Ecole Jeannine Manuel - London

Ecole Jeannine Manuel London opened in 2015 as the UK arm of the Paris-based Jeannine Manuel bilingual schools. Around 700 students aged 3 to 18 in Bedford Square, on a French-English bilingual programme that culminates in the IB Diploma.

The school is non-selective and admits non-French speakers and beginner English speakers up to Year 7. Curriculum runs roughly half in French and half in English, with the French Brevet at 15 and the IB Diploma at 18. The 2025 IB average was 39 points, well ahead of the UK and global means. Fees run roughly GBP 24,800 to GBP 35,200, without the French government subsidy other Lycée network schools receive.

Families praise the genuine bilingual outcome, warm primary years and a strong lockdown switch to online learning. The honest grumble is the packed academic timetable, which leaves limited room for music or sport inside school hours, so families top these up outside. Best fit for Francophone or Francophile families in central London who want a serious bilingual academic backbone with the IB at the end.

• Bilingual French-English school in Bloomsbury (Bedford Square), opened 2015 as the UK arm of the Paris school.
• IB Diploma average of 39 in 2025, well above the UK average of 35 and global average around 31.
• Parent base described as international and longstanding-London rather than transient expat: British, French, Lebanese, American and Italian families, 45 nationalities across roughly 585 pupils.
• Calm classroom culture is a recurring theme; parents told reviewers "there are never any problems in the classroom, everyone behaves nicely and listens", attributed to small class sizes.
• Non-selective admission and welcoming of non-French speakers comes up repeatedly as a differentiator versus the Lycée.
• Practical limitations flagged: limited sports provision and outdoor space, only IGCSE English options (which complicates moves into UK A Level schools), and no A Level pathway.