She wants to “relaunch the educational elevator”: in an interview with AFP, the Minister of Education Anne Genetet unveiled this Tuesday, November 12, the “act II” of the clash of knowledge, put in place last year by his predecessor Gabriel Attal. “It is a very coherent package to raise the level from primary to high school, with two components: one educational and one on the school climate,” explains the minister, who wishes to give “a boost to the college”.
Partially extended need groups
Among the announcements: the needs groups in middle school, set up this year in 6th and 5th grade, will only be partially extended next year in 4th and 3rd grade, with “one hour per week, either in math or in French”. In 4th and 3rd grade, the needs groups will be maintained, but “in a different way because the needs are not the same”, underlined Anne Genetet. This set of measures was announced last December by Gabriel Attal, then Minister of Education to “raise the level” of schools. Among the flagship measures was the controversial system of “level groups” – since renamed “needs groups” – which came into force at the start of the school year in 6th and 5th grades in French and mathematics, which were to be extended next year to 4th and 3rd grades. .
In September 2025, in 4th and 3rd grade, the groups “will meet for one hour per week, alternating between mathematics and French. The students in greatest difficulty will be in reduced numbers”, explained the minister to AFP. This measure, which will require more French and mathematics teachers, would require the creation of a maximum of 1,500 positions, with part redeployment, part recruitment of new teachers, she clarified, estimating that it is of entirely reasonable and absorbable proportions in the constrained budgetary context.
These groups of needs will also be accompanied by the strengthening of other support systems, “homework done” (system which allows students to do their homework in college) and success courses (internships for students in difficulty during school holidays, taught by volunteer teachers). “I have decided to double the number of students who will have access to it. This will concern 800,000 4th and 3rd year secondary school students from next year,” said Anne Genetet, emphasizing that “the objective is to offer each student receives tailor-made support throughout college.
Obtaining the compulsory Brevet for passage to second
Another measure announced, and not the least: from June 2027, obtaining the Brevet in third grade will be compulsory to progress to second grade. In June 2026, the distribution between continuous control and terminal control will be modified so that terminal control weighs more: 60% of the final grade compared to 50% today, she specified. And in June 2027 the first students who will have benefited from the various measures intended to raise their level will arrive at the Brevet, according to the minister.
For those who do not have their certificate, two options: “either they will go towards a more professional path such as the 1st year of CAP, or they will enter for a year in ‘secondary preparation’ in order to pass high school in four years” , she explained. “Prep-secondary” classes are currently being tested in all academies. “My ambition is that as many students as possible obtain the Brevet,” said Anne Genetet.
It also announces that the mention “Very good with congratulations from the jury” will be added “as soon as a student has more than 18 out of 20 in the Brevet, in order to “valorize his success”.
A first year baccalaureate math test
For students who will take the baccalaureate in 2027, a mathematics baccalaureate test will be introduced first from June 2026, the minister also announced. Since the start of the 2023 school year, an hour and a half of common core mathematics has been added for all general and technological first year students. “But until now we did not measure their level since there was no mathematics test,” she recalled. “I therefore decided to set up, from June 2026, an anticipated mathematics test in general and technological first grade, on the same model as the anticipated French test,” she said. “What I want is to have a real barometer and to raise the level in mathematics,” continued the minister. In general high school, the test will not be the same for those who specialize in math and others.
Programs reviewed in primary school
“We will review the programs, for the start of the 2025 school year, in French and mathematics, from CP to 6th grade,” the Minister of Education also said, specifying that from 5th to 3rd grade, in French, maths and modern languages, this revision will take place at the start of the 2026 school year. “These new programs will reinforce fundamental knowledge and will be much more readable, with benchmarks to monitor student progress,” promises Anne Genetet. “I’ll give you an example: until now we only introduced the notion of fraction in CM1. It’s much too late. A child, even in CE1, knows what half a baguette corresponds to. We will therefore move the learning forward fractions and decimal numbers from CE1 to reinforce automatic skills in mathematics.