The class sheet consolidates, in a single document, the educational and organizational information of a group of students for the upcoming year. For the 2026 school year, its preparation becomes more complicated: pre-school start dates shifted from the usual schedule, new programs in middle school, and an extended smartphone ban in high school. Comparing these changes allows us to assess what truly impacts the organization of a class.
2026 School Year Calendar and New Programs: What Changes Compared to 2025
| Element | 2025 School Year | 2026 School Year |
|---|---|---|
| Pre-school start for teachers (mainland) | End of August (variable) | Friday, August 30, 2026 |
| Student start date (mainland) | Variable by zones | Monday, September 2, 2026 |
| Middle school programs (5th grade) | Programs in effect since 2016 | New programs (decree of February 18, 2026): French, mathematics, modern languages |
| Smartphone in high school | Banned only in middle school | Ban extended to high school starting September 1, 2026 |
| Progression benchmarks | Cycle benchmarks | Annual or periodic benchmarks integrated into the programs |
The pre-school start set for Friday, August 30, 2026 leaves only one working day before welcoming students on Monday. This shortened timeframe requires finalizing the class sheet well in advance, ideally before the summer holidays.
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Several websites still displayed a start date of September 1, a date that has since been corrected by the ministry. This confusion circulated for several months and may have distorted the planning of some institutions.
Preparing the class sheet based on the 2026 class sheet guide allows for the integration of these new calendar constraints right from the drafting phase.
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Annual Benchmarks in the 2026 Programs: Impact on the Class Sheet in Middle School
The decree of February 18, 2026 introduces annual or periodic benchmarks replacing the cycle logic that prevailed since 2016. This difference is structural for the class sheet: objectives are no longer spread over three years but are defined year by year.
For a French teacher in 5th grade, this means that the progression outlined in the class sheet must align with specific expectations for each school term. The margin for adapting to the class’s pace decreases.
Subjects Concerned and Levels Affected in 2026
- French in 5th grade: new periodic benchmarks published, with objectives divided by trimester or semester depending on the academies
- Mathematics in 5th grade: annual progression imposed, reducing the flexibility of the previous cycle benchmarks
- Modern languages in 5th grade: alignment with the CEFR with more detailed intermediate levels than before
- Moral and civic education, from 6th grade to terminale: adapted program, including for New Caledonia (specific decree published in the Official Bulletin)
This granularity modifies the class sheet in its “pedagogical progression” section. A school principal coordinating multiple levels must verify the vertical coherence between the 6th grade and 5th grade sheets.
Class Sheet 2026 and New Regulatory Constraints: Smartphone and Uniform Policy
Two regulatory measures directly impact class organization and must be included in the sheet if the institution incorporates them into its internal regulations.
The smartphone ban extended to high school starting September 1, 2026 necessitates rethinking the management of digital tools in class. For the class sheet, this translates into an additional line in the “authorized materials” or “operating rules” section.
The experimentation of school uniforms continues in the 2026 school year, following previous pilot phases. Participating institutions must mention the modalities in their back-to-school documentation, including the class sheet.
What the Class Sheet Must Now Include
Beyond the educational aspect, the class sheet serves as a reference document during the first class council and meetings with parents. In 2026, three sections deserve particular attention:
- The policy on the use of digital tools in class, updated to reflect the phone ban in high school
- The annual progression benchmarks (no longer cycle-based) for each teacher involved in the class
- Information related to the Avenir plan, a guidance support system implemented starting the 2025-2026 school year according to the Official Bulletin
2026 Back-to-School Allowance: An Item to Anticipate in the Family Sheet
The back-to-school allowance (ARS) sees a slight increase for 2026. The amount is around 400 euros per child depending on the school level, with an increase of a few euros compared to the previous year.
This information does not appear directly in the class sheet, but it conditions the students’ equipment at the beginning of the year. A teacher drafting their supply list in the class sheet should calibrate their requests considering this budget. In Morocco, recent guidelines aim to limit supply lists deemed excessive, a trend that is also gaining traction in France.
The payment of the ARS traditionally occurs a few days before the start of school. For families, this means that supply purchases are concentrated in a very short window, between receiving the aid and the day of school.
The 2026 class sheet is no longer a simple administrative form. With annual benchmarks replacing cycle benchmarks, the smartphone ban in high school, and the tightened calendar around August 30, each section of the sheet reflects a specific regulatory or pedagogical constraint. Filling it out early, before the summer holidays, remains the most effective lever to absorb these changes without improvising on the day of pre-school.