Bilingual (french) state school in berlin

Simple matter of Googleing.

There is a site about French schools in Berlin. The site is in German, French, English and Italian. I am linking to the specific German language page since I only found an overview on the French page and didn’t want to spend the time trying to figure out the navigation.

https://www.berlin.de/kultur-und-ticket … hulen.html

They mention the following 3 schools the first one being the only primary school for children of this age and I think it is actually bilingual German/French rather than primarily French instruction. You will have to contact them directly for any information you don't find on the website; I have no personal knowledge about the school or how to register a child, especially with Covid regulations

Judith-Kerr-Grundschule
Roamin-Rolland-Oberschule
Lycée Français Berlin

Here is a direct link (the French version, also available in German) to the Lycée Français Berlin AKA Französisches Gynasium. This sounds like what you would want but it is only from the 5th grade and up, not for younger children but you might want to check it out to know what opportunities there are for later on as the kids are older. 
https://www.fg-berlin.eu/Objectifs-du-Lycee-Francais-de

Additional information:
- public schools in Germany (also bilingual ones) follow the German curriculum, never the French one. If you want the French curriculum, an international (and therefore private and costly) school is your only option.
- The school year in Germany starts after summer vacations (Aug. Or Sep., depending on the state).

beppi wrote:

Additional information:
- public schools in Germany (also bilingual ones) follow the German curriculum, never the French one. If you want the French curriculum, an international (and therefore private and costly) school is your only option.
- The school year in Germany starts after summer vacations (Aug. Or Sep., depending on the state).

I read at the website for the Berlin French Gymnasium that it awards not only the German Abitur but the French  Baccalaureate. It claims to be the only school in Germany that does this, so somehow I think they conform to the French curriculum. I'm not expert on this subject but one can read for themselves. Certainly not the kind of thing that is standard in Germany but if one would find it anywhere, then no surprise it would be in Berlin.

Thanks, Tom: I did not know about this very unique school (and did not expect something like this to exist).
Interestingly, the school webpage does not tell whether is is a (free or nearly free) publicly funded, or a fee-based private school. Georgelb: Please contact them to find out (and post the result here)!

beppi wrote:

Thanks, Tom: I did not know about this very unique school (and did not expect something like this to exist).
Interestingly, the school webpage does not tell whether is is a (free or nearly free) publicly funded, or a fee-based private school. Georgelb: Please contact them to find out (and post the result here)!

Like I mentioned, I only know what I read on their website. And I was also curious that it didn't seem to directly mention if it was public or private. But the impression I got from the link to it at the Berlin website that I also posted seemed to indicate this. Definitely something to double check on - although, for the OP it will be some years before their kids are old enough to attend Gymnasium anyway.

Hello,
Thank you all for your reply,
I found mainly 4 schools that offer french and German language.
I am not interested in a school that follows the french curriculum, I am looking for a school that would help my kids learn german based on their french knowledge. It would be very hard for them to go to a primary school that uses only german as a teaching language since they don't know at all about the german language.
Regards and happy holiday season.
Feiege8

Oh, I am afraid you are out of luck then: All German schools (incl. bilingual ones) are geared towards German kids getting exposure to a foreign language.
For what you want, an international school for foreign kids would work (for a fee), or you put them into a preparatory class for foreigners first (“Förderklasse”, which are offered by some public schools free of charge), where they are brought up to the level to enter normal German classes within 6-12 months - primary level kids learn surprizingly fast!
If you intend to stay long-term, the second option is preferable, as language skills (and German friends in the vicinity) are key to their wellbeing here.

Like Beppi mentioned, there are private international schools that do things differently than the public ones but they usually cost at least 1000 Euros/month. And not all, but most, are emphasizing English/German rather than French/German. I think this can be sensible for people staying a year or possibly 2.

But for a longer stay, the kids should be learning German anyway and be able to switch to a public school after 1 or 2 years. Public schools have to take all kids, even if they don't speak any German. They will have the emphasis on learning German for the first year and thus might lose a year academically. In such a program it can also be that there there are kids of various ages grouped together rather than all the same age - something some people have voiced concerns about although I don't see it as a big problem.

Even if not reaching  a high level, the best thing parents coming  to Germany can do for their kids is to get them help learning German as well as possible before arriving - with a private tutor if nothing else.

The French Lycée, like the JFK School, where one can obtain either an Abitur or a US high school diploma, are remnants of the time Berlin was divided into sectors and under Allied administration.

Now, there are bilingual state schools in several other languages partnered with German but it all started with English options in the American and British sectors, French in the French sector and of course a German/Russian school in former East Berlin.