Skip to main content
Apprentis d'Auteuil - Lyon

Agir pour l’École - Lyon

Agir pour l’École - Lyon

Agir pour l'École: Combating Early School Failure with Support from the Endowment Fund

Founded in 2010, Agir pour l’École (APE) is an NPO that fights against early school failure and educational inequalities. Its mission is to find practical and effective solutions to address children's learning difficulties, drawing on research in cognitive sciences and education sciences. APE develops educational resources and implements innovative educational projects to anticipate and resolve students' vulnerabilities, especially in reading and mathematics.

An Alarming Context: Disappointing Educational Outcomes

The project supported by the Endowment Fund was launched in response to troubling findings about French students’ abilities in reading and mathematics. Indeed, France ranks only 24th among OECD countries in reading, with more than 10% of young people struggling in this area. In 6th grade, 45.5% of students have hesitant reading skills, and nearly a third of students in priority education do not meet the expected levels for a CE2 (elementary school) student.

In mathematics, French students are among the lowest in Europe, according to the TIMSS (Trends in International Mathematics and Science Study), which evaluates the knowledge of CM1 and 4th grade students. These results reveal a significant educational divide, worsened by social background: students from disadvantaged backgrounds are four times more likely to fail than their peers from more privileged environments.

Given these inequalities, studies show that prevention is far more effective than remediation. Intervening early in a child's education is therefore crucial to giving all children an equal opportunity for success.

The APE Project: Early Support to Combat Educational Inequalities

The project supported by the Endowment Fund aims to address learning inequalities in reading and mathematics as soon as they appear, providing early and intensive support to students. The goal is to equip every child with the tools they need to overcome difficulties and succeed in their educational journey.

Over the course of three school years, the project will support 1,000 children aged 5 to 7 years old (in GS, CP, and CE1) in the Rhône-Alpes region, through activities during various times of the day and year:

  • School time: Interventions in class during lessons to strengthen core subjects.
  • Périscolaire time: During lunchtime breaks and after school, in collaboration with teachers and activity leaders in schools and leisure centers.
  • Extracurricular time: During the small and large school holidays, to maintain educational support during breaks.

In parallel, the project will train 160 teachers and activity leaders in the association’s pedagogical methods, raising awareness of the importance of early learning and equipping them to better support students in their educational success.

Tangible Results to Combat School Failure

The Agir pour l’École project implements a comprehensive and integrated system to address educational inequalities as they arise. By relying on proven approaches and adapted teaching methods, it will enable children aged 5 to 7 to strengthen their skills in reading and mathematics, while supporting their well-being and development at school.

By also training teachers and activity leaders, the association is helping to create a network of committed professionals who are aware of the challenges related to equal opportunities. This project is part of a long-term effort to reduce educational inequalities and provide every child with the best chance of academic success.

With support from the Endowment Fund, Agir pour l’École continues its commitment to a future where every child, regardless of their social background, can thrive and succeed in their educational path.