Candidates whose overall average falls just below the pass line are given a second opportunity. This session is oral rather than written and has its own logic.
Who sits it
Candidates whose average is below the pass mark but within a defined band. Those below the band do not have access to it.
The thresholds are set in the official regulations, and the current version is read from the document the school provides.
How it works
The candidate chooses two subjects and sits an oral examination in each. A short preparation period is given, then a presentation and questions in front of an examiner.
The mark obtained is compared with the original mark in that subject and the higher one counts. An oral mark that comes out lower therefore does no harm.
The choice of subjects is decisive
The selection is not made from the lowest marks. It is made from the subjects with the highest coefficient and the greatest scope to be improved orally.
A one point gain in a high coefficient subject can outweigh a three point gain in a low one. A choice made without that arithmetic wastes the opportunity.
The preparation window is very short
Only a few days separate the results from the session. That is not enough time to learn content; it is enough to organise the main themes of two subjects.
Which means the real preparation happened during the year. Rattrapage is not a rescue, it is a chance to close a marginal gap.
The outcome
A pass results in the diploma. Whether a mention can still be awarded depends on the regulations, and after rattrapage the first level of mention is generally the highest available.
A failure means repeating the year or sitting again in a later session.