please get in touch to arrange a visit. We’d love to meet you.