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Childrens Schooling In Spain

Childrens Schooling In Spain

Old Oct 6th 2005, 4:06 pm
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Default Childrens Schooling In Spain

Hi everyone,
This is my first question….Does anyone have children that have gone to school in spain from nursery age.. What did you do? Spanish State System, Spanish Private or Private English or International? I am soon going to have to start thinking of this and am quite confused. Any information/your own stories would be appreciated.
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Old Oct 6th 2005, 8:39 pm
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Default Re: Childrens Schooling In Spain

Hi Joanne

It is confusing to know what option is the best for your child. I think you have to consider your long term plans for yourself and your children. Do you intend to remain in Spain for good? This is probably the most influential factor as if you intend to relocate in another country in the future international schooling is probably a better option. Perhaps invest in a crystal ball!
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Old Oct 7th 2005, 10:24 am
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Default Re: Childrens Schooling In Spain

Originally Posted by j0197
Hi everyone,
This is my first question….Does anyone have children that have gone to school in spain from nursery age.. What did you do? Spanish State System, Spanish Private or Private English or International? I am soon going to have to start thinking of this and am quite confused. Any information/your own stories would be appreciated.
Joanne,
We now have 5 children between 10 and 2 yrs old and we live outside Madrid. When we arrived 5 years ago, the oldest two went into a British school, The English Montessori in Aravaca. When the 3rd was 2 or 3 he went into a local private nursery, as did the 4th, when he was old enough. By this stage, we'd switched the oldest 3 into a local Spanish concertado (subsidised).

A new state nursery opened and Nr 4 was switched into that and Nr 5 started there a few weeks ago. Nr 4 is now in the infants part of the concertado with the others.

The private British school was very good with a high standard of teaching in English and lots of Spanish children. Whilst much cheaper than private in the UK, it is more expensive than the Spanish schools, private or subsidized.

We have been very happy with both private and state nurseries, though obviously spend a lot less on the state one.

We're not overly concerned about the language aspect either way. The older ones were bilingual before we arrived, since my English wife spoke Spanish to them as she was learning it and I spoke English. Now we both speak English to them, though they reply to my wife in Spanish and they mainly speak Spanish amongst themselves. Their standard of English is poor compared to their peer group in the UK, but easily improved and the oldest is capable of pointing out the mistakes of their English teacher. In addition, the older ones are already learning French at school, and they all read avidly in both languages, so I don't see a problem.

Even the nursery schools do a little bit of English and if they're international, will have a spread as a result of the different choices between classroom and playground.

Talk around other parents in the parks and shops to find out what the possible schools are like, work out your budget. Bear in mind that if you're not in at the start of the first year covered by a school that you may have problems with a lack of places in subsequent years. Since many schools, particularly in the private and concertado sectors cover the full range from infants to "6th form" teenagers, this means applying for places from 3 years old to be in poll position for the primary school classes.

We've been lucky that as a familia numerosa siblings get a lot of points and usually end up near the top of the entry lists. Points can be awarded according to siblings in the school, proximity, low earnings etc, and there are many that are quite 'creative' about their applications for popular schools. Claiming to live with relatives nearby; submitting interim tax-returns that can be sent to the school application then replaced by corrected ones with the full earnings - it's all been tried, often by perfectly respectable people.

Ask away if you've any other questions.

Oh, and if you're aiming for something popular, be prepared to queue overnight, as if it were the best Harrods sale for years. The same goes for extra-curricular council-run courses in art, swimming, dance and music around here, where families will often queue from 11pm overnight to be sure of a good place when the list for applications opens at 9am. My wife queued overnight in February ( -4 degrees, in a snowsuit, with a chair and thermos; almost a party atmosphere as members of other families took their shifts and bottles of warming spirits were passed around) to get Nr 3 into the nursery at the concertado, then a fortnight later, the schools announced that they'd managed to get concertado status for the 2 nursery years, so the enrolement process had to take place again under the new concertado rules (points). Laugh?
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Old Oct 7th 2005, 6:33 pm
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Default Re: Childrens Schooling In Spain

Dear Coralsoft
Thank you very much for your reply, I am going to sit down tonight and read it thoroughly!

