Twenty-five years ago, a French-speaking Kindergarten class joined Killarney Heights Public School, unaware of the impact they would have on the local community.

Since then, the school has become fully bilingual, and the suburb is now home to the largest French community in Australia.

Principal Gillian Tegg says that the bilingual program at Killarney Heights Public School is a partnership between the Department and the French-speaking Association of the North Shore (FANS), who manages and delivers the bilingual program within the school.

“It’s an excellent example of a school meeting the needs and aspirations of the local community,” she said.

Almost half of the 688 students come from a French-speaking background and learn the NSW curriculum in French and English.

Non-French speaking students have the option to join in, with 85% of the school’s students learning in bilingual classes.

This includes adapting phonics and literacy programs to the French language, meaning francophone students make the same literacy gains as the English-speaking children.

Year 6 student Zoe Montesin, who is from an English-speaking background, says she enjoys studying science in French.

“It is really good because if you don't understand the experiments in French, the teachers will translate in English for you and help you,” she said.

For her friend Adee Nunez, who comes from a French background, bilingual learning means her home country of France is present in her learning.

“Sometimes it's hard, but other times it's really fun because you get to learn history and stuff about both Australia and France,” she said.

Bilingual staff numbers have also grown over the years, with 21 francophone staff now teaching at the school.

Many, such as New Caledonian-born Executive Teacher Geoffrey Gautier, have migrated to Australia and work at the school thanks to the support provided by FANS.

The bilingual program has also seen positive impact on neighbouring Killarney Heights High School, which last year came first in course for HSC French Extension, as well as an increase in French-speaking preschool and after school care programs in the area.

“Our students become truly global citizens. I was recently contacted by two ex-students who crossed paths at the UN in New York,” Ms Tegg said.

Such is the global reputation that Ms Tegg frequently receives enrolment requests from all across the globe.

“I recently took a call from Los Angeles from someone who wanted to enrol their children at the school when they arrive in Australia because of the bilingual program,” she said.

The program has also created strong links interstate, with students participating in a virtual ‘Olympics’ with Camberwell Primary School, a French bilingual school in Melbourne.

French teacher Marianne Alla explained that this year, with the Olympics in Paris, they decided to do something different.

“Students joined teams representing a country to compete in a range of sporting activities and puzzles, while their Melbourne counterparts did the same.

“With the Olympics being in Paris and France, it just made sense that we would celebrate the French language through a sporty event,” Ms Alla said, noting they were joined by some students from Taren Point Public School, which also has a bilingual French program.

Teachers at both schools compared results, with gold, silver and bronze going to the top teams at each school.

For the Year 3 activities, Killarney Heights had a clean sweep.