School fees..........

Just been having a look at nabss..............it will cost me in the region of 20 thousand pounds a year to send my children to private school................(i have four children) depending on when we come because my oldest may well have left school so that will be 15 thousand a year..................

That is alot of money...........so that gets me thinking that maybe the youngest two who will most likely be about 7 and 5 by then should maybe go to Spanish school........... but i just cant get the image out of my head of the two of them sat there whilst the teacher is chattering away in Spanish and them not having a clue what the hell is going on..obvioulsy  we are all going to start learning Spanish before we come but i doubt very much we will be fluant............... surely the teachers in some Spanish schools speak a small amount of English..... am i being a bit naive about the whole thing...........

Any advice from people who have dealt with the school system in Spain would be most welcome......

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When I moved out here my two were 3.5 years and 5 years old. I put them straight into spanish school - it took them a week until they realised that no one else spoke the same language! Anyway they went through the spanish system and are both completely fluent in Spanish, English, And have also learnt French and German.

They one thing to look out for is one they go to secondary school there are so many students you may decide then to put them into private spanish school. I did that for both of mine with the costs at 250 euros per month for a 10 month year.

Daughter is now studying Bacchillerato with son still at secondary school. I highly recommend the system here.

 

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HI rixxy

What made you decide on an international school for secondary school? My kids will go to spanish primary but just wondering what is wrong with the secondary. Most of my reasearch has been done on the primary side so far.

Thanks

Tinax

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Hi Tina - My two havent gone to an international school but a private spanish one. I found that as both of mine are basically spanish that the public system was brilliant until secondary school. Then the institue is huge, 7 classes per age group and my daughter who was flying at the top of her class ended up with a baddish crowd, started losing her way and not studying as hard. It was the equivalent of a secondary Modern school - like wot I went to!

So I got her into Salliver school and she took up the challenge and was the top of her class for the remianing 2 years.

She is now in a public school studying baccillerato.

Didnt dare let son go to an institue as he prefers the wilder side of life (bit like Mum I guess) and I know he would get into bother. So not an option.

The actual schooling system is brilliant, constant monitering and tests to check they are ok and understanding but the private SPANISH schools set themselves very high levels of excellence - its not based on the car you drive (good job looking at mine) or how much money you have, but how the kids apply themselves and the work they put in. Its been brilliant for both and the building blocks are firnly in place for future studies

Daughter is heading to Uni to study pharamaceutical advancement and even has the option of going to a UK uni as she is taking a cambridge exam in English (speaks fluent English as we do in the home)

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Hi Rixxy

Thanks for that. Might be something I should look into altho my eldest is only 4yrs so have a while yet but will keep in mind. 7 classes per age group is huge........hmmmmmmmmm you have got me thinking. Im happy with the spanish primary school which is very local to us (altho havnt actually moved yet) so hopefully off to a good start but like you would like to see my kids stay on the right track so that the world really is their oyster when they finish education.

Thanks for your opinions and well done to your kids sounds like they are doing very well, you must be very proud!!

Tina x

This message was last edited by tinasolera on 4/26/2007.

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Hi Rixxy

Do you mind me asking how much roughly a private spanish school is per year?

thanks

tina

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Hi,

We are an English family moving out to Costa Del Sol in either July or August this year. We have a huge dilemma over education and would love some advice. Our son is 15 years old, and we feel we will have to place him in an English International School to complete his education, our daughters are aged 13 and 6. The 6 year old will definitely go to a local Spainish school, however we dont know what wil be best for our 13 year old, who is doing very well at school. Obviously the fees for International schools are very high, but we dont want her education to suffer. Anyone got any advice?

 

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Hi, we have friends who relocated a couple of years back, with 3 children to Costa del Luz. They all took Spanish lessons, bought tapes and CD's for the cars. They tried to have one meal a week when they all spoke Spanish ( the 3 year old was quickest at picking up the langage and could actually make himself understood much sooner than Mum and Dad!) They put all 3 in a local nursery and primary and plan that they will go through the Spanish secondary system, all 3 are avarage and above average in their classes and bilingual. They say they take it year by year and if problems arise they will look at other options, just as they would in the Uk.  At the beginning they did compare things alot with their various relatives and their children but as time has gone on its become less of a concern. They did research the local schools prior to relocating so maybe what they found out made them more confident.