Last edited by j0197; Oct 7th 2005 at 6:35 pm.
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Old Oct 7th 2005, 8:57 pm
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Default Re: Childrens Schooling In Spain

Originally Posted by j0197
Dear Coralsoft
Thank you very much for your reply, I am going to sit down tonight and read it thoroughly!
Hi there,just thought i would tell you about my experience although it will be fairly different as i am in the Lecrin Valley.It will also differ from coralsoft as again different area.We moved here at the beginning of september and the school year started on 15th september and i really wanted them to start with all the other kids.I was very definite that they got to the spanish state school for numerous reasons.They are 'different' enough as it is with all the local kids without going to a 'posh' school.(I have to say that it is very spanish here and the english that are here are older than me in as much as they have grown up children.)Secondly,as far as the local school went i had no choice where they went because of my address.There are 2 schools in this village so i suppose it was a bit like the catchment area you get back in the UK.I wanted them to be as much a part of village life as possible.Another reason was money obviously as i have 4 kids ranging from 5 to 12!Plus the nearest private school was Granada which is about half hour away mid morning!As for after school activities,i just got a form and i was told to just fill it in as to what activities i wanted!I dont know how old your children are but i will say if they went to school in england be prepared for some 'snot and tears' as i call it because it is a HUGE change for them.My kids are the only english ones in the school but in marbella they will probably out number the spanish in the local school!It was only awful the first couple of days and they have only been going for 3 weeks and they have settled in really well.
Well i hope you understood at least some of that because i do waffle on a bit If you have any More questions i will be happy to answer them if poss
Ruth
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Old Oct 11th 2005, 9:10 pm
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Default Re: Childrens Schooling In Spain

Originally Posted by the boudiers
Hi there,just thought i would tell you about my experience although it will be fairly different as i am in the Lecrin Valley.It will also differ from coralsoft as again different area.We moved here at the beginning of september and the school year started on 15th september and i really wanted them to start with all the other kids.I was very definite that they got to the spanish state school for numerous reasons.They are 'different' enough as it is with all the local kids without going to a 'posh' school.(I have to say that it is very spanish here and the english that are here are older than me in as much as they have grown up children.)Secondly,as far as the local school went i had no choice where they went because of my address.There are 2 schools in this village so i suppose it was a bit like the catchment area you get back in the UK.I wanted them to be as much a part of village life as possible.Another reason was money obviously as i have 4 kids ranging from 5 to 12!Plus the nearest private school was Granada which is about half hour away mid morning!As for after school activities,i just got a form and i was told to just fill it in as to what activities i wanted!I dont know how old your children are but i will say if they went to school in england be prepared for some 'snot and tears' as i call it because it is a HUGE change for them.My kids are the only english ones in the school but in marbella they will probably out number the spanish in the local school!It was only awful the first couple of days and they have only been going for 3 weeks and they have settled in really well.
Well i hope you understood at least some of that because i do waffle on a bit If you have any More questions i will be happy to answer them if poss
Ruth

Thanks everyone,
You´re right, there are probably more English here and more and more seem to be going to the state schools, I just don’t know them personally to ask of their story. Its all the different stories you hear…legally don’t have to start school till 6 but can start school at 3 if you can get them in. And that theres a point system…if you earn what they say is too much you cant send them there. We are going to be staying here and the main thing is that she is bilingual and doesn’t have the problems with learning a new language like us!

A few more questions!

Does it matter if we don’t speak Spanish in the home?
Is bullying a big thing here in the schools?
How do you find out what salary the state say is the max you can earn to send your child to state school?
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Old Oct 12th 2005, 8:13 pm
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Default Re: Childrens Schooling In Spain

Originally Posted by j0197
Thanks everyone,
You´re right, there are probably more English here and more and more seem to be going to the state schools, I just don’t know them personally to ask of their story. Its all the different stories you hear…legally don’t have to start school till 6 but can start school at 3 if you can get them in. And that theres a point system…if you earn what they say is too much you cant send them there. We are going to be staying here and the main thing is that she is bilingual and doesn’t have the problems with learning a new language like us!

A few more questions!

Does it matter if we don’t speak Spanish in the home?
Is bullying a big thing here in the schools?
How do you find out what salary the state say is the max you can earn to send your child to state school?
Children will get masses of Spanish speaking experience with their companions in all but the most anglicised of British schools. Whilst the classroom language might be English there, the playground language and out-of-school social language will be Spanish. Even more so for Spanish schools, such that giving children sufficient English experience is more likely to be an issue, unless you are totally immersed in the ex-pat community.

In our experience, I don't think bullying is a big problem here on the scale that it is in the UK. The schools make a big effort to install a strong group culture, by running nights away on trips (3-day farm trip for 4-yr olds); by having seniors welcome new starters; by continuity - having children at the school right from infants to seniors. I think a certain amount of behaviour where children are establishing their hierarchies is accepted, there being a stong sense of self-reliance, but not bullying.

As far as we're aware, there's no maximum salary above which you cannot get into a state school. Whilst they may use the same points system as a concertado, the state is obliged to provide a place somewhere, so even if you may not get your first choice (assuming there is one), you should get in somewhere. See if you can do some jiggery-pokery with tax returns. They don't like British ones, but might condescend to view one without coping with the fact that like-for-like Sterling numbers will be smaller than the Euro equivalent. See if you can improve on other point earners and play the system.
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