Compare International Schools in Gieres, France

Positive School - International Montessori School of Grenoble

Instructs in French, English

Ages 3 - 11 years

Fees €6,000 - 6,500

Type Co-educational

Positive School International Montessori School of Grenoble is a bilingual Montessori program for ages 3 to 11, located at 3 rue de la Condamine, 38610 Gières, France. The school combines Montessori and French curricula, delivering individualized learning with differentiated instruction. Children progress at their pace using concrete to abstract materials in multiage classrooms that foster collaboration and peer learning. Instruction is bilingual in English and French, with some subjects taught in English and culturally diverse experiences. The program emphasizes project based and interdisciplinary learning, critical thinking, problem solving, and developing learning to learn skills, while prioritizing social emotional development and well being. The Montessori Model United Nations project provides application of knowledge. Facilities emphasize movement, mind body connection, and inclusive education. Extra curriculars include music and plastic arts, mediation, and co construction of projects by students and teachers. The environment promotes autonomy and self regulation and a love of learning.

Location

Located at 3 rue de la Condamine in Gières, a quiet area near Grenoble, France. The school is easily accessible by tram, train or car. It is a two‑minute walk from the Condillac‑Université tram station (lines B & C) and near Grenoble Université Gières train station, with the Vignate bus stop (lines 6070, 6051, 6052) nearby. By car, use exit 1 of the southern ring road (Gières Campus).

Stages

Two Montessori age groups: 3–6 years and 6–12 years, with multi‑age classes.

Additional learning support

The school welcomes neuroatypical children and addresses individual needs; the environment is designed to support all learners and adapt to each child's challenges.

Country affiliation

France

Bus service

Bus access via Vignate stop (lines 6070, 6051, 6052). The school is also two minutes from the Condillac‑Université tram stop (lines B & C).

Application / registration fee
- Registration fee: EUR 500 per year per family.

Tuition fees (by year / payment option)
- Tiered annual tuition (by year of attendance):
- 1st year: EUR 6,500 per year.
- 2nd year: EUR 6,300 per year.
- 3rd year: EUR 6,100 per year.
- Subsequent years: EUR 6,000 per year.
- Published monthly billing option (where invoicing is shown as monthly):
- EUR 575 per month spread over 10 months (full academic year billing option).
- EUR 650 per month for an incomplete academic year (partial-year monthly rate).

Billing schedule and payment terms
- The school year runs from 1 September to 30 June. The main school day is 8:30–16:30 on Mondays, Tuesdays, Thursdays and Fridays; an evening childcare service operates after school.
- Tuition is represented both as annual amounts (see tiered annual tuition above) and as monthly instalments (575 €/month over 10 months for a full year, or 650 €/month for an incomplete year). The published fees are fixed regardless of days off or non-attendance. Families with employer support should request a separate quote because the cost may be recalculated. For incomplete years, families are asked to consult the school.

Boarding / accommodation
- No boarding provision is listed; the school operates as a day school with standard school hours and an optional after-school childcare service.

Other costs and optional charges
- Canteen (school lunch): EUR 6.50 per catered meal; EUR 2.00 for a lunch box.
- After-school childcare (16:30–18:00): EUR 2.00 per half-hour per family (billing based on time used).
- Registration fee (see above) is charged per family in the year of first registration.
- No separate school uniform fee or specific materials fee is listed in the published fee documents. Parents should note lunch and childcare charges as additional to tuition.

Refunds and adjustments
- Published guidance states that published amounts are forfaitaire (fixed) regardless of days off or non-attendance. For an incomplete school year, families are requested to consult the school for the applicable calculation. Employer-supported tuition arrangements are recalculated on request.

Fee payment options and administrative notes
- The publicly published fee documents list amounts and billing options (annual and monthly instalments) but do not specify detailed payment methods (credit card, SEPA direct debit, bank transfer) within the published tariff sheet; families use the school's admission/registration process to finalise payment arrangements. The school requests completion of the pre-registration form as the first step of admissions.

