Since its creation, the French Bilingual Association has been supporting the creation of a French-English Bilingual Immersion Program within a public primary school in the Northern suburbs of Melbourne. In 2018, Fitzroy Primary School decided to implement a bilingual program where part of the Victorian Curriculum is delivered in French.
The Fitzroy Primary School model
In 2019 all Foundation students are learning Literacy, Numeracy and Intercultural Capability for 5 hours in French. LOTE will begin for all students in grades 1-6 for one hour per week in semester two.In 2020, all Foundation and grade one students will learn Literacy, Numeracy and Intercultural Capability for a minimum of 6 hours per week, with scope for additional hours depending on enrolments. LOTE will continue for students in grades 2-6. In 2021 all students in Foundation, grade one and two will see an increase to a minimum of 8 hours with LOTE continuing for students in grades 3-6. From 2021 and beyond, the French bilingual program will eventually include all students from Foundation to grade six and LOTE will be phased out. The hours of instruction will increase every year as the program is rolled out across the school.
CLIL – Content and Language Integrated Learning
In 2020 and beyond, Fitzroy Primary School will enhance its approach to bilingual education so that English and French are used for both content mastery and language acquisition across a range of subject areas through Inquiry units of study.
Fitzroy Primary School
319 George Street Fitzroy VIC 3065
Phone : 03 9417 4222
Email : fitzroy.ps@edumail.vic.gov.au
Website : fitzroyprimaryschool.vic.edu.au
Listen to SBS interview with Marine Guillou (in French) to have more details about the program.
Related posts

Launch of the bilingual program in 2020 and Open Day
Fitzroy Primary School has decided that the bilingual program would proceed as follows: French hours • 2020: Students in Foundation and Year One will receive 6…