Our story
19 Jan 2022
Helping children thrive since 1974
Jacques Prévert was one of the first French schools to be set up in London. In its first year, it had 81 pupils. Now it welcomes more than 260 smiling children each day! Here's a look back over the school's history.
Easing pressure on the Lycée Charles de Gaulle
The idea of setting up a second French school in addition to the Charles de Gaulle Lycée, came to the fore in the 1970s. The prestigious secondary school, which was founded by Marie d’Orliac in 1915, could no longer accommodate all the students from the growing French community.
The creation of a new school as part of the Office for French Teaching Abroad (Agence pour l’enseignement français à l’étranger - AEFE) met with financing issues. However, when a French estate agent found a building for sale at 59 Brook Green, the French Chamber of Commerce got involved and set up a dedicated trust in order to purchase it. Almost every French company operating on British soil bought shares. The building was acquired for £300,000, and, in 1974, the Ecole Française de Londres was born.
Did you know?
The Ecole Française de Londres took on the name of the famous French poet Jacques Prévert in 1994, for its 20th anniversary. The plaque that was unveiled at the time can still be seen at the school’s main entrance on Brook Green.
A historic building
The school building, originally named The High House, is a 19th century Victorian structure that previously served as a boarding house for pupils at St Paul’s School.
In 1989, extensive renovations were carried out to improve the building and make it more comfortable for both pupils and their teachers. The courtyard was raised to make space for a library, a music room and an outdoor staircase. The second indoor staircase was removed, which allowed for larger classrooms.
Ever since, the school has undergone regular renovations in order to make continual improvements for the wellbeing of its pupils and to offer them the best conditions in which to learn.
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Virtual visit of the Ecole Jacques Prévert
Jacques Prévert makes a lasting impression on generations of pupils
The Ecole Jacques Prévert now has 260 pupils and around 40 staff, including teachers, administrators and facilitators, and is known for the quality of its academic programme. The school’s approach has stood the test of time and proved its merits, demonstrating its strength by bringing together a quest for excellence and the best in pupil care – from the moyenne section (4 years old, reception class) through to CM2 (10-11 years old, last year of primary school).
Always mindful of its mission to help raise confident children, over the years Jacques Prévert has created a primary school culture that is both academically rigorous and concerned with the wellbeing of each pupil. This is reflected both in the results of the school’s latest Ofsted inspection and the success of generations of children who leave after CM2 to pursue their studies at secondary schools of their choice.
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Why choose Jacques Prévert?