Our Elementary School provides a rigorous bilingual education accredited by both the French Ministry of Education and New York State Association of Independent Schools (NYSAIS).
Children benefit from the highest standards of both French and American education in a program that combines project-based learning and a student-centered approach.
Our Philosophy
Learning with Structure and Flexibility
Our Primary School is organized into three learning cycles defined by the French Ministry of Education. After completing Cycle 1, the Preschool Early Learning phase, our students move up to Elementary School which includes:
- Cycle 2 – Foundational Learning (Grades 1–3)
- Cycle 3 – Consolidation (Grades 4–5)
These cycles provide continuity and allow each child to progress at their own pace while mastering essential knowledge and skills.
Our highly qualified native French and English-speaking teachers use cross-curricular and project-based approaches to nurture curiosity, creativity, and critical thinking. With a maximum of 22 students per classroom, each child benefits from close attention from both the teacher and the assistant.
Our Specialized Support Team, composed of our school psychologist, speech therapists, and learning specialists, collaborates closely with teachers and families to address a wide range of special learning and developmental needs.
80%
Classroom instruction takes place 80% in French and 20% in English
80%
L’enseignement en classe se déroule à 80 % en français et 20 % en anglais.
Building True Bilingualism
Classroom instruction takes place 80% in French and 20% in English. Students engage in French, history, science, and math with their French homeroom teacher, who is paired with a native English-speaking teacher for English and special projects.
French language instruction is concentrated to ensure our students achieve true fluency, which can be challenging in an English-speaking environment like New York City.
80%
Classroom instruction takes place 80% in French and 20% in English
80%
L’enseignement en classe se déroule à 80 % en français et 20 % en anglais.
Fostering Well-being and Belonging
Children learn best when they feel safe, supported, and connected. To nurture this environment, we use the RULER approach—developed by the Yale Center for Emotional Intelligence—along with positive discipline and restorative practices to help children understand, express, and regulate their emotions through empathy and reflection.
Rooted in these foundations of care and respect, we are committed to educating citizens of culture and courage, who are open to the world and at home in it. Through initiatives such as the Day of Understanding and partnerships with organizations like Tanenbaum Center for Interreligious Understanding, students reflect on identity, history, and their role in building a more just world.
A French education works like a spiral. From a child's earliest years, their education has an intentional scaffolding of skills, competencies and knowledge that build upon one another year after year. The Lycée starts with these time-tested learning strategies in a bilingual setting that integrates all that families have come to expect from top New York City elementary schools.
Nadine Kaston
Director of Elementary School
Curriculum Overview
The Lycée's Elementary School curriculum places language, reasoning, creativity, and global awareness at its core. Students develop strong academic foundations through a bilingual program aligned with the French Ministry of Education and enriched by best practices from American independent school education. Learning is gradual, interdisciplinary, and designed to nurture curiosity, rigor, and confidence.
Dual Literacy: French and English in Balance
Mathematical Thinking
Science through Inquiry and Exploration
Creativity at the Core: Arts Education
History, Geography & Civic Education
Digital Learning with Purpose
Physical Education
How is progress assessed?
Our children are thriving, even without French spoken at home. Lycée proves that biliteracy is possible, and it is a place where every child can belong.
Amanda M.
Elementary Parent
What does a day in Elementary look like at the Lycée?
While students’ schedules vary slightly from day to day and by grade level, key moments remain consistent: arrival and dismissal times, lunch, and recess. Below is an example of a typical day in Grade 1.
Arrival
Student arrival and welcome
Morning
- 8:30am – Classes begin
- 1 hour of English
- 30 minutes of recess on the secure rooftop terrace
- 2 hours of instruction in French, which may include subjects such as mathematics and history
Lunch & Recess
- 1 hour for lunch and outdoor recess (timing varies by grade level)
- In Grade 1, lunch is served in the classroom. From Grade 2 onward, students dine daily in the school’s modern cafeteria. Students enjoy freshly prepared meals, a variety of healthy options, under supervision by trained assistants and parent volunteers.
Afternoon
- 1 hour of Arts in a dedicated room with the Primary art teacher
- 1 hour of instruction in French, focusing on subjects such as science and language arts
End of the day
Dismissal between 3 and 3:15pm
The Lycée offers families many fee-based afterschool clubs and care options, which can extend the day until 5:45pm.
Where next?
Mission and Values
