"After-schooling" in English
#16
BE Enthusiast
Joined: May 2013
Posts: 613
Re: "After-schooling" in English
Also what were your thoughts on Hastings and English Montessori? Thx
#17
Forum Regular
Joined: Jan 2005
Location: Madrid
Posts: 206
Re: "After-schooling" in English
On that basis, I don't think you'd have a problem keeping them in the concertado option until necessary for starting the syllabus. Whilst there are probably differences that might need some filler tutoring, it should be possible to switch over.
#18
Re: "After-schooling" in English
FWIW (from someone who has taught in british/int schools in spain)
Some Brtish/international schools in Madrid are very international in intake, some are almost fully Spanish.
An advantage of the 2nd is that while the formal education is in English leading to IGCSE and A-level (or IB), pretty much all of the socilalsing is in spanish so children quickly become fluent in Spanish. The british (and other foreign) students I've known in such schools have all been perfectly comfortable communicating in Spanish.
As for continuing with ESO and then transferring to A-level, it's difficult to give real advice. My feeling is that the academic level should be a good match but it may take a short while to adjust to using academic or subject specific terms in a new language - even when that new language is your native one (based on what spanish students have said, having studied in british schools then gone to spanish universities). As a teacher I don't think I'd have any concerns accepting a student on those terms - ESO completed and native english language.
Regarding entry requirements, I think only the over-subscribed schools can afford to be too fussy in that respect - the fees paid by an A-level student are pretty hefty and some schools would bite your hand off.....
Some Brtish/international schools in Madrid are very international in intake, some are almost fully Spanish.
An advantage of the 2nd is that while the formal education is in English leading to IGCSE and A-level (or IB), pretty much all of the socilalsing is in spanish so children quickly become fluent in Spanish. The british (and other foreign) students I've known in such schools have all been perfectly comfortable communicating in Spanish.
As for continuing with ESO and then transferring to A-level, it's difficult to give real advice. My feeling is that the academic level should be a good match but it may take a short while to adjust to using academic or subject specific terms in a new language - even when that new language is your native one (based on what spanish students have said, having studied in british schools then gone to spanish universities). As a teacher I don't think I'd have any concerns accepting a student on those terms - ESO completed and native english language.
Regarding entry requirements, I think only the over-subscribed schools can afford to be too fussy in that respect - the fees paid by an A-level student are pretty hefty and some schools would bite your hand off.....
#19
BE Enthusiast
Joined: May 2013
Posts: 613
Re: "After-schooling" in English
Many thanks for the replies to my question. Since I originally asked I visited the new Hastings secondary school in Arturo Soria and was quite impressed. The woman who showed me around thought there wouldn't be much problem getting a place later on. I had been concerned because a few British schools, such as the British Council school don't teach A-levels so I imagined there'd be a bit of a scramble for places amongst students wanting to continue onto A-levels. She also mentioned that Hastings is still trying to expand and mumbled something about plans to set up a dedicated centre/campus for 6 form students. My other concern is that all this expansion needs to be paid for somehow, and their fees appear to have shot up in recent years.