For children under 3 years old

The national charter for early childhood care has been, since the Order on Family Services of 19 May 2021, a reference framework shared by all early childhood care settings (Article Section L214-1-1 of the Social Action and Families Code). 

The National Quality Framework for Early Childhood Care and Education (2025) – which is based in particular on the National Charter for Early Childhood Care, but also on the latest knowledge on the subject – defines the main principles of care for children aged 0 to 3 years, and does not constitute a regulation defining the mandatory activities to be carried out or their organisation (time allocated to each).

Each early childhood care facility develops an establishment plan that must be approved by the departmental maternal and child welfare authorities (PMI). Educational activities are therefore developed by the managers of each facility. They are also detailed in the application for approval submitted to the departmental council, which is a necessary condition for the facility to open.

For children over 3 years old

According to the Article L311-3 of the Education Code the curricula define the knowledge and methods that must be assimilated for each cycle. Pre-primary education curricula are defined nationally by the Higher Council for Curricula (CSP). This council is composed of parliamentarians, representatives of the Economic, Social and Environmental Council (CESE) and ten qualified individuals appointed by the minister for their expertise in the education system. The CSP is consulted by the Minister of Education and makes proposals on the general design of the curriculum taught in nursery schools. The proposals, revised as necessary by the Ministry, are submitted for consultation to teachers and inspectors, then to the Higher Council for Education for its opinion. They are finally approved by the Minister.

The programme currently in force in nursery schools is defined by the decree of 22 October 2024.

For children under 3 years old

As the content of educational programmes in collective childcare facilities for children under the age of 3 is specific to each establishment's project, no information is available on the areas of learning and development for this type of facility.

For children over 3 years old

In nursery school, the new French and mathematics programmes introduced by the Department for Education at the start of the 2025 academic year, is divided into five main areas of learning:

1. The development and structuring of oral and written language 
   • Expand your vocabulary 
   • Develop your syntax by formulating increasingly complex sentences.
   • Articulate clearly to make yourself understood and acquire phonological awareness and the alphabetic principle.
   • Produce varied speech in order to use increasingly precise and structured language.
2. Acquiring basic mathematical skills
   • Discovering numbers
   • Using numbers to solve problems
   • Exploring solids and flat shapes
   • Exploring quantities: length, mass
   • Become familiar with organised patterns
3. Acting, expressing oneself and understanding through physical activity
   • Acting in space, over time and on objects
   • Adapting one's balance and movements to varied environments or constraints
   • Communicating with others through expressive or artistic actions
   • Collaborate, cooperate, oppose
4. Acting, expressing oneself, understanding through artistic activities
   • Developing an appreciation for artistic practices
   • Discover different forms of artistic expression
   • Experiencing and expressing emotions, making choices
   • Draw
   • Practising decorative graphic design
   • Create two-dimensional and three-dimensional artworks
   • Observing, understanding and transforming images
   • Playing with your voice and acquiring a repertoire of nursery rhymes and songs
   • Exploring instruments, using body sounds
   • Refine your listening skills
   • Practise some performing arts activities
5. Explore the world
   • Finding your way around time
   • Finding your way around space
   • Discover the world of living things
   • Exploring objects and matter

In addition to this programme, there is the health education course defined by the  circular dated 28 January 2016. This programme explains what is offered to pupils in terms of health at school and district level, in close conjunction with their local area. It is organised around three main areas:

1. Health education: it describes the skills to be acquired at each stage of schooling in order to enable every future citizen to make informed choices about health.
2. Prevention: prevention measures implemented at school and institution level, involving local stakeholders in line with public health priorities.
3. Health protection: this area includes measures related to protecting pupils' health implemented in schools and educational establishments with the aim of providing pupils with the most favourable environment possible for their health and well-being.

There are no regulations specifying the number of hours to be allocated to each teaching activity.

For children under 3 years old

In the case of collective childcare facilities for children under the age of 3, each facility and service develops an educational programme (see below) and chooses the teaching methods and materials necessary for its implementation, in accordance with national health standards (Public Health Code).

For children over 3 years old

The nursery school programme, detailed by the decree of  22 October 2024, reaffirms several fundamental educational principles, including that of a school that organises specific learning methods (learning through play, learning through reflection and problem solving, learning through practice, learning through recollection and memorisation).

For example, learning mathematics in nursery school is based on an active and concrete teaching method, focused on exploration, manipulation and verbalisation. From an early age, children develop an intuition for sizes and quantities, which serves as the foundation for learning numbers. Nursery school gradually leads them to understand that numbers express both quantities and positions in a list, through a variety of activities ranging from pre-numerical games to numerical exercises.

Pupils solve simple problems by manipulating objects and describing their procedures, which helps them develop logical reasoning skills. They explore shapes and solids, as well as measurements (length, mass), by manipulating objects and coordinating actions, supported by language to describe and identify the characteristics of objects. Activities involving the reproduction, identification and completion of organised patterns also stimulate geometric and spatial skills.

This playful and sensory approach allows children to learn basic mathematical concepts while preparing them for more formal learning in primary school.

There is no state control over the production of school textbooks. The state sets the national curriculum for all levels, and publishers are free to develop teaching materials based on this curriculum. Furthermore, there is no national policy on school supplies for this level of education.

For children over 3 years old

There are no national regulations concerning the assessment of children in collective childcare facilities for children under 3 years of age. The observation of children is based on the national standard for the quality of early childhood care which states: " 

1. Observation is not a continuous practice but rather a one-off activity based on a specific question, followed by analysis and discussion (within the team or early childhood centres). It allows us to observe children's behaviour or interactions between children, monitor their development, or find solutions to difficulties.
2. Observation allows for flexible and continuous adaptation of the daily schedule, educational activities and the practices of professionals with regard to the child or group.
3. The results of the observations are shared with parents, both in daily exchanges and in more in-depth dedicated sessions.

For children over 3 years old

Since 2016, two tools have been used to monitor the learning of children over the age of 3 in nursery school and to communicate pupils' progress in relation to the objectives set out in the curriculum:

1. A learning record book completed throughout the cycle, at a frequency appropriate to the pupil's age: this document follows the pupil in the event of a change of school during their nursery school education and contributes to the summary of achievements produced at the end of nursery school.
2. A summary of the pupil's achievements, drawn up at the end of the final year of Cycle 1: the purpose of this summary is to facilitate continuity in the pupils' education when they move on to primary school. Nursery school teachers complete this summary during cycle meetings, using a national template set by thedecree of 31 December 2015The grid to be completed consists of a list of skills for each of the five areas of learning for which teachers determine whether the child
   • "does not succeed",
   • is on the way to success
   • "often succeeds"

The teaching staff and parents are informed about the skills and knowledge acquired by each pupil at the end of pre-primary education. A summary of the pupil's achievements is drawn up by the teacher at the end of the final year of Cycle 1. To facilitate continuity in pupils' education when they move up to primary school, teachers in the early learning cycle pass on information to teachers in the next cycle, the fundamental learning cycle. 

The summary of achievements, sent to parents in the same way as the learning record book, reports on the skills acquired by the child at the end of their time at nursery school. This document provides an opportunity for constructive dialogue with families. It also allows them to be reassured, if necessary, that their child's needs and any difficulties they may have will be taken into account, so that they can approach the start of primary school, the first year of cycle 2, with peace of mind.