Boarding Arrangements

Garderie (after-school care) is available from 16:30 to 18:00 at a rate of 2 € per half-hour per family.

Food Options

Canteen meals are offered; meals are prepared using organic and local ingredients. Canteen meals cost 6.5 € per meal; lunch boxes cost 2 €; canteen service runs from 11:30 to 13:30.

Governance and Ownership

Positive School is a commercial and social enterprise with no government subsidies; to date, no profits are made, and all subscriptions are invested in the equipment, the building, charges and salaries.

Social and Emotional Learning (SEL)

The school emphasizes curiosity, perseverance, self-confidence, concentration, and self-control. It focuses on helping children know and manage their needs, emotions, and interpersonal relationships. Empathy and constructive relationships with others are central to the program. Peace Education, as introduced by Maria Montessori, supports self-respect, respect for others, and care for the environment. Collaboration and project-based learning promote social and emotional development through teamwork and peer interactions. The approach includes peer mediation training to cultivate positive social skills.

Special Educational Needs (SEN)

The environment welcomes neuroatypical children and seeks to accommodate diverse needs without labeling. The team is committed to understanding and addressing each child's unique needs and personality. They strive to create a respectful, stimulating setting where every child can develop their potential. Teachers observe and respond to each child's needs to encourage perseverance and personal growth.

English as an Additional Language (EAL)

The school is bilingual, with instruction in French and English, in a multicultural classroom. Children with varying levels of proficiency in French and English study together, and the languages and cultures of each family are taken into account. Depending on the subject and family needs, lessons and interdisciplinary projects may be conducted in French or in English.

Mental Wellbeing

The school recognizes that stress hampers learning and promotes daily well-being. The environment is designed to be light, spacious, tranquil and conducive to movement and autonomy. The classroom atmosphere supports well-being, and peer mediation is practiced to manage conflicts. Peace Education, introduced by Maria Montessori, fosters self-respect, respect for others, respect for the environment and cultural harmony. Strategies such as coping techniques for emotions, cooperative learning, mediation workshops, and co-construction of projects with children, teachers and specialists support students' emotional and social development.

Community

Teaching in two languages, with children at different levels of French and English proficiency, and taking into account the languages and cultures of each family, children are immersed in a multicultural environment. After three years, a new language cannot be learned simply by immersion; it is an apprenticeship requiring active participation, attention, willingness and motivation. The school emphasizes opportunities for interaction and discovery of many cultures to develop an international mindset and a tolerant education. Depending on the subject and the needs of the child and family, lessons and interdisciplinary projects will be conducted in French or English.

Parent Teacher Association (PTA)

Teachers take care of the children throughout the school day and are responsible for their teaching. However, we ask parents to be partners in teaching by sharing the pedagogical project, reading the newsletters, being present at important moments, and participating in outings when possible. Parents respond to questions raised during the school day and show kindness and listening if a teacher's reaction did not seem appropriate to the parent. Participating in the children's development takes time, but it is a meaningful part of school life.

Facilities Overview

Positive School is a bilingual Montessori school in Grenoble that teaches in two languages and immerses students in a multicultural environment. Lessons and interdisciplinary projects are conducted in French or English depending on the subject and the needs of the child. The learning environment is designed to stimulate curiosity and the desire to learn, with a pedagogy centered on the child and on projects and interdisciplinarity. Multi-age classes enable students to progress at their own pace, collaborate, and review mistakes flexibly without judgment. The school also emphasizes movement, the mind–body connection, and inclusive education that welcomes neuroatypical learners.

Academic Facilities

Montessori education is grounded in concrete learning with materials designed to help children grasp concepts before abstraction. Classrooms are laid out to maximize the learning process, allowing mutual assistance, small groups and individual work, with a space for cooperation across ages. Time is managed with work surfaces tailored to each child's needs, balancing trial and error, experimentation and expression. The approach uses a Zone of Proximal Development to offer the right amount of challenge within clear rules, and places emphasis on learning-to-learn, attention, and metacognitive skills.

