Baccalauréat, A-levels, Abitur, Bachillerato

The following may take the professional baccalauréat:
– candidates who have studied for the diploma at school, in apprenticeships
or continuous vocational training
– candidates who can evidence three years of professional activity in a job
with a grade at least equal to that of “worker” or “qualified employee” in
a field which relates to the end purpose of the diploma applied for.
IV. ASSESSMENT METHODS
General and technological baccalauréat
The general and technological baccalauréat features two series of examinations:
– first group examinations sat by all candidates
– second group examinations, known as “borderline” examinations’, sat by
candidates whose average marks in the first group were below 10 out of
20, but equal to or above 8 out of 20.
First group examinations include examinations sat in advance at the end of
the première (upper) year, as well as examinations taken during the final year.
Candidates take early written and oral examinations in French at the end of the
upper year. Depending on the series, other examinations may also be taken
early.
The other examinations in the first group are sat at the end of the terminale (final)
year, and include compulsory written, oral and/or practical tests depending on
the series and optional examinations for optional subjects.
Except for sports and physical education, which is the subject of continuous
assessment throughout the curriculum, each examination is external, is based
on a nationwide subject (the same for all candidates) and is marked anonymously.
In second group examinations, the candidate takes two oral examinations
in the two subjects he or she has chosen from those which were the subject of
a written examination in the first group. The jury takes account of the highest
mark achieved by the candidate.
In the calculation of the marks that count towards the diploma, disciplines are
weighted differently, depending on the series.
At the end of the first group examinations:
– if the candidate has achieved a mark lower than 8/20, he or she is referred
– if an average mark of 10/20 or more is achieved, the candidate is deemed
to have passed
– if the candidate achieves an average mark equal to at least 8/20 but lower than
10/20, he or she is allowed to take the oral examinations in the second group.
The candidate is deemed to have passed if he or she obtains an average mark
of 10/20 in the oral examinations over all of the tests. A “CFES” (secondary
school completion certificate) is issued to referred candidates after the second
group of examinations.
The grades assez bien (“quite good”), for an average of between 12 and 14,
bien (“good”), for an average between 14 and 16) and très bien (“very good”),
for an average of 16 or more, are awarded only to candidates achieving their
baccalauréat from the first group of examinations.
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