Association Of French Speaking Parents
Charity 1151991
Overview
Summary
Association Of French Speaking Parents appears to be more than a supplementary language class: it is a parent-governed, community-based institution helping francophone children sustain French literacy, cultural connection and peer relationships alongside English schooling. Operating as Farandole, it combines weekly teaching, early-years provision, a lending library and family participation, while drawing practical legitimacy and resources from the wider FLAM and French educational networks.
Operational geography
Evidence and reasoning
Supporting evidence
Brandwood and Kings Heath
Confidence: low
Direct current evidence identifies Bishop Challoner Catholic College in Kings Heath as Farandole's host school and the location of its in-person Saturday teaching. The supplied evidence does not establish ward-level operational geography.
- Farandole official website, 'Trouver Farandole' and home page
States that Farandole is now in Kings Heath and that its host school is Bishop Challoner Catholic College in Kings Heath, Birmingham. - Farandole official website, recruitment page for 2026/27
Lists the role location as Kings Heath, Birmingham, gives Saturday in-person session times, and identifies Bishop Challoner Catholic College as the host school.
Remaining uncertainties
- The available current evidence identifies one regular physical delivery site, but does not establish ward-level operational geography, show where participating families live or demonstrate regular face-to-face delivery in other Birmingham wards.
- Farandole says it can offer online classes and individual weekday in-person lessons when Saturday attendance is not possible, but does not state the locations, scale or current use of those sessions.
- The Charity Commission records Birmingham City as the area in which the charity operates. This supports a citywide overall footprint, but does not establish separate neighbourhood delivery sites.
- Membership of the FLAM network, Parapluie FLAM, FLAM Monde and support from AEFE appear to provide professional-network, branding, resource or funding links; the evidence does not show that these partnerships create additional Birmingham delivery locations.
Additional evidence needed
- A current annual report, service report or enrolment analysis showing the geographic distribution of pupils and families across Birmingham.
- Confirmation from the organisation of whether weekday individual sessions are currently delivered, and at which sites or by what online arrangement.
- Evidence of any additional regular venues, outreach sessions or formal Birmingham-based delivery partners beyond Bishop Challoner Catholic College.
Areas of work
- Education/training
Who they help
- Children/young People
- Other Defined Groups
How they help
- Provides Services
Discoveries involving this organisation
The Atlas has not published any Discoveries involving this organisation yet.
Observations
A parent-led school rather than a conventional provider
The organisation appears to use a mutual, family-membership model: parents are not only customers but members with formal voting rights, and volunteer participation is presented as necessary to daily operation.
Why it matters
This suggests that its resilience and character may depend heavily on parental capacity and participation. It may strengthen ownership and community ties, while also making volunteer recruitment a strategically important issue.
Show evidence
“Farandole is managed by the AFSP, and all parents of pupils are association members with one vote per family at general meetings.”
Source:Organisation“Farandole states that it constantly needs volunteers for reception, the library, reading support, events and teaching-resource preparation.”
Source:Organisation
Language maintenance is embedded in a wider bilingual childhood
Farandole appears designed not simply to teach French as an additional language, but to maintain and develop an existing home or school-acquired language within children’s bilingual or multilingual lives.
Why it matters
This distinguishes the organisation from mainstream adult-facing language schools or beginner provision. Its role may include protecting continuity between family language, literacy, identity and educational progression.
Show evidence
“The charity advances education in French language and French culture for children of French-speaking families and children with sufficient French proficiency.”
Source:Charity Commission“Its programmes take account of pupils' bilingualism or plurilingualism and of literacy teaching in English schools.”
Source:Organisation
Local delivery is supported by transnational French-language infrastructure
The organisation appears locally rooted in Birmingham but connected to a wider ecosystem of French educational institutions and peer associations, enabling it to offer resources that a small Saturday school might not independently sustain.
Why it matters
These relationships may be central to Farandole’s capacity, credibility and ability to connect local families with broader French-language cultural and educational opportunities.
Show evidence
“Farandole is based at Bishop Challoner Catholic College in Kings Heath, Birmingham.”
Source:Organisation“Farandole is part of the FLAM network and is a member of Parapluie FLAM (UK) and FLAM Monde.”
Source:Organisation“The association states that AEFE funding helped it create a library and funds member access to Storyplay'r and Savio.”
Source:Organisation
- There is no evidence on the socioeconomic, geographic or cultural diversity of participating families.
- It is unclear how demand, attendance, fees and volunteer availability affect the organisation's sustainability.
- There is no evidence of relationships with Birmingham schools, other community organisations or local public services.
Remaining uncertainties
- Recent pupil, family and volunteer numbers, attendance patterns and waiting-list information.
- Information on fees, bursaries, funding sources and annual financial position.
- Evidence of partnerships, referral routes and outcomes for children and families.
Additional evidence needed
Charity Commission profile
Activities
Our Charity runs a Saturday school in French language for children who live in a French speaking family or who have gained proficiency in French, typically as the result of schooling in a French speaking country. We also run a French-speaking parent and child playgroup on Saturday mornings
Charity objects
TO ADVANCE EDUCATION FOR THE PUBLIC BENEFIT IN THE WEST MIDLANDS IN THE SUBJECTS OF THE FRENCH LANGUAGE AND FRENCH CULTURE FOR CHILDREN OF FRENCH-SPEAKING FAMILIES AND CHILDREN WHO HAVE GAINED SUFFICIENT PROFICIENCY IN FRENCH