So, here we are in 2020 and I’m back with the school stuff but this time for Liam.

Liam is now in his final year at college and his next step will be the lycée; the final two years before the baccalaureate exam.

There are two types of lycée: general and professional. The difference being that someone who is not very academic but wants to be, let’s say, a plumber, can go to the professional lycée and study to become a plumber. If more academic inclined they can go to the general lycée and do all subjects and go on to do the A level equivalents.

Now Liam is not like his sister. He’s not bad at school, just not as good as Audrey was. His class has an average of 14.2 (out of 20) and Liam has an average of 13.3, so not too far behind. His latest school report was basically “can do better”; “needs to concentrate more”; “lacking in several areas” …. his best result is English (16) and his worst result is in French with an average of 8! Less than 10.5 is pretty bad.  

The report was given two weeks ago. The bottom line was that the lycée professional was the preferred choice and the general lycée was “subject to improvements”. Fair enough.

But then.

In the ten days since the report, 9 classes have been cancelled (prof absent) and two suspended. Today he should have started at 9 and finished at 16h30. The school bus has two morning runs at 07h30 and 08h30 for those starting at 8 or for those starting at 9 and in the afternoon, there are two bus runs at 15h30 and 16h30 for those finishing at those times.

The 9-10 lesson is cancelled. The 10-11 lesson is maintained (just a different class than normal). Lunch is from 11 – 13h30 (way too long). Sport from 13h30 – 15h30 has been cancelled as has history from 15h30-16h30.

So, he’s getting up at 7. Catching the bus at 08h30. Waiting in the school yard until 10 (it’s -5° this morning too). Then at 11, after one hour in class, he has a choice: he can decide to have lunch at school but then HAS to wait until 15h30 for the bus back home (4 and a half hours wait) or, I can leave work, go and pick him up and drop him off home, make his lunch or let him fend for himself. One hour out of a possible 7 and ½ hours of school time.

Hang on a second. He “needs to improve”. He’s “lacking in several areas” and we have not yet decided if he can go to the general lycée. But we’re not giving him the option to do either; we’re not there. There are only four months left before the academic year end and teachers are absent or classes suspended.

When I was at Fullbrook secondary school, if the math teacher was absent another took his/her place. The PE teachers could double and do English or chemistry. Failing that, the headmaster would fill in so that we were taught. There’s none of that here, though.

Very lame.