120,000 French people live in London A fourth French school is looking for campus space in London after increased demand from expats. École Active Bilingue Jeannine Manuel has narrowed its focus to Kensington, Chelsea, Notting Hill, King’s Cross and Hammersmith, Evening Standard newspaper has reported.
Around 120,000 French people are officially living in London, although unofficial estimates put the figure closer to 350,000. There has been a shortage of places for pupils at French schools in London for many years and a steady rise in the number moving here has seen demand soar. The original French school in London, the Lycée Français Charles de Gaulle in South Kensington, has been forced to opened new outposts to meet demand.
According to the Evening Standard, the Collège Français Bilingue de Londres opened a campus in Kentish Town in 2011, and a third is planned in Brent, near Wembley, to open by 2015.
École Active Bilingue Jeannine Manuel was founded by a woman who fought for the Free French during the war. She set the school up to teach the importance of French people learning English.