Kemila

I'm looking to relocate to Salerno, Italy in a couple of months. I speak fluent Italian and have traveled and lived out in Italy for short periods of time before having my children. I've been wanting to re-locate to Italy for quite some time, only I have been hesitant due to the fact that I am a single mum with two children. I have chosen Salerno as I have extended family out there and don't want to be isolated. I am looking for suitable English speaking schools for my children. Do they exist?

What are the rules and regulations? can my children be Montessori taught by a private tutor?

I appreciate your help
This is going to be a life changing move, and I would like to get it right for both me and my children.

ononno

Ciao, and welcome to the forum from me. I don't think you'll find much in the way of Internationl schooling in Salerno. As far as I am aware the nearest English language schools would be in Naples, and connected with NATO. There are BE members in Salerno, so maybe they have some ideas. What about your family there? Can they help? Regarding home tuition, yes it is possible, but needs to be authorised by the school authorities in Salerno. If your children are quite young, then you should also consider Italian state schooling in my view.
Hope everything works out for you.
ciao for now,
'o nonno

primularossa

Dear Kemila

if you don't find an international school in Salerno, and you are alone with two kids, it will not be easy to take them at school in Naples...moreover, consider that, id Salerno will be the place where you want to live, it would be better for them to stay at school near the place where they live, for making new friends and see them also after school.
Moreover, if they will attend an Italian school, they will learn quickly and they will study Italian grammar too, when in primary school. A good occasion to become bilingual, which will be of great help fot them.....I would consider an Italian school....but you did not say the age of your kids, Maybe very joung, as you talk about a Montessori teacher.

Usually (at least where I live) italian public kindergardens are very inspired to the Montessori method. You have to check in Salerno, but I have a friend in Belgium who sent her daugther to a montessori private school and described to me all the advantages....I found it very similar to the school that my daugher attended and I thought "so what? schouldn't any school for infants be like that?"

ciao, good luck for your move

Primula

Kemila

Ciao Primula
I don't think the children can go to a Montessori school as they are aged 11 and 12. I'm not sure if they can be taught private whilst we are settling in and finding our way. I guess they could go to an Italian school, only isn't that going to be difficult with the language barrier?

I have in laws in Salerno, Albanella. So this was the reason for being in Salerno. This could prove to be challenging.
Ideally I need to be somewhere rural for Health reasons.

Sylsmum

It depends on how old the children are. If they are Primary School or younger, I would definitely recommend putting them in ordinary Italian State schools. They are excellent up to the age of 11 from my experience. After that things get sticky !
If you put them in an ordinary school, they will pick up the language quickly ( my son was able to understand & communicate to a basic level within a month at the age of 9, & had definitely caught up in everything after a year) & they will have lots of normal, local friends.

modicasa

Why would Salerno have an international school? There is a sort of intl school in Naples - mainly for the US base there. Otherwise nothing. You have the state system at your disposal, so choose a good scuola media, and know what your children wnat to do when they grow up as they will have to think about liceo before too long.
Salerno isnt great for health reasons. If you want rural then go further south down to the Cilento - which is also beautiful - but its very rural, and your children may not thank you for it at first.

gioppino

Maybe because the state schools, especially in that region, are a joke?

Kemila

Ciao Modicasa
Thanks for the tip on Cilento. I don't want to be in the city. I need to be by the sea or somewhere where I am not exposed to too many Electro magnetic fields, mobile phone station or anything that gives off a magnetic field.
Cilento could be good as its near Agropoli, Which I visited once and did like.
So Thank you for your advice.

Sylsmum

Please do read Lorna at Vicenza's contribution about schools (4th July) . If your children are 11 & 12 they may find Italian schools very dull compared to UK ones & quickly become demotivated. A lot depends on the teachers, but in the Middle Schools (age 11- 14. Yrs 7 to 9) they tend to be old and few relate well to this age group. There is no drama, cooking, IT or much sport in schools.

modicasa

Gioppino - my reply was not why would you want an international school, but why would there be one in Salerno. Intl schools are in places with an international population, ready and happy to pay the fees, Varese, Rome, Milan. Salerno cannot be included in such a list.
The Cilento is beautiful, and free from much of the contamination that you would prefer to avoid. However, its not the greatest place for teenagers growing up who want more than a local sagra to be the social occasion of the year.

Sylsmum

Really don't agree with this. I work in an International School, we only have one family who are NOT Italian ! So no, International Schools don't need to be in a location with an 'International population'. Italians may not be 'ready & happy' to pay the fees, but my experience in 2 schools tells me they will make the necessary sacrifices in order to help their kids secure a University place & employment abroad in the future. Anyone with money, sense, or both, wants their kids out of Italy in the future ! So any town with a population of 100,000 + could potentially be a successful location for an International School.

modicasa

And how many are there south of Rome?

ononno

exactly

Sylsmum

Because of the threat of extortion & corruption, not because people don't want them.

Sylsmum

Did you know there is a new international School in Brindisi ? And a bilingual school in Mesoraca (Crotone) ? Not exactly 'ex -pat territory' !
Some people seem to be extraordinarily arrogant about their perception of such things !