peacelily

Hi, another newbie to this site. We are seriously thinking of moving to Italy. I have family in Italy (Montecarlo, Versilia and Garfagnana areas) and we would like to move to Montecarlo, Lucca. Can anyone help with advice of schools in this area for our children (8 year old girl and 12 year old boy)? Am worried that this is a difficult time to take our son out of school as he is currently in Year 8 in England. Any advice from anyone with similar experience would be greatly appreciated. I am sure I will have other questions but initially would like to know what the schools are like in that area as I have read many of the posts on the site and know it's a bit hit and miss with schools.

Thanks

clare-h

Hi there,
I'v only been here about a month but got my 7 year old in the local scuola elementare in Bagni di Lucca and I'm very happy so far - she's settled quite well and they give her extra help with her italian - they are happy to let her learn the language before moving her up a class - obviously maths etc she's finding easy. I think it's all about preparing them - try and get lessons for them ASAP and build them up to it. good luck Clare

Lorna at Vicenza

you may find that in some classes they are ahead of the italians as Italian kids are not legally obliged to start primary school until they are six - so this might give your kids a bit of space to work more on their Italian language - but giving them a bit of a start before you leave is obviously a good idea - things like numbers and first vocab and simple phrases.
Google "italian for kids" and you'll find lots of websites - some even with sound so they can hear her the correct pronunciation.

TestaRossa

Your daughter should be fine at this age. Your son is another matter. Does he speak Italian? I'm hoping from the fact you have family here that he does! If he doesn't get him some lessons now or look for an English speaking school! I brought my son over in Year 7 and wouldn't have had a chance to put him in Italian school, as it was I homeschooled for a year knowing that he was going back to the UK the following school year to boarding school anyway. I don't know if your son has turned "tricky" yet - my son is year 8 now too and you would think he knows everything he needs to. Remember here there are no half-terms either just short holidays at Christmas and Easter with a much longer summer break than they are used to. Many schools do Saturdays too, which may be unusual for both your kids. At a pinch there is an Int. school in Pisa.

Here in Florence kids his age are looking to get their first scooter in a year's time, so they are very streetwise here, smoking, scooters, fashion all seem to kick in at the end of Media which he would be in. He would then be off to Liceo in Year 10 where he will specialise more, bit like the technical schools they are opening in the UK where the school specialises in Art or Science, but much more so.

italyexpat

Lucca is a lovely town, actually my home town. The question of schooling is not to be take lightly, It is a major deal-breaker in to go or not.

Read the site rules 9 and 18

peacelily

Hi everybody.

Thanks for the messages they've been really helpful. My son is learning Italian at school at the moment but this doesn't seem to be progressing him as much as I'd like which makes me wonder if he needs to be immersed in the language as Testarossa suggests, or needs to be in an English school such as the ones in Pisa or Florence. Again, it would be good to hear from anyone who has children in any of the English schools. Good to hear that things in local schools are going well Clare and that's really helpful. Still at the thinking stages and it's just about taking the plunge at the moment. From most of the comments on the site it would seem that most people are happy about the move. Would be really good to hear how things have gone for you Clare since you have only recently moved.

Thanks

clare-h

Hi Peacelily,
Things are still going really well - Amy's Italian is coming along (slowly) her pronunciation is perfect though and I'm sponsoring her to learn at least one new word a day to keep her enthusiastic - which seems to work for her! School is just about to finish now for the summer and so I'm looking to find a local teacher for regular lessons during the holidays. Any suggestions from any of you very welcome!!!!!
I'm also signing her up for summer sports camp at our local tennis club so she can mix with other kids and have to use her Italian there all day too.
As far as everything else things are going gr8 - Still lot's to sort out like getting our application for residency and getting our heads round the paperwork for utilities - I'm getting used to the piano piano approach this though. I'm getting stuck into painting the house room by room and still unpacking etc. Summer seems to have arrived now and so will lots of reletives over the next few months so not much else will get done till September comes round.
Good luck to you and if you are thinking of coming over and want to meet to chat about things let me know.

