Students' assessment

There are currently no regulations governing the marking of students in lower secondary education. In practice, pupils complete homework assignments at regular intervals, either in or out of class, which are individually marked and assessed by the teacher.

Pupils' results are assessed firstly by a series of marks on a report card sent to their parents each term by the school administration. These marks are accompanied, for each subject, by detailed comments from the teacher on the work and progress made by the pupil. Information for parents is supplemented by contacts or interviews with class teachers, particularly the class teacher and guidance counsellor, as well as regular parent-teacher meetings.

The school record book

A unified school record book has been introduced from grade 1 (classe de CP) to grade 6 (classe de 6e). This reports on pupils' results at regular intervals, as well as their progress in relation to the new knowledge, skills and culture base.

At lower secondary education, two types of document are used to report to parents on pupils‘ progress and teachers’ assessment of their work.

Periodic assessments: for each subject, these present the main points of the syllabus worked on, the pupil's progress and difficulties, and the pupil's ‘positioning’. Positioning may take the form of a mark or any other form of alphanumeric feedback, as well as positioning on a 4-level scale for learning objectives: not achieved, partially achieved, achieved, exceeded.

Although this list is compulsory, it is not exhaustive, and the assessments may include other elements chosen by the school. For pupils in 3e, they also include their career choices and the final decision (example of a school report for a pupil in grade 7).

End-of-cycle assessments (at the end of grade 6 and grade 9): an end-of-cycle assessment is drawn up for each pupil. It indicates the level of proficiency in the Common Base of Knowledge, Skills and Culture (Socle commun de connaissances, de compétences et de culture) using the following scale:

• “insufficient knowledge”;

• “fragile knowledge”;

• “satisfactory knowledge”;

• “very good knowledge”.

These reports must also include a literal assessment of the pupil's academic achievements during the cycle and, where appropriate, advice for further schooling. The reports are signed by the school head or deputy school head, the class teacher and the parents or legal guardians.

Assessment Repères

The assessment is aimed at all pupils enrolled in grade 6, grade 7, grade 8, grade 9, grade 10 and in the first year of vocational aptitude certificate (Certificat d'aptitude professionnellede- CAP), in public and government dependant private schools France (overseas departments and regions included). Within this framework, it is essential that pupils with special educational needs are able to benefit from the usual adaptations and means of compensation.

It meets three objectives in each case:

• to provide teaching teams with information on pupils' level of mastery of French and mathematics on entry to lower secondary education;

• to provide teams with assistance in the pedagogical management of primary school- lower secondary schools’ networks;

• enhance academic management tools with information provided by standardised assessments across the country. The purpose of these assessments is to provide an objective measure of pupils' skills and knowledge. This measurement is based on scientific methods and is independent of the conditions of observation and correction.

A test protocol is provided to schools to standardise assessment conditions.

The exercises proposed in these evaluations were designed with the help of teams set up by the Direction de l'évaluation, de la prospective et de la performance (DEPP) made up of school teachers, certified and agrégés teachers, trainers and educational advisers. The Direction générale de l'enseignement scolaire (DGESCO) and the Inspection générale de l'éducation, du sport et de la recherche (IGESR) were involved in this work.

For lower secondary school teams, individual results are made available to teachers shortly after the test in the form of a positioning tool based on 3 levels of proficiency. A report by class and by subject area according to the degree of mastery is also available.

Each student receives an individual feedback sheet. This feedback form has been improved to make it easier to understand and communicate with pupils and parents. Parents are informed of their children's results and the relevance of each assessment in order to offer personalised teaching adapted to the needs of each pupil. This feedback is provided in accordance with the school's practices. The aim is for each pupil to receive the most personalised and effective help possible from his or her teachers and parents, within the framework of an educational partnership and differentiated teaching methods.

The aim is to identify the skills that pupils need to support, as well as the successes and achievements that will enable them to make further progress.

In grade 6

The assessment consists of two non-consecutive tests, in French and maths, each lasting 60 minutes (10 minutes preparation and 50 minutes test) and a fluency test.

In French: Students have to solve exercises relating to:

• reading comprehension: literary texts, documents, pictures;

• oral comprehension: audio and video material;

• knowledge of language: spelling, grammar, vocabulary, etc.

Comprehension of long written texts is supplemented by a fluency test, which assesses pupils' ability to read a text aloud correctly and at speed. The test can be taken individually by any teacher, but preferably by a French teacher from the start of the school year. The stakes are high: a pupil who concentrates his efforts on deciphering will not be able to devote himself to the essential task of understanding what he is reading. A short survey will again be attached to the assessments to ask pupils about their perception of the test and their confidence in the coming year. This questionnaire is optional.

