Françoise Zurbach
Head of School
EIFA is an independent, international, co-ed school providing an English-French bilingual education. Through a rigorous and multilingual programme, we educate pupils to become creative, responsible and principled global citizens. Our curriculum, as well as our diverse community, cultivate the international mindedness and understanding needed to thrive at university, and later in the global work landscape.
• The wellbeing and personal development of our pupils is of paramount importance. Our unique teaching philosophy is centred on the development of the child as a whole, helping to achieve high academic standards alongside an innovative mindset and a genuine sense of wellbeing.
• We provide internationally recognised programmes, from IGCSE to the IB Diploma, widely accepted among the world's best universities.
• The school has specific programmes to help them adapt to the demands of a bilingual curriculum.
• Our inter-disciplinary research projects enable pupils to reflect and take responsibility for their learning through a variety of subjects. Pupils develop their critical thinking skills through selecting and analysing different sources of information. EIFA pupils are encouraged to be creative thinkers and solution finders, able to understand challenges from different cultural perspectives.
We have organised the information available for this school into 10 sections and 39 questions. Click or tap on the name of each section to read more.
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Number of students
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310
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Number of nationalities represented in the school
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40
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Most common nationality
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Most children have dual nationality and EIFA has a fair proportion of Francophone families.
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Native English and French speaking teachers
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Yes
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Language support for students not fluent in English and French
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English as an Additional Language
Français Langue Etrangère
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Additional language classes offered by the school
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Spanish, German, Latin
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Max. number of students per class
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20
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Average number of students per class
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15
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Does the school employ teaching assistants?
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Yes
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Use of technology in the classroom
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EIFA is an Apple school and uses a combination of traditional and technologies-aided methods.
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Is the school ready to use virtual classrooms when needed? (e.g. teaching lessons online if the school is closed, e.g. during COVID-19 closures)
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The school implements a combination of traditional classroom teaching alongside the use of digital tools to enhance education and streamline administration. EIFA was one of the very first schools to deploy a fully-functioning, highly successful remote learning platform, during the 2020 and 2021 lockdowns thanks to a mix of technology, community support and culture. The school’s solid technical foundation along with dedicated staff and engaged parents ensured a smooth transition from classroom to remote schooling.
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Do students practice religion at the school? What religion?
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The school is secular and all faiths are respected.
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External examinations or assessments available
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Brevet, IGCSE, IB Diploma
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Results in these examinations
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100%
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Do teachers assign homework to their students?
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Yes
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Approximate hours of homework given
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At EIFA, there is no fit-for-all solution. Homework is spread throughout the week, allowing for the optimum home life / study balance.
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Percentage of students who pursue further education post-graduation
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100%
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Dedicated staff/programs for students with special learning needs
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Yes, the school has a Special Educational Needs (SEN) Coordinator who works with pupils who have special educational needs or disabilities.
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Learning support offered
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EIFA offers learning support and our SEN teachers will coordinate with the parents as necessary to devise the optimum individual program.
Pupils may be referred to a specialist consultant dealing with specific educational needs such as mild dyslexia, dyspraxia or ADHD.
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Student access to education psychologist
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Our SEN teacher will communicate with the parents as necessary to work out the best possible and individual solutions and may refer to a specialist consultant.
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Entry evaluation for students
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Our school is all inclusive.
Pupils joining at 11+ would be expected to be fluent either in French or in English. Pupils joining at 13+ or 16+ need to be fluent in English but do not need to speak French to follow IGCSE and IBDP pathways. Pupils will see their French improve considerably, thanks to our language support team. They should achieve excellent results in IGCSE French as a Foreign Language.
Our FLE (French as a Foreign Language) and EAL (English as an Additional Language) teachers will arrange additional one-to-one lessons, as and when necessary, to allow pupils to bridge any language gaps, at no extra cost to the parents.
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Brief description of entry evaluation required
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No entry exams. After admission, pupils' language levels are evaluated, in order to provide the appropriate support, if required.
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Waiting list
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A refundable deposit is required to secure the child's registration.
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Deadline for registration (new academic year)
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Admissions are open throughout the year. Taster days are offered and encouraged.
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Students can join after academic year begins
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Yes
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School start time
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Junior School: 8:40
Senior School: 8:30
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School finish time
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Junior School: 15:20
Senior School: 16:15 or 15:45 depending on the year group
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Supervised care before/after school
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Yes, homework clubs and different activities are available after the school day.
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School bus service available
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Yes.
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School provided lunches
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Yes
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Food alternatives for special dietary needs (ie. vegan, kosher, halal etc)
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Yes we have vegetarian menus available and all the meat is halal. No pork is served at the school.
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Uniform required
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No
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Facilities at the school
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Library, WebRadio, science lab, drama
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Sports facilities at the school
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EIFA makes use of the extensive facilities in Regent’s Park, which is a short walk from the Schools. Local leisure centres are used for specific activities such as swimming.
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Qualities and characteristics best defining the school
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EIFA is an independent co-ed school in central London providing premium international bilingual English-French education for children from 2-18 years old.
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Teaching approach of the school
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EIFA small scale classes foster academic accomplishment in an open, creative and nurturing environment, supporting each students to develop his or her full potential.
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Little EIFA | Ages 2-5
Little EIFA is a day nursery school designed to start your child on their journey to a bilingual life with all the joys that this will bring. Little EIFA follows the Early Years Foundation Stage curriculum. Children are immersed in both languages throughout the day with a mix of activities taking place in English or French, led by native speakers.
We have created a warm and friendly, specially designed learning environment to nurture the confidence of young children. With facilities such as our dedicated quiet sleeping room, our small intimate nursery offers the perfect environment for young children, often away from their parents for the first time. Our staffing levels mean that our highly qualified and experienced teachers can spend time with each child as they learn through play to explore their bilingual environment.
Junior EIFA | Ages 5-11
EIFA pupils follow the French National curriculum taught in both languages by native speakers. EIFA implements a hybrid approach to learning: blending academics with an English tradition of oratory through assemblies and collaborative learning and shared practices between English and French colleagues.
Our small size classes allow the teachers to pay individual attention to each child. The warm, friendly environment nurtures the pupils’ confidence.
Two native speaker adults are present in the classroom at all times: a teacher and a teaching assistant. EIFA bilingual and bicultural program provides our pupils with the opportunity to understand and thrive in two systems from a young age.
Senior EIFA | Ages 11-18
Our Senior School welcomes pupils in Year 7 to Year 13.
From Year 7 to Year 9, the curriculum is based on the French National Programme with subjects being taught equally in English and French. In Year 10, all pupils will be taking courses in IGCSE subjects. French nationals may opt to take the Diplôme National du Brevet. Our pupils are expected to gain between 8 and 11 IGCSEs.
In Year 12 and 13, pupils follow the IB Diploma Programme, which is accepted by leading UK and worldwide universities.
The school’s small numbers and strong emphasis on pastoral care, allow pupils to share their thoughts and reasoning without inhibition, in a caring and stress-free environment conducive to learning. Our pupils achieved 100% success rate at the last Brevet examination, and 100% pass rate at the last IGCSE exams.
