Secondary
Deciding what school to send your child to for their Secondary Education in Luxembourg can be challenging especially if you do not have experience of the various education choices. Children in the Primary State Schools will have gone through an ‘orientation process’ which will inform them of the type of school they can apply to within the system i.e. ‘Classique’ or ‘Technique’. However there are multiple choices for parents and children depending on their age, language skills, level of academic education, and previous experience of educational systems. We have compiled a list of questions that might help you in deciding where to send your Secondary aged child to school in our Introduction to Education section. In particular at this age you might consider what qualification you want your child to work towards, whether you will need to move country during their Secondary education, whether your child needs additional educational support, or where your child might attend Higher Education.
Languages are very important to your child’s success in the Luxembourgish school system. Your child will generally need a proficiency of French and German to be able to complete the Luxembourgish School Leaving Certificate (Diploma) or International Baccalaureate. For more detailed information see the Luxembourgish Schools Support Group website.
The Luxembourgish Schools Support Group
The Luxembourgish Schools Support Group (or “LSSG”) aims to provide information in English on the Luxembourgish education system as well as practical help for parents of any nationality with children in the state schools. The group is run by parents for parents, with the objective to educate parents and children about the Luxembourgish education system and to support families in getting the maximum benefit from their schooling in Luxembourg. LSSG organise and host annual information meetings, alternating between the Primary and Secondary (Lycée) School systems. They also produce and maintain information packs on the Primary and Secondary School systems in Luxembourg. These are updated and can be found under ‘resources’ on their website. Their volunteers can also provide specific information, advice and support.
Preparing your child for Secondary School
All Secondary Schools organise open days or information sessions for parents and children to attend. In the Luxembourgish system these generally take place on Saturdays during the school year. It is a good idea to start attending these sessions two years before Secondary begins because some sessions take part on the same day and that way you ensure visiting all potential schools. You and your child may want to have a list of questions for potential schools not only concerned with academics but also the overall school philosophy, pastoral care and the facilities available including sports, arts or music. The Luxembourgish Schools Support Group also runs an information session where they invite local experts to talk about the differences between Classique /Technique and other educational opportunities including the state schools that offer an English Programme – the Athénée de Luxembourg and the Lycée Michel Lucius.
Qualifications in English Secondary Education in Luxembourg
You may want your child to receive an education or recognised qualification in English for various reasons. We have listed below the qualifications available in Luxembourg with a short description together with the schools that offer them in English at present.
International Baccalaureate (IB)
The International Baccalaureate (or IB) is a practical and application-based programme whose purpose is to produce global citizens. The IB programme offers students an internationally recognisable qualification that is used by many International Schools. This can be valuable for expat families who may change location as attending a IB school in another country should offer a familiar curriculum. The IB programme follows through from Primary level to the final two years of Secondary (diploma level). It comprises a wide range of compulsory subjects and 3-5 elective subjects.
Schools in Luxembourg which offer this programme in English:-
The International School of Luxembourg (ISL)
European Baccalaureate (EB)
The European Baccalaureate (or EB) is awarded to students who pass the final year exam at the European School in Mamer or Kirchberg. These are mainly attended by students whose parents work for a European institution. The EB is a two year course and assesses the performance of students in the subjects taught in secondary years 6-7.The EB like the IB comprises a wide range of compulsory subjects and 3-5 elective subjects. Compulsory EB studies include mother tongue, 1st foreign language, mathematics (5hours/week or 3/hours a week course), philosophy, one science subject, history and geography (both taught in the 1st foreign language), and gym.
Schools in Luxembourg which offer this programme in English:-
The European School (Lux1) Kirchberg
The European School (Lux 2) Mamer
International General Certificate of Secondary Education (IGCSE)
The International General Certificate of Secondary Education (IGCSE) is an academically rigorous, internationally used, and specialized English language curriculum, which is offered to students to prepare them for International Baccalaureate and A Levels. Students work towards an IGCSE qualification in a range of subjects of their choice. Generally they will take English, Mathematics, a Second Language and one or more subjects in Science as compulsory core subjects and possibly up to 4 -6 elective subjects. Unlike many school-leaving qualifications in many countries, the IGCSE is not a group award or “certificate of education”. It is a qualification based on individual subjects of study, which means that one receives an “IGCSE” qualification for each subject one takes.
Schools in Luxembourg that offer this programme in English:-
St Georges International School
The International School of Luxembourg (ISL)
AS & A Levels
AS (Advanced Subsidiary) Level and A (advanced) Level qualifications are offered by schools following the British Curriculum after IGCSE. They are highly valued by universities in the UK and recognized Internationally. AS levels can be taken as a stand-alone qualification, or as the first part of an A level course.
Most students take 3 or 4 subjects at A Level. And depending on the school may take AS Levels before. The subjects a child studies for A/AS level can help shape their future, so their choices are important. If they are already focused on a particular career, this is a chance to start to specialise.
Schools in Luxembourg that offer this programme in English:-
St Georges International School
For more information see our English Education in Luxembourg section
What if my child has problems or challenges in Secondary School?
If you, or your school, think that your child may have some problems or additional educational needs it is important to arrange a meeting with their teachers by appointment and take time to discuss your concerns. For more information about where to get information and support in Luxembourg see our Special Needs Section.