We wanted our school to be more integrated into a European dimension and thus strengthen language learning. The aim was to discover new teaching methods but also to help fellow volunteers to obtain a certification in teaching in another language, (English and Spanish), especially thanks to the language courses offered.
Gérard Philipe middle school is currently educating 500 students divided into 20 classes. The level ranges from the 6th to the 3rd according to the French educational system. Our staff includes 40 teachers together with 30 more employees. We host a unit specialised in inclusive education for students with disabilities. Our middle school belonged to the Priority Education Network until 2017. It is located in the suburbs of Cannes; this area hosts many disadvantaged social categories. Since the students are recruited from the three schools in the district, the social diversity is very scarce. The academic results are modest on average, and the level of the students continues to drop. In order to better face the difficulties encountered, our teachers are willing to enrich their teaching methods by participating in the mobility projects. The school is now embracing a more caring and inclusive pedagogy. Also, we would like to enhance the image of Gérard Philipe middle school by making it an establishement open to both Europe and the world in order to adapt to the very great heterogeneity of its students. We deem ERASMUS+ as the perfect project to meet our goals and we hope that we can count on it.