Lennen Bilingual School

In Brief

For families with young children (ages 2-11) in or near the 7th arrondissement who want a genuine 50/50 French-American bilingual education without the fees or waiting lists of the larger schools, Lennen is a strong choice. Just plan for secondary at another school from age 11.

Lennen is one of the few schools in Paris that can genuinely claim to be bilingual rather than bilingual-leaning. The 50/50 French-English split is built into the timetable from age two, following both the French national curriculum and American educational standards. Around 200 students from 27 nationalities across two campuses in the 7th arrondissement - avenue de Villars (primary) and quai d'Orsay (early years). Founded in 1960, it's been doing this for over 60 years, which shows in the programme's coherence and the stability of its teaching team.

The 7th arrondissement location is a genuine asset for families based in the neighbourhood - the school is walkable from much of the Left Bank. Class sizes are small, teachers are accessible, and the community is tightly knit. Parent reviews are consistently positive on atmosphere, staff responsiveness and bilingual quality. The school fees include all supplies, class trips and outings for the year, which keeps the billing straightforward. A 10% sibling discount applies for families with three or more children enrolled.

The school stops at age 11 (CM2/Grade 5). Families must plan secondary from the start - ask the admissions team which schools Lennen graduates most commonly move to, as the bilingual foundation can open doors at EJM, the British Section, and French state college. The school has two campuses which means children change site between early years and primary. Lennen has no formal accreditation beyond French Ministry of Education licensing - worth noting if you're coming from a highly accredited international school background. Fees have risen meaningfully: primary is now EUR 19,300-20,700, which is no longer bargain territory compared with some larger schools.