At my grammar school I was put into the arithmetic only stream. I can do mental arithmetic, but seeing maths written down needs an extra process, which my poor brain finds difficult.
Of course, none of this was recognised at the time.
We were advised not to take the comprehension in our English Language paper, but I have the same problem with grammar. Needless to say I did the comprehension and got top marks.
You may find this difficult to believe, but I have the same problem remembering recipes!
Slightly tongue-in-cheek, but by all accounts, the BAC was given to 50K extra young people this year 
due to the Covid19 situation - who’s to say that won’t happen again next year ?
A lot more of them got it this year because the quantity of scrapers-in was higher - but it was as difficult to get a good mention as usual. Next year the format will be totally different and the Bac will rely on more exams which were taken in 1ere (ie this year) as well as exams in T° and continuous assessment.
My daughter is hopping mad because she perhaps atypically enjoys doing exams because she is very good at them, and feels cheated of a rite of passage, but there are plenty who heaved a huge sigh of relief.
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For kids who do better on long term assessment based results they’ll do better. My son got a mention ‘tres bien’ last year, not sure he would have done as well if it had been based on all his assessments 
In Oz when I went through it was a mix of the 2 which I think is a healthy way of doing it to meet both types of students. Perhaps France will take this time to update it’s education system a little!?
Well that is exactly what has been done with the latest reform, there is a continuous assessment component and an exam component - however, the Bac is no longer a national exam since not all candidates will sit the same exams if they choose the same subjects, and that I am afraid will lead to greater inequalities because the good prépas will not consider a 16 from some rural school as good as a 16 from a prosperous city centre.
I think if there is an exam then they all need to have a level playing field and exams should be anonymous, and externally marked by people who actually teach the course, as has been the case up to now.
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I didn’t realise that and I totally agree, that is not a good way forward at all 
I thought I’d update my position, because most of what you good people advised turned out to be accurate. I have my Carte Sejour - it’s the full strength type under the Warp agreement, My son is now at University in Toulouse and in his own flat and receives a fully funded bourse and my daughter is modelling in St Bart’s, a French dependency living the high life. Both children have Carte Sejour’s and both have applied for French nationality. My worries concerning minimum income and state dependence proved to be unfounded as most of you advised. So apart from becoming too old things are fine, I thank you for your kindness
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wonderful news… thanks for the update…
Well Jane I have a very similar problem.
I can only relate to what I unde[rstand and find it hard and almost impossible to follow sequences. So I do not try to drive. hopeless at IT and create recepies but have trouble following them
There must be a name for this mal function.#
Love working, loved meeting new people and seeing them enjoy happy holidays but this tired old body needs to stop.
But how to do this?
Do I give up on enjoying cherries at 10 euros per kilo and eating in a restaurant from time to time to trying to become a champion knitter or read books untill I fall asleep in the sunshine.
Not sure.
My accountant is not sure either.
What is for sure is that currently there is no answer.
Really pleased for you John, and its also rally nice of you to come back and thank the forum.
Now, on the elixir of youth…
I would try to find someone with a cherry tree. We have a wonderful neighbour who shares his cherries with us, but this year our own tree has been laden.
We also have three rows of asparagus in our potager and are currently enjoying some wonderful mangetout peas.
I suppose you could also call me a champion knitter!
One thing about being in France is that they work to live and not the other way round, perhaps that might be the way to go.
Good luck with whatever you decide.
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Thank you .
How lucky you are to have lots of asparagus and cherries.
Lucky, perhaps. A great deal of hard work - almost certainly!
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Good to hear. My parcours is not so dissimilar. Working at Airbus in Toulouse since 2004. Now with dual nationality for me, my wife and daughter. Unfortunately my son was already majeur so could not go on the application with me. So I’ve got that to do. As it turns out neither child is studying in France, one in Hong-Kong (worked out well with covid…) the other in UK. I’m for all intents and purposes in the French system for everything. On the other hand like all of our experience on either side of the channel there is always a challenge administration wise for one off things.
Good news but dont you mean old and grumpy
Now now young Steven, I might be occasionally grumpy but mostly I’m fabulous and awesome…
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aren’t we all… 