CATALAN Bilingual Class

The bilingual section was opened at the school in September 2001 and gives students the opportunity to follow a musical project with the Conservatoire National de Région or a cultural project with a local community partner.

Programme of Study at the School

From Sixième [1] to Troisième [2] pupils receive three hours of Catalan teaching plus an extension subject: History and Geography taught in Catalan, in addition to compulsory subjects and options.

Classes with Special Timetables for the Study of Traditional Music

Classes with special timetables for the study of Traditional Music, known as “CHAM Trad”, are specifically designed to enable pupils to discover the full wealth of Catalan heritage through music, song and dance.

The specially modified timetable gives children who demonstrate real motivation the opportunity to progress through school in the best possible conditions, whilst developing curiosity and discovering more about their terroir [3].

Programme of Study at the Conservatoire

One half-day per week (Thursday afternoons) is devoted to the pupils’ “Programme of Discovery” at the Conservatoire. The pupils’ timetables vary according to their class.

Transport

  • A free* shuttle bus operates morning and afternoon and transports pupils from the town bus station to the school (*for pupils from outside Perpignan).
  • A pay shuttle (6€ per term, 2005 rates) transports pupils from the school to the Conservatoire on Thursday afternoons.

Cultural Project

On Thursday afternoons the pupils in the bilingual Catalan section from Sixième to Troisième take part in activities (supervised by teaching staff) whose objective is the discovery of the cultural, social and sporting environment of the region. These activities are the subject of various productions: exhibition, plays, films...

Further Studies

After completing their Troisième year, pupils can choose to enrol in one of the standard courses offered by the Lycées or they can elect to continue their studies in one of the following:-

  • bilingual section at the lycée Maillol
  • and for pupils having studied in the CHAM Trad section : Seconde [4] with Special Timetable (CHAM) at the lycée Jean Lurçat
  • Option Music at the lycée Jean Lurçat
  • Technological course “Technique in Music and Dance” in Montpellier, opens in 2006 at the lycée Jean Lurçat.

Sunday 4 June 2006 by Darren Rigby

Professeur d’anglais, webmestre et administrateur du site.

[1] Sixième: UK Year 7 / US Sixth Grade

[2] Troisème: UK Year 10 / US Ninth Grade

[3] Terroir can’t really be translated into English. It basically means land but there is much more to it than this. It evokes specific local geography, traditions, language and culture

[4] Seconde: UK Year 11 / US Tenth Grade