Mathematics: Students are tested on:

• knowledge of numbers;

• numeracy and problem-solving skills;

• knowledge of geometry, magnitude and measurement.

In grade 7

The assessment consists of a 60-minute group session - 10 minutes preparation and 50 minutes sitting - including the French and maths tests, and an individual 1-minute test of reading fluency in French.

In French: Students must complete exercises relating to their language and linguistic skills. These exercises are supplemented by a fluency test which assesses the pupils' ability to read a text aloud correctly and at speed. The test can be taken individually by any teacher, but preferably by a French teacher, from the start of the school year. The stakes are high: a pupil who concentrates his efforts on deciphering cannot concentrate on the essentials: understanding what they are reading.

In Mathematics: pupils have to solve exercises that test their ability to use automatic skills directly. A short survey is attached to the assessments to ask pupils about their perception of the test and their confidence in the coming year. This questionnaire is optional.

In grade 8

The assessment consists of two non-consecutive tests, in French and mathematics, lasting 60 minutes each - 10 minutes preparation and 50 minutes test time - and a 1-minute reading fluency test in French.

In French: Students solve exercises on the following topics:

• reading comprehension: literary texts, documentary texts, computer graphics;

• oral comprehension: audio support with limited re-listening;

• knowledge of language: spelling, grammar, vocabulary.

Comprehension of long written texts is complemented by a fluency test, which measures students' ability to read a text aloud correctly and at speed. The test can be taken individually by any teacher, but preferably by a French teacher, from the very start of the school year. The stakes are high: a pupil who concentrates his efforts on deciphering cannot devote himself to the essentials: understanding what he is reading.

A short survey is attached to the assessments to ask students about their perception of the test and their confidence in the coming year. This questionnaire is optional.

In Mathematics: Students solve exercises on the following topics:

• Ability to use procedures and knowledge directly;

• ability to solve problems using numbers, data and quantities;

• knowledge and skills in the areas of:

• Space and geometry;;

• Measurement;

• Numbers and calculations;

• Data organization and management, functions.

In grade 9

The assessment consists of a 60-minute collective sequence - 10 minutes of preparation and 50 minutes of taking the test - including the French and math tests, and a 1-minute individual test of reading fluency in French.

In French: Students are asked to solve exercises based on their language and linguistic skills. These exercises are complemented by a fluency test, which assesses students' ability to read a text aloud correctly and at speed. The test can be taken individually by any teacher, but preferably by a French teacher, from the very start of the school year. The stakes are high: a pupil who concentrates his efforts on deciphering cannot devote himself to the essential: understanding what he is reading.

In Mathematics, students are asked to solve exercises that test their ability to directly mobilize automatisms. A short survey is attached to the assessments to ask students about their perception of the test and their confidence in the coming year. This questionnaire is optional.

In grade 10 and in the first year of CAP

Before October, every student in the second year of general and technological or vocational secondary school, and in the first year of a CAP, takes a placement test to identify his or her skills and needs in French and mathematics. This test is designed to help teacher’s better target and organize this support.

Positioning test in the first year of the CAP

French test: All first-year CAP students take the fluency test, as well as the reading and listening comprehension tests. Depending on the number of correct answers to the reading comprehension test, the student will be directed:

• the reading comprehension test for the second year of vocational training 

• or to complementary exercises:

• Association of a group of letters with a sound;

• Rapid deciphering of words;

• Word knowledge;

• Association of a picture with a sentence.

Results obtained by associating a group of letters with a sound, rapidly deciphering words, knowing words or associating a picture with a sentence can explain certain difficulties in reading comprehension. Fluency and listening comprehension tests help refine the diagnosis.

The fluency test assesses a student's ability to read a text aloud correctly and at speed. It can be taken individually by any teacher, but preferably by a French teacher, from the very start of the school year. The stakes are high: a pupil who concentrates his efforts on deciphering can't devote himself to the essential: understanding what he's reading.

The Mathematics test: The mathematics test covers the following areas:

• Numbers and calculations;

• Measurement and magnitude;

• Geometry and relationships.

Depending on the number of correct answers to this test, the student will be directed:

• to the automatisms test of the second vocational year;

• or to complementary exercises in automatisms.

Positioning test at the start of grade 10

The placement test at the start of the second year comprises two 60-minute sessions (10 minutes preparation and 50 minutes test), organized during the second half of September.

