A new ambition : the Campus of Excellence

The Campus of excellence, developed in each region, aim to create a network of quality vocational training courses throughout the country. Prepared closely with the regions and professionals, they unit businesses and players in training and research. Genuine living centres that showcase the excellence of a business sector, they participate in the appeal of vocational training.

A call for projects has been launched in 2019. Eight endorsement files were submitted as at 20 August 2019. They will continue to be processed until the Autumn.

This call for projects is granted €50 million under the Programme d'Investissements d'Avenir (PIA - Investments for the Future programme).

A new grade 10 and a new cap

Pupils are not always entirely clear about the profession they wish to follow when starting at upper secondary vocational school. It has therefore been decided to arrange Grade 10 by families of profession so that :

• pupils can explore all careers in a same professional field
• they have time to choose the profession that suits them best.

At the start of the 2019 school year, three initial families of profession have been introduced in the vocational Grade 10 :

• sustainable construction, building and public works
• customer relations and administrative management professions
• transport and logistics professions.

Starting this year, the upper secondary vocational school reforms are increasing the number of classes of half the normal size so that pupils can benefit from improved monitoring.

Grade 10 pupils will therefore have certain jointly-taught classes. This combination of a general teacher and a specialist teacher will thus make the general teaching more solid and the meaning of both the general and vocational teaching far clearer.

The new CAP has been introduced this year. It offers more flexible pathways as it can be taken over one, two or three years.

In addition, upper secondary school pupils benefit from updated general teaching programmes. They come into force in first year CAP and in vocational Grade 10 this year.

Division of the timetable in upper secondary vocational school (grade 10, 11 and 12)

More gradual pathways and improved support

Starting this year, Grade 10 pupils can benefit from the extra support resulting from the transformation of the upper secondary vocational school.

The plan is to allocate specific time to support (265 hours over three years): consolidation hours in French and maths, one-to-one support and support in choosing which course to follow.

The pupils will thus be informed better about the diverse pathways on offer between actual school and apprenticeship.

Mobility is an essential aspect of solid vocational training. Experiments with the mobility option in the vocational baccalauréat since 2014 (7,000 candidates in 2018) have been consolidated and extended to other secondary vocational diplomas. In addition, under "long" mobilities (more than two months), it is now possible to enhance skills acquired abroad.

Pathway of pupil commencing a vocational baccalauréat in 2019