Changing your child’s school is possible, even outside your area. Subject to available places and valid reasons, a request for exemption may be granted. Procedures and sample letter, the essential things to know.
Your child is registered by default in a school based on the parents’ place of residence. However, it is possible to request an exemption to enroll him in another establishment, outside this sector. Whether for practical or personal reasons, this approach remains subject to strict conditions: admissible reasons, availability of places and compliance with deadlines. Here is everything you need to know to prepare your school exemption request.
What are the reasons for requesting a school exemption?
There are a whole host of reasons why you can request an exemption for your child. This can be for:
- Bring siblings together or facilitate childcare : for example, the establishment in which the child is registered by default is far from your place of work, too far from the home of the person (grandmother, nanny, family friend, etc.) who will pick up your child from school or not sufficiently served by transport.
- A medical reason : if the student requires significant medical care near the requested establishment, if the student suffers from a disability recognized by the rights and autonomy commission, or if the student must follow a particular educational path…
- Attendance, the options available (rare modern languages, cinema, theater option, etc.), or the success rate of the school.
Whatever the reason, you must specify it in the letter and attach the necessary supporting documents (medical certificate, employer certificate, proof of address, etc.). The request will be accepted if the reason is valid and if the establishment has places available, students in the sector having priority. Note that only one request is possible per child, and no exemption is necessary to enroll a child in a private establishment.
Download a school card exemption form
For some schools, it will be necessary download a form directly from the city hall website of the establishment in question. You will need to specify the child’s class, your personal information, the composition of the household, the school requested, the reasons for the request and accompany this form with proof according to the reason for the request. Any request for exemption must be sent by registered mail with acknowledgment of receipt.
After receiving the form, the application is reviewed if it is complete – usually in the month of May during the exemption committee – by school directors, the elected official in charge of Education, the school service and representatives of parents who will give an opinion, favorable or unfavorable before the end of June. Afterwards, “as soon as you become aware of your child’s assignment decision, you must enroll them in the middle or high school where they were assigned”specifies the National Education website. If the response to the exemption request is positive, consider notifying the establishment on which the child was initially dependent.
Write a school card waiver letter
If you wish, you can also send a request for an educational exemption to the Directorate of Departmental National Education Services (DSDEN). This involves writing a letter addressed to the Mayor (if it is a nursery or primary school) or to the Academy Inspector (if it is a middle school or high school). You will need to mention your personal information (surname, first name, address) as well as that of the child, the reasons why you wish to deviate from the school card and the requested establishment, then send the letter by registered mail.
Sample letter for a school exemption request
To put all the chances on your side, take inspiration from this exemption request letter template to print :
Print the template
Request for school exemption for a nursery or primary school
There request for exemption for a nursery or primary school (form or letter) must be sent to the mayor of the city. Check with your town hall for shipping details. When to send your kindergarten exemption request? Generally, it is between March and April that registration for kindergarten takes place. This is when you can take steps to request an exemption.
For primary schools, check the timetable for exemption requests in the requested establishment: note that the forms are often available from February. Don’t delay downloading them and remember to return them as soon as possible, ideally before May. But don’t worry: “before the end of the second trimester, the schedule of procedures will be communicated to you“, we can read on the National Education website.
Request for academic exemption for a college
The exemption request for a college (form or letter) must be sent to the Principal of the college. When to send your college exemption request? You can send your exemption request towards the end of the second quarter (March/April). To be sure not to miss the end of the procedure, consult the exemption schedule for the requested establishment (on its website or by contacting it directly by telephone)
Request for school exemption for a high school
Internally : if the establishment requested is located in the same academy as the one to which the child initially belonged, the request for exemption must be sent to the head of the establishment requested. Please note, however, if the reason concerns a request for a particular option (concerns the following options: LV3, languages and cultures of Antiquity and sports sections), the exemption must be transmitted to the DSDEN (the Departmental Services Directorate of the National education of your academy)
Externally : if the requested establishment is located outside your home academy, the exemption must be sent to the DSDEN. (See the exemption rules for high school in the FAQ part of the page)
What recourse in the event of refusal?
It is possible to challenge the decision of the academic director through an administrative appeal: either “graceful” before the author of the act or “hierarchical” by sending a letter to the rector of the academy requesting the withdrawal of the refusal, the re-examination of demand and access to demand, in an argued manner. Parents can also challenge the decision through a contentious appeal before the Administrative Court. Please note that any appeal must be made within two months of receipt of the refusal.
