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3e corresponds to the fourth year into the French secondary system. That corresponds to Year 10 in current UK lingo. AGe is irrelevant, although broadly the groupings will be close. In France, it is possible to be 1 (or even 2) years ahead of behind. AGe should not therefore be the deciding factor in determining how to translate this question. It is in fact very straightforward.
I can confirm that the system in UK has been different now for a number of years. My son is currently in Year 7 (formerly first year of secondary school) and he is aged 12 (his birthday is 2nd September). Since, in UK, they count birthdays according to the school year and not the calendar year, there is also the youngest in his class, at age 11 with a birthday at 31st August. My son will be aged 15 in Year 10, and his classmate will be 14.
I think, however, for this translation, you need to put "equivalent to year 10", with a brief explanation of the difference in parenthesis.
Age is not the discriminating factor in France, with the possibility of resitting a year. 3e corresponds to the fourth year of secondary level education, thus :
6e = 1st year of secondary education
5e = 2nd ...
4e = 3rd ...
3e = 4th
Thereafter it's bye bye collège and hello lycée, where there are traditionally three years, seconde, première and terminale.
When I was at school, the cut off point in the UK was after the then 5th form, with just two years for the last stint up to A-levels. In France it is a three-year final stint.
As to what these years are called now in the UK, then those in the know can work it out. Whatever it is called it is the fourth year spent in secondary level education.
Speaking as a former teacher of 5e, 4e and 3e and a mother of two, one in 3e and another in 2nde.
Yes, of course, I know the French school system well, as I am a French native. I meant, depending which English speaking country the translation is for, but if it aimed at the English school system, they start numbering classes from primary; you start in Reception class (age around 4-5), then it's Year 1 (age 5-6), Year 2 (age 6-7), Year 3 (age 7-8) and so on, all the way up to secondary and classes de lycée with Year 11 (Seconde) Year 12 (Première) and Year 13 (Terminale).
I suspect Annie already knew that. Her point referred to translating "classe de 3e" as "Year 3" which would be confusing if no reference is made to the French equivalent or the fact that we're referring to high school.
In France we don't really number primary school classes. We name them : CP (cours préparatoire) CE1 (cours élémentaire 1ère année), CE 2, CM1 (cours moyen 1ère année) and CM2. Therefore classe de 3e can only apply to the secondary cursus.
Different EN-speaking countiris have different entry years, so there are several possible answers. Would it not be MUCH safer to translate this as "year 3"?
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9th grade
Explanation: in the US
jmleger Local time: 02:33 Native speaker of: French PRO pts in category: 1
The translation workplace 
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