That's arguably a better system since you can keep adding earlier and earlier years (mandatory school starting age has drifted from 11 to 6 to 3 over the years) while keeping everything consistent.
Unfortunately they messed it up in 1959 by renaming 12th to 7th and giving matching names to the new 13th/14th.
- depending of the Ministry of Eduction :
- for toddlers : maternelle (3-6 yo)
- Primary : CP (6 yo, primary), CE1 (elementary 1), CE2, CM1 (middle 1), CM2
- Secondary :
- College (not the US one!) : 6th (~11 yo), 5th, 4th, 3th (with exam at the end)
- Lycée : 2nd (~15 yo), 1st, Terminal (with 'Baccalauréat' exam at the end)
However, I think that in some other french-talking countries (Belgium, Swissland) they did it simpler
GSM, PS, CE1, CE2, CM1, CM2 used to be called 12th to 7th, as I said.
Your primary classification is incorrect -- maternelle is part of primary. Non-maternelle primary is called elementary.
Just mentioned the age bracket. Kids who are younger or older are outliers.