This start of the school year marks a new stage for our education system. A start under the sign of a clear ambition: putting rigour, excellence and the success of every pupil back at the heart of school.
For the MR, rigour is not a dirty word. On the contrary, it is an essential condition for equal opportunity. Believing in every pupil also means believing in their ability to progress, to push themselves and to reach ambitious goals.
Under the leadership of Valérie Glatigny, First Vice-President and Minister of Education and Adult Education, and thanks to the work carried out with her cabinet, several strong measures come into force this school year to bring this ambition to life.
But raising the expected level only makes sense if we also give pupils and teaching teams the means to achieve it. More rigour, therefore, but also more support so that everyone can succeed.
Detecting difficulties earlier to respond better
A major new feature this school year: pupils in the 4th year of primary school will sit the KEY Test: Calculation, Reading, Writing for the first time.
This is neither a certifying exam nor a tool meant to penalise. Its purpose is simple: to obtain an earlier picture of pupils' learning in order to identify difficulties before they become entrenched.
This will allow teaching teams to target the skills that need to be reworked and to set up appropriate support.
This new approach comes with additional resources: €25 million in new funding is being invested in personalised support, representing 220 additional full-time equivalents (FTEs) in primary school and 140 additional full-time equivalents (FTEs) in the first year of secondary school.
And support is not only for pupils who are struggling: those who already master the expected skills must also be able to go further and push themselves.
Strengthening the fundamentals and preparing pupils for tomorrow's world
Reading, writing, arithmetic: school must above all guarantee every child mastery of the fundamental knowledge essential to building their future.
From this school year, pupils in the first year of secondary school will have 5 hours of mathematics per week, one hour more than before, to strengthen mastery of the fundamentals.
But rigour also means preparing young people for the world they live in. Two hours per week will now be devoted to digital skills as part of the FMTTN (Manual, Technical, Technological and Digital Education) course.
The goal is not limited to learning how to use tools: pupils will also be encouraged to better understand how digital technology and algorithms work, as well as to develop a critical perspective on new technologies, including artificial intelligence.
Because an ambitious school must both consolidate essential knowledge and give young people the keys to understanding the transformations of our society.
Higher standards to lift every pupil up
Raising the level of our education system also requires clear objectives.
Starting with the June 2027 assessments, the pass threshold for external certifying tests will be raised to 60%.
For the CEB, pupils will need to score at least 50% in each of the three tested subjects (French, mathematics and general studies) as well as an overall average of at least 60%. For the CE1D and CESS, the threshold will be set at 60% for each external assessment.
The objective is clear: to guarantee genuine mastery of the expected skills and to put school success back at the centre of every pupil's journey.
This same logic will also guide the abolition of automatic progression between the first and second years of secondary school.
More rigour, but also more support
Demanding more without providing more support would be a mistake.
That is why this school year systematically pairs stronger requirements with additional resources to help pupils meet them.
Difficulties must be detected earlier. Basic learning must be consolidated. Remedial support must occur before delays become too significant.
This will notably involve more co-teaching, small-group work and targeted remedial support.
The gradual phasing out of the differentiated stream is also part of this logic: the resources dedicated to it are not disappearing. €24.5 million is being retained and redirected towards enhanced support for pupils in the first year of secondary school.
Giving teams back time for their essential mission
Rigour also applies to how our school system operates.
From this school year, steering plans are being significantly simplified: the 15 existing themes are grouped into 5 broad dimensions, the required information is streamlined and the deadlines are adjusted.
The aim is to reduce the administrative burden weighing on school leadership and teaching teams so they can devote more time to their essential mission: helping pupils learn and succeed.
An ambitious school for every child
Our ambition is clear: to restore a school that passes on knowledge, that supports pupils, and that dares to be ambitious for every pupil.
A school where difficulties are detected more quickly.
A school where fundamental knowledge becomes a priority again.
A school that prepares young people for digital change and teaches them to develop their critical thinking.
A school that supports those who struggle, while also allowing those who succeed to push themselves further.
A school that genuinely prepares young people for the world in which they will live.
Because rigour is not the enemy of equal opportunity. It is, on the contrary, one of its conditions.
This 2026-2027 school year must therefore mark a new stage: that of a school that is more demanding, more ambitious and more focused on the success of every pupil.
Wishing everyone a great start to the school year!