Tell how French numbering of grades is different from English?

Answer 1

It depends which English country or state you want to compare it to.

It also depends if you want to compare by type of schools or age.

I added the U.S. equivalent grades based on age.

Schooling is mandatory from 6 to 16 years old, but children can enter preschool on the year they reach 3, so it could be as early as 2 for some children born late in the year. Children and students can repeat any year if the school deems it necessary.

The school year usually starts in early September to end mid or late June.

French grading system does not follow numeral grades until secondary education.

The typical grading system is as follows:

École maternelle (preschool and kindergarten):

• Très petite section (very little section): Age 3 (optional). U.S. equivalent: Preschool
• Petite section (little section): Age 4. U.S. equivalent: Preschool
• Moyenne section (middle section): Age 5. U.S. equivalent: Kindergarten
• Grande section (big section): Age 6. U.S. equivalent: 1st grade

École primaire (primary school):

Cours préparatoire (preparatory grades)

• CP: Age 7. U.S. equivalent: 2nd grade

Cours élémentaire (elementary grades)

• CE1: Age 8. U.S. equivalent: 3rd grade
• CE2: Age 9. U.S. equivalent: 4th grade

Cours moyen (middle grades)

• CM1: Age 10. U.S. equivalent: 5th grade
• CM2: Age 11. U.S. equivalent: Middle school, 6th grade

Collège (secondary school)

• Sixième (sixth grade): Age 12. U.S. equivalent: 7th grade
• Cinquième (5th grade): Age 13. U.S. equivalent: 8th grade
• Quatrième (4th grade): Age 14. U.S. equivalent: High school, 9th grade (freshman)
• Troisième (3rd grade): Age 15 (and "Diplôme National du Brevet" DNB diploma). U.S. equivalent: 10th grade (sophomore)

Lycée

• Seconde (2nd grade): Age 16. U.S. equivalent: 11th grade (junior)

  This is the grade where you decide your specialization for the next 2 years and type of baccalauréat diploma.

• Première (1st grade): Age 17. U.S. equivalent: 12th grade (senior)
• Terminale (last grade before the baccalauréatgénéral or baccalauréat technologique diploma): Age 18

Or: Lycée professionel

• 2 years of studies and usually apprenticeship to prepare the Certificat d'Aptitude Professionnelle CAP diploma and enter the working world earlier.
• Or more commonly now, 3 years to prepare the baccalauréat professionnel, which replaced several previous types of diplomas to level all types of baccalauréats (bac) to 3 years of post general college studies.

Université (university)

• Several different options to prepare a licence (Bac+3, rough U.S. eq. associate degree), a master (Bac+5, rough U.S. eq. bachelor degree), a doctorat (Bac+8, rough U.S. eq. doctorate degree), or specialized diplomas and schools. The university year frequently starts a month later than for secondary schools, for instance in October.