Pedagogy

Helping all students reach their full potential through fulfilment, autonomy, and cooperation in an open-minded environment that supports self-confidence.

Our educational approach

“We ensure the well-being of all our students, to help them thrive as they learn. Because every child is unique, specialized teaching has a central place in our approach so we can help students reach their full potential by consolidating fundamental knowledge and skills, including PSHE aptitudes (navigating emotions, harnessing creative and critical thinking…). We follow French state education programs with adapted methods of learning, especially in sciences and English, to make learning more effective and consistent. To this end, we favor project-based teaching, interdisciplinarity, and key stage cycles (one-off multi-age groups). Our educational approach draws inspiration from a pragmatic combination of several methods, especially those based on alternative learning styles, learning sciences, and cognitive sciences. Civics education and stimulating openness to the world also play an important role in our educational project.”
— Naïma, Cédric Élie, iféa founders
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The iféa method

We ensure the well-being of children whilst maintaining high standards. To this end, our method is based on specialised teaching, up-to-date learning tools, and individual all-round care.

Specialised teaching in small classes

Specialized learning is a way of reconsidering traditional school settings (number of students, rhythms of learning, teaching tools and material). Our goal is to enable students to meet or surpass objectives set out in the French curriculum through adapted methods. Émilie du Châtelet classes are therefore taught in reduced sizes, with a maximum of 18 to 20 students. Specialized teaching means individualized learning paths and customized group skills. Each student receives individual care of a tutor. Children are given adapted homework and individual practice exercises. Evaluations identify a student’s strengths and weaknesses that offer clear, reassuring indicators of their goals. Our students are also encouraged to cooperate within group settings. Situations of mutual help, emulation, and peer tutoring all facilitate learning. Weekly briefs are posted online so families can monitor their child’s progress.

All-round care and school-based homework

Students are given tailored homework in each topic depending on their needs. Homework is done at school under the supervision of responsible adults who help as needed. Students are no longer given after-school work to do at home (aside from one-off research or reading assignments). We believe that a young student who has spent a day at school does not need to do further work at home. The time that is saved can instead be devoted to leisure, extracurricular activities, or family time. However from year 9, in preparation for tests such as the French national diploma, secondary school students are given regular homework.

Digital technology that serves learning

We bolster teachers’ learning tools with age-appropriate digital tools children are familiar with, such as on-demand laptops. The use of computers for learning is proportionate to a child’s age and must be supported within reason to best supplement their knowledge. Screen time is controlled in order to respect children’s cognitive development, well-being, and health. In primary school, and progressively throughout their schooling, students learn to use and master digital learning tools and to develop a critical approach to find reliable sources. Beyond being simple digital tools, specific software modules are used to develop and reinforce specific skills through memorization and use practice exercise and training modules. These modules are part of iféa’s digital platform used by children, families, and teachers. This software will help tailor homework and offer individual tracking of a student’s progress.

Supporting gifted children

Our teaching methods are based on specialized teaching, openness and caring. Our specially trained instructors and adapted tools all contribute to the flourishing of high potential students. Our approach involves helping each young person grow according to their own pace, to quell anxiety, and to let imagination, curiosity, and creativity run free. Students who have a global vision of the world are stimulated through interdisciplinary projects or when age groups are broken down. Our team checks in with them regularly to measure progress and sticky areas (whether related to their relationships or their learning).
We also offer a specific learning track for high potential students who have fallen behind in the classical curriculum. This learning track is shaped on a case-by-case basis with the child or teenager, alongside their parents, our teaching staff, and external partners.

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Bilingual teaching in primary school


In a globalised world, being bilingual (English-French) has become a key skill for thriving in the 21st century. It involves cultural immersion from an early age.

In Primary School

English is taught from year 2. Daily oral exercises are done with the children, using fun methods that inspire their curiosity and desire to learn. From year 3, students receive equal attention from a French teacher and an English-speaking teacher. English teachers teach their topic as well as cultural and art-based classes (fine arts, theatre, music), sciences, and civics education. The breakdown of lessons into English and French is dependent on the year group. In year 5, students are introduced to Chinese and Spanish, while an additional modern language is chosen and studied in year 7.

Secondary School

In secondary school, students continue studying languages both through their study of individual topics (first modern language choice, science, etc.), but also by engaging in interdisciplinary projects supported by teachers or by native English-speaking partners. Project-based learning is therefore encouraged, and students are invited to participate in speech classes to help them communicate and deliver their ideas and projects. Civics lessons are also excellent opportunities for attending conferences in English. Our school offers extracurricular activities in which students can broaden their language skills (yoga and theatre clubs in English, advanced courses, workshops, etc…).
More Secondary School information will be available soon.

Refresher courses and certifications

Students who join us during the school year are given time to adjust and to refresh their knowledge through our intensive courses. Supportive peer mentoring is also active throughout the school year.
From the age of 7, students can prepare for Cambridge English Certificates to hone their level of English through Émilie du Châtelet courses led by staff comprised of former CEC examiners.

Extended science courses


Science education offers keys to understanding the world in which we live. It rests on two complementary approaches: acquiring a structured knowledge base, and developing analytical powers.

Our approach to science

Developing observation skills and attention to detail, valuing critical thinking and discipline, encouraging initiative and teamwork, and stimulating research through the process of enquiry all contribute to students finding fulfilment in the 21st century. Scientific education stems from a global approach that is showcased through interdisciplinary projects that naturally connect formal sciences (mathematics, IT and computational thinking), physical sciences (physics and chemistry), and life sciences. Starting in Primary School, in Year 5, IT and computational thinking have an important place in the curriculum, which will continue to be developed throughout a student’s school career, until Year 13.

Science in Primary School

Children in primary school are invited to develop their logical thinking and acquire knowledge and skills through life sciences, physics and chemistry, or engineering skills by relying on experimentation and trial and error. Observation, handling, and experimentation also help students consolidate their reading, writing and counting skills  and their reading which includes writing a brief summary or preparing oral presentations of their work. Year 5 and 6 students have access to our secondary school labs, with support from middle school teachers and research partners (scientific research sessions in secondary school).

Science in Secondary School

In middle school, the range of scientific studies gets broader. With more hours of teaching compared to official programs, science is taught through topic-based lessons (math and digital skills, life sciences, physics-chemistry), and through project-based sessions (with engineering sciences for relevant projects). In this case sciences are coupled with other topics, such as English or history for example. More specifically, secondary school math is bolstered by reinforced digital learning.

Citizenship education for a wide open vision of the world


We place particular emphasis on civics, the arts, and cultural education so our students can contribute to building a durable, inclusive future, whilst stimulating civic mindedness and engagement.

Citizenship and eco-citizenship training

We follow the official French civics curriculum, which is based on learning through projects with a civics or eco-citizen scope, or professionals in that field. IFÉA has chosen to devote clearly dedicated lessons to this curriculum. Major themes of citizenship education are covered through conferences, outings, or projects over several weeks supported by our teachers and external partners as in teaching the values of living in a republic and the principles of secularism, environmental and sustainable development education, media and information education, combating all forms of discrimination and racism, etc.

Artistic and cultural education

In primary school, art history, fine arts, and music are taught weekly and help consolidate reading, writing, and math. In secondary school the artistic and cultural education projects take place in the afternoon. We have chosen not to follow the official French format of one hour a week. We prefer giving meaning back to these topics by integrating them throughout the year as part of interdisciplinary projects through meeting artists and cultural outings so as to provoke genuine reflection. Being open to the world is also encouraged through highlighting the importance of learning modern languages.
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