Scheming Paris to give French language lessons to London bankers in Brexit plot

Paris will beef up bilingual schools for children of “impatrites” when they are as well as opening a special English-speaking hotline to help them navigate the confusing education system.

Around 2,500 UK-based executives from the financial sector alone will relocate to Paris in the coming months, according to The Telegraph.

The Bank of England insist there will be 10,000 re-locations from the financial sector by the Brexit deadline of March 2019 and 75,000 in the longer term.

French President Emmanuel Macron’s government rubbed-stamped the proposal to offer French lessons in London to bankers and their families to help them prepare for a new life outside the UK.

The proposal said: “In anticipation, accelerated French lessons will be provided to pupils and families (of those moving to France) in London if they so wish.”

The lessons will be given in French educational establishments in the UK capital.

The report said the offer was in response to requests from “certain financial establishments for their staff and their children”.

The vice-president of île de France, the Paris region, Agnès Evran, said: “Let’s be frank, Brexit has created an historic opportunity for the Paris region to position itself as a credible alternative to London.”

She added: “The first thing people thinking of coming to Paris ask is, what about the schools?”

In an attempt to boost its attractiveness, the Paris region will create 1,000 places in multilingual schools next September and will launch three new international secondary schools. 

The number of pupils in “international sections” of state secondary schools will be double to 20,000 by 2020.

Funding will come from public-private partnerships, the report said.

The French prime minister, Edouard Philippe, approved the 14-point plan to “develop the international schools offer” in the Paris area this week.

He told investors: “Investment will be specifically dedicated to training teachers and recruiting native speakers.”

The proposals are part of a wider plan by Mr Macron to woo foreign business.

On Monday, he urged 140 bosses of multinationals to “choose France” at a lavish soiree at Versailles Palace, addressing them in English.