The French test is divided into three parts:

• Language study;

• Written comprehension;

• Oral comprehension.

The Mathematics test is organized into three common areas:

• Data organization and management, functions;

• Numbers and calculations;

• Space and geometry.

The Algebraic Expressions domain will be covered only in the general and technological streams.

The assessments will be accompanied by a short survey to gather students' perceptions of the test, their confidence for the coming year and their plans for further study.

Cedre assessment

Since 2003, the French Ministry of Education has been implementing standardized sample-based assessments at national level. The Cycle des Évaluations Disciplinaires Réalisées sur Échantillons (Cedre) measures students' skills at the end of lower secondary schools.

Each year, a disciplinary area of the curriculum is assessed as part of a 6-year rolling cycle. In elementary education, the areas assessed are:

• Language skills;

• Modern foreign languages;

• History-geography and civics;

• Experimental sciences;

• Mathematics.

The results of these assessments can be used to situate pupils' performance on a scale of levels. Renewed at regular intervals, these assessments enable us to monitor the evolution of students' levels over time. The tests are administered at the end of the school year.

For lower secondary schools, the target population is third-year students in public and private middle schools in mainland France. Stratification is also carried out according to school sector. Ninth-grade classes are randomly selected to ensure national representativeness (for example, this represented around 8,400 students in over 300 classes for the mathematics assessment in 2014). To take account of non-response, the samples are adjusted to ensure they are representative by sector, gender and educational backwardness.

Student progression

Moving from one class to another

The procedures for moving from one class to another at lower secondary education are governed by the provisions of the French Education Code, both legislative (article L331-8) and regulatory (article D331-23 et seq.). According to these provisions, depending on the assessment report, the student's parents may request that he or she be moved up to the next class, or that he or she be streamed or repeat the year. This request is examined by the class council, which takes into account all the information gathered by its members, and in turn makes a proposal for promotion or repetition.

When these are in line with the requests, the head teacher makes the decisions and forwards them to the parents. If the decision is not in line with the request, the head teacher meets with the student's parents, informs them of the proposal and receives their comments. The decision is then made. If the disagreement persists, the parents (or students of legal age) can appeal to an appeals committee chaired by the school inspector, who makes the final decision.

Decree no. 2014-1377 of November 18, 2014 amends the provisions of the Education Code concerning orientation stages and repeating a year. According to article L311-7 of the Education Code, repeating a year can only be exceptional. Repeating a year always requires the written agreement of the student's legal representatives.

Furthermore, in 3rd grade, repeating a year cannot be requested by the family, nor proposed by the school. Only if the student's parents or the student of legal age are unsuccessful in their application for a course of study, can they have the right to keep the student in his or her original class for the duration of a single school year.

Guidance towards upper secondary education

The decision to opt for the general and technological track or the vocational track is taken by the class council, in accordance with the procedures described above. However, the choice of options for grade 10 (general and technological path) and the specialities for the vocational aptitude certificate (CAP) and vocational baccalaureate is made by the family.

A personalised guidance interview is offered to all ninth form students, to help them make the transition to upper secondary education. This interview is led by the main teacher, who draws on the expertise of guidance professionals (directors of the information and guidance centre, guidance counsellors). The practical arrangements for the interview are the responsibility of the head teacher (circular no. 2006-213 of 14 December 2006).

Certification

Diplomas and certificates issued by the Ministry of National Education, Higher Education and Research and recognised at national level may be awarded to lower secondary students. Obtaining these certificates is not a prerequisite for continuing their education in upper secondary education.

• The ‘general education certificate’CFG);

• The diplôme national du brevet (DNB) ;

• Pix certification for digital skills.

The general education certificate (Certificat de formation générale - CFG)

The general education certificate (CFG) validates general knowledge (French, mathematics, social and professional life). This diploma is intended for students in General and professional adapted education sections (sections d'enseignements généraux et professionnels adaptés - SEGPA) and Regional adapted teaching institutions (Etablissements régionaux d'enseignement adapté - EREA), as well as young people aged 16-25 or adults who have completed a work-linked training course as part of a social and vocational integration scheme or continuing education.

Candidates obtain the certificate of general education if their knowledge and skills are assessed at a satisfactory level, reflected by a total number of points. For all candidates, the total number of points required to obtain the diploma must be at least equal to 200.

