L'Ecole de Battersea

The school places pastoral care at the heart of its ethos; pupils' wellbeing is as important as academic achievements. It teaches values of friendship and respect and fosters a culture of care to support balanced daily life through activities and dedicated days. Weekly drop-in sessions are led by the Pastoral Care leader to give pupils a space to share concerns or feelings. Each class uses Sharing Boxes to enable pupils to express themselves and speak about worries in confidence. The school supports social and emotional development to help pupils grow into resilient and well-rounded individuals.

The school is non-selective and welcomes pupils from diverse cultural, linguistic and academic backgrounds. Pupils with specific needs are valued equally and supported to develop reading comprehension, spelling, personal organisation, and social skills. Support is provided within class and/or in one-to-one sessions or small groups by teaching staff, who regularly communicate with parents. Individual plans can be arranged with UK or French authorities to support neurodivergence conditions such as dyslexia, dyspraxia, ADHD or ASD; specialist services like Occupational or Speech therapy are not funded by the school and would be integrated into the educational team where appropriate. Some children may have a Learning Support Assistant to accompany them in lessons; EHCP funding can be provided by the council if applicable; otherwise funding is the parent's responsibility.

The school is an international bilingual school following the French curriculum with parallel teaching from the English curriculum. Languages are integrated across subjects, and pupils are immersed in English and French throughout the day in class, on the playground, in the canteen, in arts and sports, and on outings. All teachers are qualified with either an English or French degree, and pupils receive teaching in both languages daily. The school is homologuée by the French Ministère de l'Education Nationale and a partner of AEFE, and is registered with the English Department for Education (DfE); it is inspected by the Inspector for French National Education and by Ofsted.

Pastoral care is at the heart of the school's ethos; pupils' wellbeing is as important as academic achievements. Activities and dedicated days promote a balanced daily life. The Pastoral Care leader runs weekly drop-in sessions for pupils to share concerns or feelings. Sharing Boxes in each class provide a confidential channel for pupils to express worries. The school fosters a supportive environment to nurture mental wellbeing and resilience.

Safeguarding is a paramount priority; the safety, security and comfort of children and staff, both physically and online, are addressed to meet safeguarding and technological requirements. L'Ecole de Battersea recognises its responsibilities for child protection and the welfare of children, and safeguarding is a shared community responsibility. The school maintains up-to-date facilities and policies, including a Safeguarding Children Policy.