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The purpose of the analysis in this chapter is to make a simple, pragmatic re-evaluation of the French school system focusing on the transition from school to the labour market. The first years after leaving school are a period of direct confrontation between labour supply generated by the educational system and labour market demand. The first section of the chapter presents the modern French system of education, its main stratifications, degree of centralisation and its main institutional relations with the labour market. The next section analyses the links between the educational level of young people and labour market participation and socio-economic and social class status of first job. Lastly, there is an examination of aspects of the social and economic mobility of young people entering the labour market in relation to the number of hours worked weekly and the difficulties encountered in trying to avoid part-time work and short contracts.