Pre-second class renewed for the 2025-2026 school year

Preparatory classes for the second class, also called prepa-second, were set up in some high schools during this 2024-2025 school year. In each department, at least one establishment offers one.

The pilot scheme was extended until the end of the 2025-2026 school year. Institutions which have established a pre-second class within their institution must therefore maintain it (unless the rector of the academy decides otherwise in the light of the performance report of the class). You can consult the map of high schools that have opened a pre-second class (it is possible to search by department to find the school(s) by offering one near you).

Which pupils are the prep-second class for?

To enter pre-second class, a student must meet these various criteria:

• have been admitted to the second-general and technological class, to the second-stage class of the technological series ‘science and technology in the hotel and restaurant industry’ or to the second-professional class;
• have not obtained the national diploma of the patent (general or professional series);
• have been identified by the educational team at their institution as being likely to benefit from such training;
• Volunteer to join this class.

The parents of the pupils identified by the teaching team shall be informed before the last third-grade class council :

• the objectives of this training;
• the conditions to be met in order to qualify;
• the nearest high school offering the scheme.

The families indicate to the principal whether or not they wish the pupil to benefit from the preparatory class for the second class in the event of failure to comply with the patent. Immediately after the results, if the pupil has not obtained the diploma, the parents who had indicated their interest in the pre-second class are notified of the admission or non-admission of their child to this training.

What lessons are given in pre-second class?

As part of the pre-second classes, students have 27 hours of classes per week, which are divided as follows:

• 20 hours of consolidation of the expected end of middle school and preparation for the second class (French, history-geography, mathematics, science and technology, modern languages...);
• 7 hours of strengthening working methods, or of finding trades and training (the nature of these lessons is not the same depending on whether the student has been admitted to second vocational or second general and technological studies).

Students can also take part in optional activities and lessons offered by the school.

At the end of their school year (non-renewable) in pre-second class, students continue their schooling in second class in the training and establishment to which they had been admitted at the end of the third grade. A change of orientation is also possible, after the advice of the class council, upon written request of the parents of the student or of the latter if he is of age.