The brevet and the baccalaureate will change! One of the diplomas will be more difficult to obtain

The Ministry of National Education has announced new measures to raise the level of French students, including several changes to the brevet des collèges and baccalaureate exams.

The clash of knowledge continues. One year after the announcement of the first measures intended to raise the level of French students by Gabriel Attal, then Minister of National Education, it is the new tenant of rue Grenelle who is presenting a second set of measures. Anne Genetet's objective is the same as her predecessor: “to support our students towards success” while the educational level is still “worrying” in light of the results of the national assessments carried out in 6th, 4th and 2nd grades.

A level that must improve and meet more requirements, which will be set with the modification of the exams that punctuate the school career of French students: the brevet de collèges taken in 3rd year and the baccalaureate which students in 1st and final year face. The national brevet diploma (DNB), which assesses the level of each student before moving on to high school, will become mandatory from the start of the 2027 school year, i.e. for students currently in 5th grade. Without passing the exam, middle school students will not be able to apply for a high school start, they will be directed towards CAPs or towards preparatory classes for 2nd grade. The bridging device between the end of middle school and the start of high school has already been tested since September 2024

A modified brevet and reinforced support

Not only will the brevet des collèges become mandatory, it will also be given a makeover with a few changes. Starting with its grading method, the diploma will no longer be assessed 50% on final exams and 50% on continuous assessment, but 60% on end-of-year exams and 40% on grades obtained during the different terms. It will be the grades that will be taken into account and no longer the areas of competence that are considered too favorable to students. It will always be necessary to obtain the average with at least 400 points out of 800, or 10/20. The mentions awarded from 12/20 will also remain identical, except that the mention “Very good with congratulations from the jury” will be awarded to students who obtained 18/20 to recognize success.

Changes are also expected regarding the exams: French, mathematics and science will remain on the program, as will the history and geography exam and the moral and civic education exam, which will however be marked separately to “restore value” to EMC teaching, the minister said.

While the level required to pass the brevet des collèges is slightly revised upwards, the Ministry of National Education is planning measures to better support students. After the creation of need groups in 6th and 5th grade, these groups will be extended to 4th and 3rd grade students, but not under the same conditions. One hour per week, students will be grouped by level to review the specific needs and difficulties of each, they will study French every other week and mathematics the rest of the time. “The students with the most difficulties will be in reduced groups”, specifies the minister who also adds “double the number of students who will have access to “homework done” and to the “success internships”, or 800,000 4th and 3rd year middle school students.

A new étest earlyés for the baccalaureate

It's not just middle school that will see changes. In high school, future candidates for the baccalaureate will also notice certain modifications. From the start of the 2026 school year, an early mathematics exam will be added to the French exams for 1st year students. The aim is to guarantee a minimum level in mathematics for all students while the general level of French people in this subject is falling. The coefficient of the exam and the associated program are not yet known. Note that final year students who have chosen to follow a specialist course Maths will take a second math test in the final exams.