I realise I am probably too late but maybe not!
I'm Australian and my children are currently in the French school system. They started in Petit Section and my eldest DD is tin Grade 1 at the moment. For the 3 Maternelle (kindergarten years) it is great. After Kindergarten your DH is right and the school environment becomes progressively more tough. It is definitely a far more tradition and academic learning environment than the schools in Australia provide. Right from the start the children receive a very detailed graded report card. Having said that both my children love going to school, enjoy it and learn heaps.
Before choosing an American school I would just check whether or not an American High School Leaving Certificate is recognised in Australia for the purposes of getting in to an Australian University. It use to be the case that you could not study at an Australian university with only an American School Leaving Certificate, but maybe that has changed now.
.png "Interview With Expat Saanika Gandhi, Author of Children's Book 'The Yellow Kite'")
