CBANDY

Has anyone experience as to which is best??? I know they will both be different and have good points and bad.

Hondon Rock n Roll

Depends on the age of the child, if they are in their teens and intend to go back to the UK to university a british education although expenisive is probably best. If they go to spanish school they would probably be put back a year, as all lessons are in spanish. Had a teenager in British school, who did all the IGCSEs, AS & A levels (including Spanish language) therefore was able to get into UK University. Sent our other child (was 7 when she came here 5 years ago) to spanish primary school, now speaks fluently, as younger children seem to pick the langauage up quicker. Lots of homework and the work seems to be quite advanced for the age group.

CBANDY

Thanks Hondon. My daughter is not of school age yet but we are thinking of returning to the uk. I was just wondering what education system people thought was best.

Hondon Rock n Roll

Sorry, I misunderstood, I was referring to the British schools in Spain education v Spanish schools.

Fortaleza

If you intend to make your life in Spain, then give your children a Spanish education - regardless of whether you think the British one is better. School is about so much more than just academic achievements and IMHO your children will lose out culturally if not in the Spanish system.

The heart of the question lies here: have you brought your kids here to be just like you - English in Spain, or in the hope that they can, through the schooling system, become fully integrated English kids in Spain whereby they adopt Spanish morals and values, as opposed to ones the English cling to.

It is a massive leap of faith, but the success stories I've seen have usually been where the English parent stops trying to impose English sense of values on a child being brought up in a Spanish system.

cavecritter

My daughters now 10 and we have been in Spain a year now. She is in a Spanish school as we wanted her to grow up with Spanish values and morals.

Comparing British education to Spanish education, I prefer Spanish for my daughter for the following reasons;

The classes are organised by weekly timetable,
She will speak a second language fluently (I hope),
The curriculum is on par with the UK,
If a child doesn't reach the expected levels at the end of the year they are held back instead of going up with the rest of their class.
They dont tend to mollycoddle kids and the teachers demand respect.

But if you are thinking of returning to the UK........its a tough choice

jojojojojojojojojojojojo

In my experience, spanish schools seem to have more disapline, the teachers dont take any nonsense and the pupils have more respect than in UK schools. However, do they come out of the system with better qualifications?? I dont know, but I think they come out with more respect for society and values!


If I had the choice I´d go Spanish, but its an individual decision, based on so much and whichever you choose (if you´re like me!!) you´ll probably wish you´d done the other one!



Jo xx

Cleri

I can't believe your name is Jo

jojojojojojojojojojojojo

Why, cos of my forum name??? I did that cos everytime I put jo or jojo (my usual forum name) in when I was trying to join, it told me that name had been taken. I got cross with it in the end and just kept putting jojojo...... until it wouldnt let me put anymore in!!!!

Jo x

Cleri

Ah!

TestaRossa

On the other hand I have Spanish friends who moved to UK as the didn't want their 3 kids going through the Spanish system.....

Don't know anything about the Spanish system, but if it is anything like Italy the elementary schools will be better than the senior schools and they are probably as good as any in the UK, possibly better as there is a more pastoral approach to schooling.

jojojojojojojojojojojojo

My son goes to an international, english curriculum school and its surprising how many Spanish send their kids there. I guess they want to give them a good commmand of the English language, they soon become totally bilingual. And they get an english education?????????

Jo

TestaRossa

Same here, those- Italians - that can afford it send their kids to the International School, those that can REALLY afford it send them to British boarding schools - my OH reguarly sees Roberto Cavalli's son, who is 6th form age, flying back to Florence when the holidays are starting in the UK. Those with some choice send their kids to the Catholic schools, which are private here, and everyone else uses the state schools, which at elementary are very good.

billgates

We have two kids in the Spanish state school system. Oldest one has been going for over four years now and she is completely bilingual. Younger one is in her second year and is fluent with her friends.

If the intention is to live in Spain then, from my experience, I would recommend the state schools but be prepared for lots of homework.

Don't know about senior schools though. We'll deal with that at the time, but the intention is to use the state schools as we would if we were in the UK.

I haven't heard a good word about English A levels for years. Always the same complaints from employers about lack of standards and too many achieving top grades when they can't even compose a letter of application. I also don't rate many of the new university courses that have been invented. It seems that a UK uni degree is just too easy to come by these days and unless it's in a traditional subject like Maths, English or the sciences then you might be better just learning a trade.

I can understand many British parents wanting their kids to study a Uk syllabus, but perhaps they need to ask themselves whose interest they really have at heart. It will certainly be easier for the parents to help with English homework than Spanish. Is it just a cop-out? The easier option? Dunno really. Probably depends on the standard of the local school. I know for a fact that my kids have many local Spanish friends and go to their birthday parties and generally get involved in the village life. It encourages us as parents to meet the other Spanish parents at the school, to integrate if you like. It's always going to be difficult at first, and if your Spanish is poor then it's doubly so, but think of the kids first.

TestaRossa

The poor standards are being addressed in the UK though with the uptake of IGCSE's, the Cambridge Pre-U (instead of A-levels) and the I.B. I'd be interested to know what the Spanish senior schools are like as currently my choice is to send my daughter to the UK, to boarding school, like my son, as the senior schools in Italy are pretty atrocious. I have the choice if needed, to go to Spain.