The Lycée Français d’Oslo is currently undergoing a significant real estate transition. On this page, we provide a concise summary of the latest developments regarding the real estate project, which is being managed jointly by the administration and the Board. Here, you will also find responses to the most commonly asked questions related to this matter.
The school buildings located in Skovveien are belonging to Oslo City Council must undergo extensive mandatory renovation to comply with the safety and working environment regulations for the students and the personnel. The renovations are expected to take approximately two years.
Once renovated, the real-estate/rental cost will increase to match current market price. At the same time, the renovated premises will most likely accommodate less students to comply with the safety and working environment regulations, as well as mandatory increased space requirements per student.
The board and school management have dedicated considerable effort towards finding a long-term solution for the school, meticulously evaluating various factors such as student capacity, building quality, location, and rental costs. The insights gathered from the parent survey (carried out during Spring 2023) have provided valuable input into this ongoing process.
In collaboration with Fast Eiendom, a respected real estate firm in Oslo renowned for its expertise and extensive experience, we commenced the search for potential new locations for the LFO during the 2020-21 academic year.
However, securing suitable premises for a school in Oslo poses significant challenges. Potential locations must undergo conversion to meet school standards and regulations, with one of the primary hurdles being the requirement for adequate outdoor space. Furthermore, some property owners are hesitant to commit to long-term leases, rendering it financially unfeasible to undertake the necessary conversions.
Extensive searches beyond Oslo municipality have also been conducted.
In June 2024, we communicated our intention to remain in Skovveien and the plan for renovation of the buildings intended to start in autumn 2025. Since then, we have encountered unforeseen challenges and constraints with the renovation plan that could not be resolved despite our best efforts and ongoing discussions with Oslo municipality. These obstacles have made it clear that remaining in the current building is no longer a viable solution for the LFO.
Faced with these realities, the board felt it necessary and responsible to explore alternative sites. We are pleased to announce that we have now identified and secured a suitable new location that will accommodate all of our students and support the growth and sustainability of our school in the coming years. The new site is located in Fornebu, a green area with lots of parks in full expansion, next to the sea and with a wide range of shops, businesses, activities and culture.
While we recognize this is a significant change from the direction shared last summer, we are confident that this move will allow us to secure a stable and inspiring environment for generations to come.
We want to assure you that this transition will not be immediate. The new site will be ready in three years’ time (school year 2028/2029), and in the meantime, we will continue to keep you closely informed, listen to your concerns, and work collaboratively to ensure a smooth and thoughtful transition.
We invite you to an information meeting on Thursday, August 28th, from 18:30 to 19:30. During this meeting, we will present more details on the new site and address questions or concerns you may have.
The school buildings located in Skovveien are belonging to Oslo City Council must undergo mandatory renovations. The renovations are planned to start in Autumn 2025 and are expected to take approximately two years. Once renovated, the real-estate/rental cost will increase to match current market price. At the same time, the renovated premises will most likely accommodate less students to comply with the safety and working environment regulations, as well as mandatory increased space requirements per student.
The board and the management of the school are considering several options assessing different criteria such as student capacity, building quality, location, rent costs, etc. The feedback from the parent survey serves as important input to the process. We aim to finalize the assessment and make a final decision around the end of the year / early 2024. We will inform and keep the LFO community up to date with both direct e-mails and on the LFO webpage.
This story has been covered in the media and might be again. Because media stories often give an incomplete picture of the situation, we ask our LFO community to please refer to LFO website for accurate and up to date information.
No, the school has no plan and does not foresee any scenario where it would close. The school has the support from AEFE, the French government, and the Norwegian government to continue to operate in Oslo.
Yes. Bringing our rent in line with the market price, whatever the solution found, will inevitably lead to an increase, which the Administration Board is trying to keep as low as possible, depending on the circumstances.
We are in close dialogue with our French partners. We have great support from our diplomates, a strong commitment from the ambassador and the COCAC. We have a good dialogue with Oslo City Council. They wish to keep the LFO in Oslo and would like to support our efforts.
In addition, we are also in dialogue with the AEFE management and are discussion possible ways for them to support us in this project.