France adds nationwide math exam for 2026 Baccalauréat and offers Grand Oral topic guide

From June 2026 French first‑year high‑school students (Première) will sit a new anticipatory mathematics exam that counts toward the Baccalauréat. The test is part of the renewed common core (tronc commun) and aims to reinforce scientific skills, help students assess their abilities and provide additional criteria for the Parcoursup university‑placement platform.

Guidance has also been published for pupils preparing the Grand Oral, a high‑weight (10‑14 coefficient) exam taken by those following the HLP and HGGSP specialties. The advisory lists cross‑disciplinary topics such as space colonisation, war and peace, memory of the Holocaust, cultural heritage restitution, climate governance, fake news, and the impact of artificial intelligence, helping students select subjects that combine literature, philosophy and social‑geographical issues.

Both measures are part of the broader French secondary‑education reform aimed at standardising assessment and improving student orientation for higher education.