Extra Curricular Facilities

Cultural celebrations such as Dia de los Muertos, Halloween, Chinese New Year, and Holi are part of the learning experience. A varied artistic practice—including music and plastic arts—is offered. Mediation workshops and co-construction of projects by the children, teachers and specialists support social-emotional development. The Montessori Model United Nations project provides opportunities for language use and global engagement.

Academic & Intellectual

Positive School uses Montessori-based individualized learning. Goals include allowing each child to progress through differentiated instruction, maintaining the pleasure of learning, and moving from concrete to abstract concepts. The program emphasizes hands-on materials to grasp notions, with multi-age classes that encourage collaboration and social development. The environment supports autonomy and self-regulation, enabling small-group and individual work while focusing on learning how to learn.

Arts & Creative

Learning includes a varied artistic practice across music and visual arts. The school supports creativity through regular engagement with artistic expression as part of the curriculum. Students benefit from projects that integrate art with other subjects.

Cultural & Language

English and French are used in classroom instruction, with bilingual immersion and a multicultural environment. Lessons and interdisciplinary projects may be conducted in French or English depending on subject and family needs. The bilingual setting promotes language development and cross-cultural awareness, including celebrations such as Dia de los Muertos, Halloween, Chinese New Year and Holi. The Montessori Model United Nations Project provides opportunities to apply learning to international contexts.

Social & Hobbies

Cooperation and peer collaboration are central to daily life. The program emphasizes cooperative learning, mutual aid across ages, and positive interaction between students and teachers. The school supports social development through projects co-constructed by students and staff, and mediation workshops to build communication skills. Breaks and leisure activities include teamwork and collaborative problem-solving.

Leadership & Professional

The school is run by three founders who lead the program and advocate for respectful, effective practices. The team brings Montessori training, general teaching expertise, and diverse backgrounds in education, music, English and beyond, creating a coherent approach across the school. Specialists contribute to the program as needed, including experts in art or sport, depending on age group. The cross-fertilization of different educational backgrounds supports rich and complementary classroom offerings.

Lifestyle & Wellbeing

Positive School emphasizes well-being as part of academic success. The educational approach focuses on curiosity, perseverance, self-confidence, concentration, and self-control. The team provides peer mediation training and Peace Education inspired by Maria Montessori to promote self-respect and respect for others. Daily practices support students in managing emotions, stress, and social relationships.

Language Provision

French and English are the languages used in instruction. The international bilingual school is open to English- and French-speaking children who may or may not speak the other language. The English language is used as a living language for communication, not only as a subject.

Bilingual Teaching

The school teaches in two languages in the classroom: French and English. Students have different levels of proficiency in French and English. Lessons and interdisciplinary projects are conducted in French or English depending on the subject and the needs of the child and family.

Immersion Programs

The school provides language immersion through a bilingual French-English environment. The international bilingual school is open to English- and French-speaking children who may or may not speak the other language. The English language is used as a means of communication beyond language lessons, and some subjects are taught in English. The Montessori Model United Nations Project enables children to put what they have learned into practice.

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Compare International Schools in Gieres, France

Location

Stages

Additional learning support

Country affiliation

Bus service

Boarding Arrangements

Food Options

Governance and Ownership

Curriculum

Social and Emotional Learning (SEL)

Special Educational Needs (SEN)

English as an Additional Language (EAL)

Mental Wellbeing

Community

Parent Teacher Association (PTA)

Facilities Overview

Academic Facilities

Extra Curricular Facilities

Academic & Intellectual

Arts & Creative

Cultural & Language

Social & Hobbies

Leadership & Professional

Lifestyle & Wellbeing

Language Provision

Bilingual Teaching

Immersion Programs

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