The points scored are determined by the level of proficiency demonstrated in academic achievements, assessed against the Cycle 3 reference scale and the eight domains of the Common core of knowledge, skills, and culture (Socle commun de connaisances, de compétences et de culture), as outlined in the following scale:

• 10 points if the candidate obtains level 1 “Insufficient proficiency” ;

• 20 points for level 2 “fragile proficiency”;

• 25 points for level 3 “Satisfactory proficiency”;

• 30 points for level 4 “Very good proficiency”.

• and an oral test, common to all candidates, graded on 160 points.

The level of proficiency expected for each of the components of the first domain, and for each of the other four domains of the Common core of knowledge, skills and culture, must be at least equal to “satisfactory proficiency” on the Cycle 3 reference scale. As these candidates have attended cycle 4, their academic achievements, referenced to the expectations at the end of cycle 4, are also recorded in their school report book (livret scolaire unique). They are taken into account in awarding the diploma.

The oral test assesses the candidate's “oral communication and social skills, as well as their ability to present their personal experience and situate themselves in their social or professional environment” - in other words, their fluency in oral expression, their ability to enter into dialogue, to describe their experience, and to argue and justify their chosen project.

The Diplôme national du brevet (DNB)

The Common core (socle commun) is assessed on 400 points.

Continuous assessment, which attests to proficiency in each of the eight components of the Common core (socle commun) and which is assessed at the class council meeting in the 3rd term of grade 9:

• Insufficient mastery (10 points);

• Poor command (25 points);

• Satisfactory command (40 points);

• Very good command (50 points).

The exam tests represent 400 points.

• French (3 hours), marked out of 100: based on an extract from a literary text and possibly an image, assessment of linguistic skills (grammar - including rewriting -, vocabulary, etc.) and comprehension and interpretation skills + dictation + writing;

• Mathematics (2 hours), marked out of 100 points: exercises, some with tables or diagrams, including a computer exercise;

• history and geography (2 hours), marked out of 50: analysis and understanding of documents + use of historical and geographical references + use of moral and civic education skills;

• science (1 hour) (2 of the 3 subjects), marked out of 50 points: physics-chemistry, life and earth sciences, technology;

• and finally, the oral test, marked out of 100 points, which focuses on a project carried out in art history or as part of an EPI or one of the educational pathways, and is used in particular to assess the quality of oral expression. There are two ways of doing this: 

• either a 15-minute individual interview (5-minute presentation and 10-minute interview);

• or a 25-minute group interview (10-minute presentation and 15-minute interview).

Additional points are awarded to candidates who have followed optional teaching according to the level they have achieved at the end of cycle 4 in terms of the learning objectives of this teaching:

• 10 points if the cycle's learning objectives are met;

• 20 points if the cycle's learning objectives are exceeded.

Students pass if they score 400 out of 800 points. Depending on the total number of points obtained, students may be awarded mentions: ‘assez bien’ (480 points, i.e. 12/20), ‘bien’ (560 points, i.e. 14/20) or ‘très bien’ (640 points, i.e. 18/20). Subject to certain conditions, ‘bien’ and ‘très bien’ distinctions entitle students to merit-based grants for further study.

At the start of each school year, a Republican ceremony is organised for the winners of the Diplôme national du brevet to receive their diplomas at their lower secondary schools. Each year, the education authorities, in conjunction with the schools and local elected representatives - mayors, departmental councillors, etc. - organise an official presentation of the diplomas obtained the previous year. This ceremony brings together the educational community and elected representatives around the students who are completing their shared education. It is an opportunity to highlight the essential role played by schools in the Republic and to congratulate students who have obtained their first diploma.

Pix certification

A reference framework for digital skills (cadre de référence des compétences numériques - CRCN), inspired by the European DIGCOMP framework, has been defined by the Ministries responsible for National education, youth and higher education. The digital skills defined in the CRCN are assessed and certified nationally via an online Pix platform for pupils at the end of lower secondary education.

Pix certification provides a certified digital skills profile that is recognised by the State and registered in the inventory of the French National Commission for Professional Certification (CNCP). The platform provides pupils with digital skills certification at the end of cycle 4.

From cycle 4 onwards, the Pix platform enables pupils to assess themselves and their progress on the basis of placement tests. From grade 7 (classe de 5e), pupils register on the Pix platform, which is accessible free of charge, where they can track their progress. If they move to another school, they can keep track of their progress.

Public and government dependant private schools are equipped with a Pix Orga space that enables teaching teams to generate test paths for different digital skills, monitor pupils' results and support them in acquiring their skills up to the point of certification.