An international school on Montpellier's doorstep

Looking for an international school near Montpellier for your child? Da Vinci Private School welcomes children aged 2 to 11 in Castelnau-le-Lez, in a small, bilingual French-English setting.

The school follows an international programme that incorporates what the French national education system expects, with individualised teaching that takes account of each child's pace and needs.

What "international" means here

At Da Vinci Private School, "international" is more than a few English lessons a week. English is not a separate subject: children follow activities in English or in French by half-week, supported by a qualified teaching team. Half of the school time is in English, with a dedicated teacher for each language.

Being open to the world is not only about languages. The school has organised trips to London and Copenhagen, and combines French academic rigour with an Anglo-Saxon approach to teaching.

Da Vinci Private School is an independent school ("hors contrat" in French), which means it is free to choose its teaching approach and to teach equally in both languages. It does not award an international diploma; no primary school in France awards a diploma at the end of CM2. What matters at this age is tracking what each child has learned, which here takes the form of a bilingual report every term.

From pre-school to CM2

The youngest children build their foundations, their independence and their enjoyment of learning in a bilingual setting: that is our bilingual pre-school, from age 2. From CP to CM2, our bilingual primary school keeps the core subjects at the heart of the school day, with attention to understanding, reasoning and independence.

A school on a human scale

An international school does not have to be a large one. Da Vinci Private School has no more than 15 children per class and no more than 45 on the whole campus. The adults really know the children they look after. That is the idea behind the Micro-Campus.

Getting to Castelnau-le-Lez from Montpellier

The school is at 69 rue des Églantiers, 34170 Castelnau-Le-Lez, right next to Montpellier, so it is easy to reach for families living in Montpellier and the neighbouring towns.

The nearest tram stop, Pompidou, is about 900 metres from the campus, and a stop for bus 35 is about 20 metres from the school. To work out your daily journey, check the route from your own starting point. The directions page shows exactly where the gate is.

How to choose an international school in Montpellier

"International" can mean very different things from one school to another. A few questions help you see clearly:

• How much English is there in the day, really? A few hours a week and full immersion are not the same experience for a child.
• How big are the classes? It determines how well the adults can observe and support each child.
• What is the school's status? A state-contracted school and an independent ("hors contrat") school do not work in the same way.
• What does it really cost? Beyond the school's fee, think about lunches, before- and after-school care and extra activities.
• What comes after CM2? Ask the school what options families have at the end of primary school.

To go further, read our article state, private or international school: what difference for a child? and our educational comparison.

The school day and the cost

Before- and after-school care runs from 7.45am to 6pm, with lunch on site, and the Da Vinci Club offers activities in English on Wednesdays. We give you the fee at your first conversation, before any application: what the fee covers is explained on a dedicated page.

Come and see the school

Choosing a school is not something to do on a website alone. Come and meet the team and see the setting where your child could grow and learn. A visit or an application is a simple way to start.