European Public Schools: flexible language offer bears its first fruits

The latest report from the LUCET (Luxembourg Centre for Educational Testing at the University of Luxembourg) provides first longitudinal data on European Public Schools (EPS) and shows that the linguistic flexibility offered by EPS enhances learning for many pupils and could help to reduce persistent inequalities in the Luxembourgish education system. However, this data must be interpreted with caution, as the composition of the student population in EPS continues to differ from the one in schools following the Luxembourgish curriculum.

Almost ten years ago, the first European Public School (EPS) was established in Luxembourg. The objective was clear: to respond to the challenges posed by the diverse student population in Luxembourg and to reduce existing educational inequalities that had repeatedly been identified between students from different socio-economic and socio-cultural backgrounds. Unlike schools that follow the Luxembourg curriculum, EPS allow students to choose their main language of instruction among three language sections: German, French or English.

Since 2022, the LUCET has been monitoring the skills of students in EPS in order to assess the effectiveness of this new educational offer. Gradually integrated into the Épreuves Standardisées (ÉpStan), comprehensive data has become available to analyse whether a more flexible language offer contributes to reducing existing inequalities in Luxembourg’s education system.

From maths skills to language comprehension

Today’s results confirm the initial observations published in 2023 on the maths performance of students in these schools. The results indicate that students enrolled in EPS generally perform better in maths than their peers following the Luxembourg curriculum. This trend is confirmed in the new EPS 2025 report published today. This report confirms this observation not only for all students, but also for those who are usually at a higher risk of facing academic challenges, such as students from disadvantaged socio-economic backgrounds or those who speak a language other than Luxembourgish or German at home. In addition to validating the initial observations, this new report shows the progress made by pupils by providing first longitudinal data.

In addition to mathematics, this report also contains first-year students’ performance in language subjects. In this area, students enrolled in EPS show advantages in listening comprehension and early literacy skills when they learn in a language closer to their family language. Students following the Luxembourg curriculum, on the other hand, show better results in Luxembourgish listening comprehension at the beginning of primary school, potentially reflecting differences in language exposure in early education.

Motivated students, reassured parents

In both systems, students report high academic motivation and generally positive learning environments. Teacher–student relationships are perceived slightly more positively by students following the Luxembourgish curriculum, which can potentially be explained by structural differences between the two systems: in schools following the Luxembourgish curriculum, the same teacher teaches most subjects, whereas EPS rely on subject-specific teachers.

All parents value the multilingual school offer by the schools in Luxembourg. However, parents of students enrolled in EPS and particularly those whose family language is neither Luxembourgish nor German say they feel more capable to support their child academically, as teaching takes place in a language they are more familiar with.

Overall, the findings of the 2025 report on European Public Schools indicate that the linguistic flexibility offered by the EPS enables many students to learn better in a language that is aligned with or linguistically related to their home language, thereby helping to reduce certain educational inequalities. However, it should be noted that EPS currently enrol a higher proportion of students from privileged socio-economic backgrounds and French-speaking families, while students who are usually more vulnerable to academic difficulties are less represented. These contextual factors must be taken into account when interpreting the results, and further research will be needed to better understand the extent to which a more flexible language offer can promote greater educational equality among Luxembourg’s highly diverse student population.