Brest, France

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The City of Brest places education and lifelong learning at the heart of its project. From early childhood through youth to old age, we accompany the people of Brest at every stage of their lives.

Mr François Cuillandre

Mayor

A focus on new technologies

A densely populated city characterized by post-World War II architecture, 41 per cent of Brest’s inhabitants are under 30 years of age. In 2020, the city was home to more than 30 000 students. Brest embraces its Breton culture and focuses on new technologies, particularly in the maritime sector.  

Vision and Strategy

For more than 20 years, we have been implementing an educational policy that is in line with several components of the GNLC. We adopt an integrated approach to learning, and our educational project caters for learners aged 0 to 30, covering early childhood, childhood and youth. We furthermore believe that learning should match our inhabitants’ needs and interests as closely as possible, and that education should be open to others and to the world, with a major focus on culture. 

Policies, Plan and Implementation

Sustainability and health

• Young people can take part in educational projects combining knowledge, eco-citizenship and protection of the local environment. These actions reinforce Brest's link to the sea and the preservation of the oceans. In addition, the city is rethinking the role of children and young people in the public space by integrating this concern into urban planning, urban renewal projects and the development of green spaces in the city. 

Equity and inclusion

• Accessibility to learning is a key aspect of the city's policies. A dense network of public schools allows 60% of pupils to travel less than 500 metres to school. Moreover, 23 popular education facilities are distributed throughout the seven districts of the territory. The city also implements policies for the inclusion of children with disabilities and programmes to decrease school dropout rates.  

Good practices

Partnerships

• In the context of the COVID-19 pandemic, many families had difficulty accessing computers, which hindered children’s participation in online classes. In response, the City, the Departmental Council and the National Education Department distributed computers and internet-enabled devices to more than 100 families identified by field workers. 

Demos project

• This partnership between the Paris Philharmonic, the State and the City of Brest taught almost 100 children from four different schools to play an instrument regularly over a period of two years. This is the second Demos project and the city continues to support beneficiaries of the first project, providing additional resources to a school in the most disadvantaged area of Brest. 

Sport and education

• In 2021, Brest hosted the start of the Tour de France, using the occasion to mobilize children and early childhood actors to work on educational projects related to cycling, including learning to ride a bike; interviews and reports; research on Paralympic sports and inspiring female cyclists; etc.