What is the name of your child's school? (Please report on one school per survey.)

Ermitage International School of France

In what town or city is this school located?

Maisons-Laffitte

How would you describe this school? (i.e. American, British, International, Local, etc.)

International

What grade levels are represented at this school?

Pre-K through High School

How do most children get to school everyday? (bus, train, walk, etc.)

Car

How would you describe the facilities at this school? What extra-curricular activities are available?

Facilities quite poor and not well maintained. New library but not very well stocked, new chemistry labs but not enough equipment for each student in a class to do experiments Many opportunities for international exchanges and voluntary work abroad

What has this school done to help your child transition from the curriculum in your home country into the curriculum in your new country? Are there programs to prepare your child for repatriation?

This school attempts to straddle the French, English and American curricula. There are no programs to help children about to return home.

How would you describe the social activities available for parents through this school? Are there parent-teacher organizations?

There is no PTA as the relationship between the school admin and the parents has never been very good.

What advice would you give to someone considering enrolling their child in this school?

The Lower School is well run by a caring and switched-on head teacher. The collège principal is not widely respected and many parents do not appreciate his quite cavalier style. The lycée principal runs a tight ship but the facilities in the lycée are sorely lacking -- very cramped conditions, study periods conducted in a converted garage which also serves as a cafeteria, no library...