Private French lessons in secondary school
From 1st to 6th year, a French coach who helps your teenager read better, write better and prepare for the CE1D, the CESS or school exams, at home anywhere in Belgium or online.
Your teenager is struggling in French: where does it come from?
In secondary school, French changes. Writing without mistakes is no longer enough: students have to analyse a text, summarise it and argue a point. And the French mark weighs heavily on the school report.
Difficulties do not all have the same cause. Some students read quickly but miss the meaning. Others understand well but lose marks on spelling. Others have ideas but do not know how to build a text.
The coach starts from what is done in class: set books, marked work, the teacher’s instructions. They identify what is holding your teenager back, then work on your teenager’s own texts.
If dyslexia or dysorthographia has been diagnosed, we choose a coach used to this profile. To find out more: dyslexia and written expression disorders.
See also our private French lessons at every level and all our private lessons in secondary school.
What your teenager works on in French, stage by stage
French does not ask the same things in 1st year as in 6th year. The coach follows the school’s programme and your teenager’s actual level.
1st stage: 1st and 2nd year
Reading a story and a set of informative texts, writing a coherent text, consolidating spelling, conjugation and sentence analysis. At the end of 2nd year, the CE1D assesses listening, reading and writing.
2nd stage: 3rd and 4th year
Longer readings, the first literary works, summaries, the first argumentative texts and oral presentations. This is often where the gap widens, when spelling is not yet secure.
3rd stage: 5th and 6th year
Synthesising documents, writing a reasoned opinion, analysing literary works and speaking. At the end of 6th year, the CESS includes an external French exam.
CE1D, CESS, school exams: preparing for French tests
- December and June exams often combine reading, writing and grammar questions. The coach helps your teenager plan their revision and practises with similar tasks. After a fail in June, preparation for the resit starts as soon as the results are out.
- The French CE1D, at the end of 2nd year in French-speaking schools, lasts 200 minutes: a listening task, reading a story, a set of informative texts and a written task. From June 2027, students need 60% in each test. Our advice: practising with past CE1D papers.
- The French CESS exam, at the end of 6th year, assesses a single skill announced in advance: in June 2027, the reasoned opinion. The pass mark also rises to 60%. Our advice: preparing for the French CESS.
See also our page CE1D preparation.
How does it work?
Analysis of the situation and goals
A My Sherpa educational advisor gets in touch and analyses the pupil's needs.
Designing the coaching programme
Your educational advisor proposes a suitable programme.
Coach selection
Your educational advisor selects the coach who suits your needs and your schedule.
Coaching follow-up
Throughout the programme of lessons, your educational advisor follows up and remains available.
Other subjects in secondary school
French at other levels
Need specific support?
My Sherpa, your support service dedicated to your children's success
12k
Pupils supported
Since 2003, from primary school to higher education.
97%
satisfaction
Families satisfied with the quality of their support.
87%
Success rate
Students who reach the goals set with their educational advisor.
A private French tutor, chosen for your teenager
Private tutor, home French teacher, coach: at My Sherpa, you do not search alone. Your educational advisor reviews your teenager’s work and results, sets the programme, then selects the matching coach. They remain your contact throughout the support.
Lessons take place at home anywhere in Belgium, or online, on any day of the week, weekends included.
The coach does not write in your teenager’s place: they read the work through together, explain each correction and teach your teenager to proofread on their own.
Your teenager rarely speaks French at home and first needs to gain confidence? Discover our French lessons, one to one or in small groups.
French lessons in secondary school: your questions
Lessons start at €35/h in secondary school. At this level, we recommend 2-hour sessions every week. The first three sessions are a trial period: if things do not click with the coach, you continue with another one at no extra cost.
By practising with past papers under timed conditions, then marking them with the official answer key. The coach spots recurring mistakes (instructions misread, answers not backed up by the text, written work without a plan) and works on them one by one before June.
By working on the skill announced for the year: in June 2027, the reasoned opinion. The coach teaches your teenager to take a clear position from the introduction, build a plan in a few minutes and support each argument with a precise example. Past papers and their marking guides show what examiners expect.
No. The coach starts from your teenager’s own work to spot recurring mistakes: agreements, homophones, conjugation. They tackle them one by one, with a simple rule and a proofreading method. This work pays off in every subject, since spelling counts there too.
Yes, with a targeted approach. The work starts from the material announced by the school and the mistakes in the June paper: reading, writing or grammar. It is best to start as soon as the results are out, to have time to write and correct several texts before the exam.