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Hi Barbie,

I moved to Spain 4 years ago with a then 5 and 11 year old. They both went to spanish school. My daughter who is now 15 did 3 years in spanish school and struggled. I moved her last September to an international school where she is now doing GCSE's and has caught up amazingly well. My advice at 13 would be an international school. There are so many expats here now that unless you are moving to a very spanish area, the kids have lots of english friends at school and take longer to learn the language than they would have done a few years ago. For the sake of 3 years education, I would keep your daughter in the education they are used to. My daughters fees are EURO's 330 a month so well worth it and a lot cheaper than english school fees.

Louise

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Hi Barbie we are also moving out to the costa del sol but next year. We have a 14 year old son and a 10 year old daughter with the added complication of my son having to change from the Scottish standard grade system to GCSE. I have also been looking into international schools and they are not cheap but don't think we wll have any other option.  We are all learning Spanish at the moment but don't think it will be as good as it needs to be for when we move. Look forward to hearing how you get on

Liz

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Hi Barbie,

My family and I are planning to move over to the CDS this summer. After much work weve managed to place our 7 yearold daughter at the Spanish State school "Platero" in Elviria that has probably the best reputation on the whole of the CDS?

To qualify for a spanish school place you must register at the local town hall where you intend to live and take with you all of the correct property documents and a utility bill. You neeed to do this asap to be allocated a place of your choice. The education authorities must provide you with a school place by law but it may not be located so close to where you live? I spent several weeks on the CDS recently going through the whole process and I found it quite a demanding process!

The best deal for an international school that I found was at St Anthony's in Mijas at 4,650 eu pa. But it dosn't have a great reputation for academic success with older children! At the other end of the scale you will pay up to 1,000 eu per month at the English College near Marbella but there is a long waiting list there!

Apologies if you're up to speed with procedures and good luck with your move.............

This message was last edited by miket on 5/13/2007.

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Just out of interest- is home schooling ever an option in Spain?

We do know someone in the UK who did this right up to As and A2 level which they went to college to do. However they also kept the children in beavers and rainbows, brownies and guides and scouts plus swimming clubs, tumbletots and all those sort of things so they didn't miss out on friendship groups. I suppose the extra curricular things might be the things that are more difficult to organise in Spain if your children are home schooled because you wouldn't have the local community links in the same way. Or as much opportunity to practice the language.

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Hi Miket

Im trying to read your post but the text is so small i cant read it.. no i dont need glasses, can anyone else read that or do i need my eyes tested!!

Im intrested in what you have written, so if you could make the text normal size that would be great!!

Many thanks

.... ps not to worry i think ive read it all ok now!!  Thanks

This message was last edited by tinasolera on 5/13/2007.

This message was last edited by tinasolera on 5/13/2007.

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Morning Tina,

( I think Mike could well be in the market selling magnifying glasses. ) I actually can read it (no specs needed) but Mike, it is rather teeny.

(Good lad our Miket)  

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Hi Everyone,

Just want to say thanks for the advice, we are traveling to Costa Del Sol 10th June for a week to look at properties and hopefully to go and visit some schools. After reading comments from people who have made the move I think we will have to go for the International School places for our older children. The only problem now being if we can secure places for them for September. The other option we are considering is trying to get a tutor to educate them at home until we can get places at the International school. Has anyone tried this before?

From Barbie

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Hi Louise,

Thanks for the reply to my query. Which International school are your children attending? the fees you are paying seem very reasonable. Do you know of anyone whose children are attending the school at Cordoba? We are hoping to move across in July/August and finding the right education option is proving a real headache.

barbie

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Hi Barbie,

We're in Torrevieja, on the Costa Blanca so a long way from where you are heading I'm afraid.

Rgds

Louise

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Hi Louise,

Thanks for the reply anyway. There seems to be more choice of schools in your area than in Costa De Sol from what I have seen on the net. I will just have to keep trying.

Barbie

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Hi

We are also considering on moving over to Costa Blanca and are very interested in getting some advise regarding the best school. My children are 9 and 3. 

I saw from previous posts that Louise could perhaps give us some information regarding school around the Torrevieja area which I would be very grateful for.

Any advice would be much appreciated

Thanks

Tracey 

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Hi Tracey,

Your children would probably both be fine in the spanish school system. They get an extra year in junior school here so don't go to senior school until they are 12. Therefore your 9 year old would have 3 years before going up, giving him/her enough time to become fluent etc.. The 3 year old can go to school now as they take them from 3 into the primary schools. Hope this helps.

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