montagu

We are considering sending our 6 year old to Sotogrande International School. I would be extremely grateful for any feedback or any experience with the school. I have visited the school and liked what I saw but there is no substitute for hearing from others with first hand knowledge.

I will be grateful to hear the good, bad and/or indifferent and please feel free to send me a PM if you prefer.

Thanks and best wishes for any easy transition back to school!

Montie

fionamw

Only a question, and each to their own, we all know that quite well enough by now, but why International school at six?

leonfdelcanto

SIS is a great school. My children (8 and 15) hav been in the school for six years and we are very happy with the school. Mr Charleson is the Headmaster and he is the heart of the school. Currently there are some non sense discussions regarding Mr Charleson future in the school, which hopefully will be resolved. Providing Mr Charleson remains as the headmaster, I will definitively recommend the school. If Mr Charleson goes, the School is not worth the try. Please enquire about the Headmaster status before enrolling.

fionamw

There's a post on their Facebook page suggesting he's announced he's to leave August next year.
What's the % mix Spanish/British/other nationalities?

leonfdelcanto

I do not know exactly but guess 70/30 international/spaniards

fionamw

Being approx 70% international 30 Spaniards? Ok. It was just interest - nowhere near us, but our son is in international after 3 years in local publico, and without getting into a debate about academic excellence/statistics etc., one of our preferences was to find a school with more Spanish so his day-to-day contact continued to be largely in Spanish. Possibly because of the haemorrhage of British back to blighty, strange though it may seem there are fewer British/international children in his year at school than at his village school! .... and the Spanish parents find this slightly frustrating because it means their children don't get the day to day English with native English speakers that they were initially anticipating.
Anyway, sorry, not Sotogrande I know
The mention of the head leaving appeared in a couple of places while I was looking.

IJR66

Hi, just joined this forum. Both my children attended Soto school, I was not very impressed at all. My personal opinion.

But on a more important point, my daughter left Soto school to do A levels at Gibralter schoosl/college, she is in her second year of A levels. She has recently had her UCAS application for universities in the Uk returned with a message stating that the universities she had chosen do NOT recognise her MYP qualifications taken at soto school. Since she graduated with A* in most subjects she is devastated with this response. The universities have stated her application will only be considered on her A level results not any MYP results. This is disgusting, the school charges a lot of money for their education and should be aware of this. Pupils who want to go to further universities without doing their A levels at soto school may find themselves in this position of their qualification not being recognised in the UK.

I am certainly going to inform the headmaster of this, this week. If i had my time again I would send my children to the schools in Gibralter.

Rosemary

As Concierges for the Spanish section of BE we would like to say hello and welcome.

BE is a very large expat website, so if you have problems finding your way around we have concierges who will try to direct you. The moderators for the Spanish forums are Mitzyboy and Fred James, moderators are there to ensure that the site runs smoothly within the rules of BE. Problems and complaints should always be addressed to a moderador who will look into the matter and deal with it efficiently and fairly. Our members who post in the Spain Forums are friendly and helpful with a wealth of knowledge of the issues of living in Spain. At the top of the page you will find a quirkily named thread called Free Beer which is full of important and useful information. Hope you enjoy your time participating in the forums.

Please let us know if you need any further help.

Rosemary and Graham

rachelk

I work in an international school. While we don't do the MYP programme, it's not uncommon for british and international schools around the world to do so, rather than GCSE. This is the first I've heard of it not being accepted at Universities.

Are these british universities you're talking about? Sotogrande students DO get into british universitites so I can't help feeling there's some misunderstanding here.

In your position I'd contact the former school for advice, rather than to make a complaint.

Sotogrande has a good reputation as far as I know.

IJR66

I think it was Sheffield University. I must stress that I haven't contacted them yet as this has only happened late this week, but I will be on monday. My daughter said that she called them and they confirmed it.

It may be that there has been a misunderstanding, and I hope so.

rachelk

If I had to guess I would say it's something to do with the way qualifications are entered on the UCAS application.

You say your daughter graduated with mostly A*s, as I undersand it, the MYP gives number scores not letter grades - could it be simply that the grades have been entered in the wrong format?

If your daughter is applying through her current school it might be simply that there was noone there to advise her how to enter MYP grades and that they've been entered as though they were GCSEs.

I admit I'm not familiar with the UCAS applications so my guess may be completely wrong.

Hope you get it sorted out.

jimenato

Yes, I am slightly confused as well here. I know little of education - I don't even know what MYP means - but I personally know many former Soto pupils who are now in UK universities so there's not usually a problem.

rachelk

MYP is middle years programme, it's part of the International Baccalaureate system.

The IB is better known for its diploma, which replaces A-levels, but the MYP covers the GCSE years and there's also a Primary years programme PYP.

jimenato

Thanks for that.

fionamw

So how do IGCSEs relate to MYP & Baccha?