We could do with a bit more info and views on the implications for house ownership.


Am I right in thinking that by getting a passport from an EU country, I would have the right to live and work in France, but as an OAP I wouldn't get the reciprocal arrangements for healthcare because my social security payments have been made in the UK.

Oh Good. Toulouse. My neck of the woods.

English 31? Cracking idea. Eldest was doing the Bac OIB section Britannique and youngest had passed the entrance test for the College section B...

Fab mums and tots group there too.

Ask away....

Hi, I think it might be better to start a New Thread! The subject is off-topic and any replies will complicate the OP's thread.

sorry, I missed a couple of the replies yesterday. Caught up now. Yes, looking at lycee /college too. We will probably start with English 31 group - Primaire Lucie Aubrac and Victor Hugo for secondary.
As it is so close to half-term we probably won't get an appointment to talk to anyone at either schools. Will be doing more research once children in bed - youngest has picked up gastroenteritis from nursery school and eldest is feeling groggy so not a happy household today. :-(
Yey to baby & toddler groups!!!! My two go stir-crazy staying at home & we all love having a routine of groups to go to; friends to play etc. Hurrah.
Petitefrancaise - if you have any recommendations of villages that might be in the catchment area that would be fab. We are semi-rural now with a 20 minute commute to my son's Pre-Prep in Cheltenham. Similar commute would be ideal. Do you mind my asking why you left/leaving France?

Catchment area for English 31?
Before college level you can take them to Wednesday sessions if there are spaces available, since presumably you are not working with Airbus then there is a fee to pay. Not sure what it is now but it isn't horrendous. For this, you don't have to be in the catchment area.

I'm not sure if you need to be in the catchment area to be fully enrolled at the primary school - ask the english31 secretary. However, commuting in to Lucie Aubrac will be horrendous in the mornings if there isn't a bus available. The primary section used to be in Colomiers with the secondary schools but it's moved so I don't know how that is managed.

You don't need to be in the catchment area for the college and lycee though - still based in Colomiers ( town further out towards the Gers) and if there is a bus available from your town/village then you can take it. Entrance to English 31 at secondary level is based on an english exam. Once your kid has a place in the programme, the derogation is approved.

I'd contact the mums and tots group and arrange to go and chat with them and ask about places to live they usually keep the friday meetings going even during the school holidays.
Tots and Co - Toulouse - Home

I didn't do the primaire english 31 because I didn't want to have the wednesdays filled up with that. My kids did their sports activities then and it wouldn't have been possible to do both. So, I paid for a private English tutor. My kids loved her and their sessions with her. Unfortunately she has now moved away from the Toulouse area. There are others though.

In terms of a rough idea of villages that would have a bus to Colomiers for schools later but I would really, really check out the bus situation (with english 31 secretary) if your heart is set on english 31.
Merville, Grenade and anywhere along the Save Valley - lots of Brits there and schools are nice.

Pujaudran, L'Isle Jourdain, Fontenilles. I'm not fond of Fonsorbes, it's ugly. St Lys can be a bit hit and miss these days.

We left for a lot of reasons but mostly because we really were running out of reasons to stay, if that makes sense. The good stuff wasn't really outweighing the stuff we didn't like. English 31 though is amazing. If my daughter hadn't been set on studying computer science outside of France it would have been very difficult to take her out (we probably would have left her there as a boarder for the last year). However, french schools and computer science. Well, no, just no.

Brilliant thanks Petitefrancaise.
Just had a call back from English31 administrator & have managed to secure an appointment with her. She sounds lovely.

Well if it's still Debbie Stuart, then she is one of the best. Amazing woman, totally organised, calm and calming. Les Albiston is still running the show there and he is one of the best teachers you will ever come across. I think he's an OBE now. All the english staff there are brilliant.

What I liked about english31 at the older age group is that you get lots of different nationalities, as well as Brits and French. So long as they can pass the exam and interview in English, they're in. These kids - can you imagine?- are often non-french, non-english mother tongue and yet studying to a high level in it. In my daughter's year there was a Danish Olympic speedskating champion who came to france to train, a chinese boy who had won a scholarship to study in france from his town/city in China. Such bright lovely kids with great futures.

Wow, amazing. How good to be surrounded by peers with such varied backgrounds; talents and discipline. The lady I spoke to was called Sylvia - she was so kind and gentle - advised us not to worry if we were running late; our children would be welcome too. Just so kind and helpful.

What do you think of Fontenilles? Just found a holiday rental there with a farm. We live next to a farm so my son would be chuffed to see farm animals en francais! (as you can tell, I need to enrol in French lessons!)
Such a shame you've left Toulouse PetiteFrancaise- I would have loved to have bought you a coffee to thank you for all your advice!

Could I suggest mumsnet as a more suitable forum for this?

no.

You don't have to read it and the information that I've given may well be useful to others.

Fontenilles. Nice place - the local garderie/creche is the one that my youngest went to, it's lovely. The college for Fontenilles is one of the best in the region, if not the best if you take out the private schools. It's the one that my 2 elder kids went to.

Just be a bit careful which side of Fontenilles you are in. Go to the St Lys side because it's nicer.

PM me if you want,

Bon Courage

Whatever.

What is your Avatar cant make my mind up if it is hook em horns or a womb....?

Longhorns!!

University of Texas team. My local one and where my daughter is a student.

Have you seen the Tesla (battery cars) logo? I think it looks like an iud..