In my earlier pieces, I talked about arriving without the language, tutoring classmates in math, the "goblins" stuck in the school fence, and everyday life on campus. This time, I want to explore a topic that surprises almost every newcomer: the French 20-point grading scale, digital monitoring, and school atmosphere.
The 20-Point Philosophy: Managing Expectations
Why do French schools grade out of 20? There is a classic joke circulating among students: “20 is for God, 19 is for the teacher, 15 is excellent, and 10 is just scraping by.”
Scoring an 18, 19, or 20 is extraordinarily rare. In French academic culture, a 20 represents absolute, unattainable perfection. A 19 is considered the teacher's own level of expertise, while marks above 16 or 17 are reserved for work demonstrating exceptional insight and original thought, far beyond simply memorizing facts.
When I was in the preparatory adaptation class, grades weren't my top priority. I was lucky to have supportive parents who never pressured me about numbers; my focus was simply on learning the material. But once you transition into standard classes with local students, the pace picks up significantly. You have to actively retain past units because topics build rapidly upon one another.
Here is my advice to anyone starting out: keep a pocket notebook just to jot down the titles of topics covered in class. It makes revision much less overwhelming. I share this advice precisely because I didn't do it myself—and later realized just how much easier it would have made my life.
Pronote: Private Grades and Digital Surveillance
French teachers do not read out grades in front of the entire room. Assessment is treated as completely confidential.
Grades are delivered privately through the school platform (Pronote). It functions as the nerve center of school life: you check your schedule weeks in advance, spot room changes, message teachers directly, and view your assignments.
Parents also have their own dedicated portal on the app. Any grade, tardiness, or missed period is updated in real time. Hiding a bad test result from your family is virtually impossible.
Zero Bullying, Zero Tolerance
I have been fortunate with my lycée: bullying has simply not been an issue. Fellow students are welcoming, and newcomers from abroad are treated with fairness and respect.
The only disruption I can recall involved a friend from my adaptation class who showed up to a scheduled confrontation outside the school gates. I didn't see it happen, but the administration reacted swiftly, handing him a formal disciplinary warning. French schools take student safety very seriously: conflicts brought to the gate are met with immediate disciplinary action.
Adjusting to a system where a 12 or 14 out of 20 is considered a solid success takes some time, but it quickly teaches you to focus on genuine progress rather than chasing artificial perfection.
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