Spotlight on Ecole Bilingue de Berkeley Early Childhood Program - 510 Families

Spotlight on Ecole Bilingue de Berkeley Early Childhood Program

Do you think your child could benefit from being immersed in another language? If you believe in the strengths of a European-inspired education and value a diverse community of students and families, you may want to explore Ecole Bilingue de Berkeley, a Preschool – Grade 8 bilingual French American school.

We’re proud to have Ecole Bilingue de Berkeley (EB) as a sponsor.

Ecole Bilingue exterior
Ecole Bilingue de Berkeley’s main campus is just across from Berkeley Bowl West

Ecole Bilingue de Berkeley (EB) is an international school spanning preschool through 8th grade that integrates the rigor and excellence of a French curriculum into a dynamic, whole-child-centered independent school education.

circle time outdoors
Outdoor circle time | Photo: EB

Speaking French 80 percent of the day

The preschool and kindergarten (ages 2 to 6) revolve around children as intrinsically curious and active learners. The school is play-based, and the children are immersed in French language and culture approximately 80 percent of the school day.

French and English teachers collaborate and co-teach each week to build connections between the two languages so that students learn them naturally and in concert. See this approach in action in a preschool class:

In preschool and kindergarten, the education is individualized for each child. The school boasts an outstanding student-teacher ratio: its two-year-old program has one adult for every six children, and its three-, four-, and five-year-old program has one adult for every eight to ten children.

eb preschooler
Independent work time at Ecole Bilingue early education program

Transitional Kindergarten and Kindergarten in French

Ecole Bilingue accepts “fall-birthday applicants” who are turning five between September 1 and December 31. These students are mixed with kindergarteners, and depending on their emotional maturity and academic progress, they can either stay in kindergarten the following year or move on to first grade.

Students between the ages of two and five do not need to know how to speak French when applying to EB, as teachers are experts in gently fostering second-language acquisition during that critical time. Watch a typical day in the EB preschool in the video below.

Schedule a virtual visit to Ecole Bilingue de Berkeley

In an effort to fight the Covid-19 outbreak and protect students, faculty, and staff; the EB admissions process and season are temporarily virtual. Interested families are invited to attend one of the virtual information sessions. Multiple sessions are available beginning October 2020.

You can register for

  • Preschool Info Session
  • TK and Kindergarten Info Session
  • Coffee with the Head of School – Admission Info Session

Ecole Bilingue de Berkeley (EB) is located at:
1009 Heinz Ave. (across from Berkeley Bowl West)
Berkeley, CA 94710

kids on climbing wall
Recess in Preschool at the climbing wall (Before March 2020) | Photo provided by EB

[Photos provided by Ecole Bilingue de Berkeley]

Merci Beaucoup to Ecole Bilingue de Berkeley (EB) for being our sponsor. Tell them we say, “Bonjour” when you talk to them.

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