Attainment at 16+:the French Perspective.

The article surveys basic secondary education in France, which bears resemblances with arrangements in other advanced countries of Continental Europe, and from which England may derive some lessons. In the French system only one public examination is taken at intermediate level by average and above average pupils, namely the Brevet d'études du premier cycle (BEPC). In other European countries too there is a corresponding measure of the 16+ attainment. The United Kingdom is unique in considering public examination at 16+ to be of high importance and in mounting an elaborate examination procedure conducted by external examining boards. France retains an external examination for this intermediate stage but only in diminished form.