Marymount International School, Paris

In Brief

If you have children under 14, a corporate package covering fees, and want small classes with strong SEN support in a leafy western suburb, Marymount is a very good school. If you're self-funding or have teenagers, it isn't for you - there is no secondary programme past Grade 8.

Marymount is France's oldest international school, founded 1923, and it occupies a spacious campus in Neuilly-sur-Seine, one of the wealthiest communes in France and a short hop from the 16th arrondissement. The school follows American AERO curriculum standards for children aged 2 to 14 only - Grade 8 is the endpoint. Families with secondary-age children or those planning to stay in Paris beyond their child's Grade 8 year need to plan a school move. Around 360 students from 36 nationalities; average class size is 15, maximum 20; the student-teacher ratio runs at approximately 1:5.

The facilities are genuinely impressive: Marymount installed France's first FabLab and has invested consistently in learning spaces. The learning support programme (ILC) is one of the strongest in Paris for children with additional needs - though at EUR 55,000 the ILC fee is significant if your child requires it. The Catholic ethos is present but not dominant; children of all faiths are enrolled and the school is explicit that its values are universal. American families make up the largest single group, followed by a mix of European and Asian nationalities.

The entry cost is where Marymount tests families' resolve. The one-time capital assessment of EUR 12,400 is non-refundable and due on joining - before a single lesson. Add the EUR 1,400 application and registration fee, and the first year of Kindergarten comes in at just under EUR 50,000 before lunch and transport. The Neuilly campus is accessible but not metro-close; families in central or eastern Paris face a real commute. The re-enrollment fee of EUR 500 per year is a minor but consistent additional charge.