Since September 2014, the Lycée Saint Charles in Marseille, a general and technological high school, has been hosting the first UPE2A in the Aix-Marseille académie.

The initials UPE2A refer to a Pedagogical Unit for non-French speaking and recently arrived students : it is a reception and educational system, especially made for non-French speaking students ( in other words, students whose native language is not French).

It was specially conceived for students over 16, living in France for less than a year but who can prove they have already reached the standard of final secondary education (3ème) or a lycée level (high school).

The fundamentals of this program mostly consist in the integration of students within an ordinary class, first of all in Mathematics, Physical Education and English courses. Then, they are progressively expected to attend classes in other subjects.

In order to make such an integration possible, these non-French speaking students receive 12 hours of intensive French, the official language used at school.

Cécile Exbrayat

cecile.exbrayat@ac-aix-marseille.fr