La Seyne is now the third city in the Paca region (after Marseille and Digne-les-Bains), whose “preparatory” class from the School of Fine Arts is admitted to the National Association of Public Preparatory Classes for higher art schools (APPEA). In addition to the notoriety that this network brings, this development will allow students to access student status.
The preparatory class is post-baccalaureate training (1) which trains and supports for a year (35 hours of weekly lessons) students wishing to compete for entry into a qualifying art school. To obtain national recognition, the Seynoise municipal school welcomed representatives of the APPEA who came to observe its operation. Then the director of the establishment Fabrice Moreau and Eve Garémi, teaching artist responsible for educational coordination, presented last October the official request for membership on the board of directors of the national association. And a few weeks later, the letter confirming the admission arrived at the town hall.
“A successful challenge”
“After the cessation in 2016 of this prep class which had been created around fifteen years earlier, we reopened it in 2022 with the objective of reaching the criteria to join the APPEA within two years, relates Dominique Baviera, deputy mayor in charge of culture. Today, it is a satisfaction and a pride to have succeeded in this challenge, especially since the school’s teaching team is totally invested, and I thank them for it. To be on target, we had to modify the terms of registration fees so that they were calculated in proportion to the family quotient.”
Joining the national network of public preparatory schools, indicates the latter, will therefore allow each student to “benefit from student status which secures their studies thanks to scholarships, and to access the services of the Regional Center for University and School Works”. APPEA adds that“a prep class makes it possible to combine individual and dynamic monitoring thanks to its small numbers and its high teaching ratio (on average one teacher for three students)”.
Ultimately, joining the national association means being part of a network which has 26 preparatory classes throughout France, and which represents more than 770 students (including 47% scholarship holders) trained each year. With excellent results since the schools which are part of the APPEA record more than 90% success rate in the competitions for higher art schools.
1. Students are admitted based on application and motivational interview. More information at 04.94.06.95.51 or on the website www.beauxartslaseyne.fr/
