colleges

College (Latin: collegium) is an educational institution or a constituent part of one. Usage of the word college varies in English-speaking nations. A college may be a degree-awarding tertiary educational institution, a part of a collegiate university, or an institution offering vocational education.

In France, secondary education is in two stages:

• collèges cater for the first four years of secondary education from the ages of 11 to 15
• lycées provide a three-year course of further secondary education for children between the ages of 15 and 18. Pupils are prepared for the baccalauréat (baccalaureate, colloquially known as le bac). The baccalauréat can lead to higher education studies or directly to professional life.