TestaRossa

Clare, I know my son was a few years older when we first moved here, but we tried the one on one teacher approach and I really didn't find it that successful. He was very reluctant to do the exercises with the teacher and felt a bit self-conscious. This hopefully won't be your problem, but I have to say my toddly (4) has picked the language up really quickly in her first year in school and I would say she is pretty fluent now - my Italian friends tell me she is anyway!

I suppose what I'm saying is maybe do all the sports stuff and summer clubs etc but don't sweat it too much - she'll be back in September and probably fluent by Christmas, which in the grand scheme of living here is a really short time. If I was a kid the last thing I would want to be doing on a boiling summers day would be practising my Italian when I could be chasing butterflies or splashing my parents with water! Just a thought.

Just had another idea! Buy dvd's - I assume she can read - play them in Italian with English subtitles and then the other way around! Learning Italian and having fun! Just need to do it myself now !

Lorna at Vicenza

I'll send you homework Testarossa
A list of 10 words and verbs a week and you will have to send me back 10 perfect phrases.
I'll send you some exercises on all those pronouns that you love so much too

TestaRossa

And can't you tell I'd do it....! It was one of the big reliefs of leaving school - no more homework!! Then I signed up for another few years and then a bit later for another few - I just don't learn( well, not through homework anyway!)

I've got an exercise book just about pronouns - done a few!

Having said that we have a Berlitz programme for the PC and the most useful bit is the screen saver! It gives you all these really useful phrases, like "I can't help you, sorry!" in both Italian and English, but they are the ones you always want for conversation, rather than "Can you tell me where the nearest hotel is please?" That's really useful in Florence in high summer!!

clare-h

Hi testarossa,
Thanks for all the gr8 advice - You are so right about not over loading her during the summer - the last thing I want is for her to hate learning and maybe rebel. I guess I need to give her the same piano piano approach and let her soak it all up and just enjoy having a lovely summer here. thanks

TestaRossa

You're welcome! See, I am learning another language, American!!

Kids are sponges, everyone says it, but it is true. Teenagers have started to calcify and we adults need a really good, long soak! If she enjoys the activities you are arranging and they are all in Italian, I think you will see an improvement in her language abilities really quickly.

tuscanliberty

Hi,
I live in Montevettollini near Montecatini with 3 boys (8,7 and 4). The two eldest have grown up in the Italian State system and have gone to the village school but they are now finding it much more difficult as the vocabulary suddenly broadens out and I don't want to concentrate so hard on their Italian at home as at the end of the day English ( their mother tongue) is important too especially if they want to go abroad to university.
Reading other posts it seems an International school in Lucca might be well served. One that teaches in English but provides extra support for local Italian students and those new to the country who wish to learn the lanuage.
Our wish is that the school become a true meeting point for families who speak or wish their children to speak English in the Lucca area. The school day will include sport and clubs within school hours.
If anyone would like to be involved or is interested in possibly sending their children or indeed has any questions please get in touch.
We hope to open for the school year beginning september 2010

37100

As you son will be 13 this year, September he would normally start the last year of junior high but with limited Italian he'd have to stay back a year and at that age boys started to change quite dramatically (one of mine grew 15cm in the summer hols)so he could find himself a very tall lad in a class of small children and feel even more out of place. He would also have to work very hard to keep up in the first year of senior high with the risk of having to re-do the year. It can be done but don't under estimate the sensitive stage of his life he is at here or in the u.k. If you do come, get him into a summer football school, with the help of lessons he'll soon get by.

peacelily

Hi there tuscanliberty. Thanks for your reply. I am certainly interested in your ideas for an International School in Lucca. Wondered what interest you have had from others and how far on you are in your planning and/or thinking? I have to say that we have not moved to Italy, mainly because of our concerns over schooling for the children, but it is always there as a possibility so I would welcome being able to discuss this with you further.