Battle on to Save The Fulham Bilingual School
Lycée Francais has announced it is ending partnership with Holy Cross
The Fulham Bilingual School
February 16, 2026
Parents with children at a popular bilingual school in Fulham are fighting to protect their children’s education amid plans to end the partnership running the provision.
The Fulham Bilingual, which teaches students French and English curriculums side-by-side, faces an uncertain future after one of its partners said it intends on pulling out of the arrangement.
The Lycée Francais Charles de Gaulle informed parents in late January that it would terminate the partnership with the state-funded Holy Cross Primary School, leading to widespread concern about the impact on the students.
Fernando Mora, 46, who has one child at The Fulham Bilingual and two others who have previously attended, queried why the Lycée would choose to end something “that’s been working wonderfully for 15 years”.
The Lycée was approached for comment.
The Fulham Bilingual, located on Clancarty Road, is one of just 11 such schools in the UK. The premise is that children are taught a bespoke, shared curriculum encompassing both French and English, providing them both with an education and the ability to learn the two languages.
Mr Mora told the LDRS: “It’s a good exchange. Kids learn from each other, there’s obviously very good teaching staff, and in general the way that we’ve felt is that the quality of the education and the way that they’ve thought about this academic [programme] is really well thought through and really well executed.”
Around half of the students attending The Fulham Bilingual are fee-paying, with the other half state-funded via Holy Cross.
In a letter sent to parents on January 19 the Lycée wrote it would be putting an end to the “historic partnership”, blaming issues such as the “constant degradation of its functioning” and problems with the partnership’s “daily implementation”.
Instead the Lycée would be delivering its own bilingual programme.
Since then the push-back from parents and local politicians has been significant.
A petition begun by Mr Mora has secured more than 600 signatures, with parents and other supporters leaving testimonials highlighting the value of the school to their children.
One parent with a child attending via the Holy Cross side of the partnership wrote, “The Fulham Bilingual is a very unique school that enables its pupils to be fully immersed in both the French and English education systems allowing them to benefit from the best of both worlds. It is highly successful not only academically, but also in developing children’s mental agility, resilience and other essential soft skills. Like any partnership, it faces challenges. I hope nonetheless that all parties can come together constructively to find solutions that truly serve the best interests of the children.”
Mr Mora said there are also concerns about the Lycée’s ability to deliver a bilingual programme, as was detailed in its letter, due to its lack of experience teaching the British National Curriculum in primary schools.
The local council Hammersmith and Fulham and Chelsea and Fulham MP Ben Coleman are among those to have spoken with the Lycée raising the parents’ concerns.
The Holy Cross has also expressed its surprise at the Lycée’s announcement. In a letter distributed shortly after the Lycée’s, Holy Cross’s Executive Headteacher Kathleen Williams and Interim Head of School Leiah Pereira wrote the Lycée’s communication was issued “without our knowledge, without consultation and without being shared. It does not represent a joint position and should not be understood as such.”
The pair continued to describe the explanations for terminating the partnership as “inaccurate and misleading”, but that they remain committed to “the continuation of authentic bilingual education, to high educational standards and to keeping families fully and honestly informed”.
The Holy Cross has in more recent communications committed to providing ongoing bilingual education on the site whether in partnership with the Lycée or not.
The LDRS understands that following public pressure the Lycée has delayed any changes to 2027, giving parents an additional year to try and source alternative options.
Mr Mora said a meeting was held recently by the Lycée with parents, at which the tone became “very, very heated”.
He said, “They weren’t able to provide, with reasons or explanations that were logical…why is that you’re terminating something that’s been working wonderfully for 15 years?”
Mr Mora added: “The whole community came together and said either if you’re going to terminate this, you need more time to think it through and to see what the consequences are. But you cannot make a decision in such a rush.”
Ms Williams, from Holy Cross, told the LDRS, “We understand the significant concerns of parents to the proposals sent out to them by the Lycée Charles de Gaulle in January. The bilingual provision has been an integral part of our school’s educational offer for the last 15 years. We will continue to work with the Lycée and parents to ensure stability, continuity and the best possible outcomes for the children.”
Mr Coleman said: “Last Friday, the French ambassador confirmed to me that the next academic year at The Fulham Bilingual will go ahead as planned. This follows strong representation from parents, the school leadership, the council, Senator Olivier Cadic and me. I’ve been clear from the start that, after 15 years of partnership, issuing an ultimatum to the school was not the right way forward.
“There is now time to work through the issues with clarity and I look forward to the Lycée engaging constructively. My priority remains ensuring that no child’s education is disrupted.”
A Hammersmith and Fulham Council spokesperson said , “Hammersmith and Fulham is the proud home to almost 7,000 French language speakers.
“We remain at the heart of Europe with countless cultural and historic ties across the borough. Fulham Bilingual is a great example of this European connection.
“We are aware of the huge concerns of parents to the Lycée’s proposals for Fulham Bilingual. We continue to meet with parents to provide the support they need. We are working with Holy Cross Primary School and the Lycée to ensure the education and development of our local pupils continues to give them the best possible opportunity to fulfil their potential.”
Ben Lynch - Local Democracy Reporter