FilmWorx

Hi guys, new to the forum!! We are looking at moving to the Cadiz area, maybe Chiclana / Puerto de Santa Maria kind of area. We are flying out this weekend to have a look around at various areas. My husband is half Spanish and speaks the lingo so we can get around OK.

There are a few things I would like some info on if anyone can help;

1, Weve got a 13 year old son who we would like to go to state school to learn the language and the culture however he speaks no spanish, do you know if there is a secondary school which intergrates british kids into the system?
2, Where are we best looking for accomodation where there are some Brits and kids for our son to make friends with? Any estate agents you can recommend ?
3, We also like the beach and and surf and have a boat we want to moor nearby, can you help with any marinas ?

Hopefully hear from someone soon.

Thanks

Julie & John

Veleta

There are no British schools in that part of the world (not enough British kids to warrant it). The closest thing to what you are after would be El Altillo in Jerez. It is a Spanish school following a Spanish curriculum, but they teach some of the classes in English (to help the Spanish learn English, rather than to help the British who don't speak Spanish).

Chiclana is the most British part of the Costa de la Luz, so if you want to be around some expats and have a bit of a community I would say that is the place to be.

Can't help with estate agents, but I'm sure someone from chiclana will be along to suggest something soon.

FilmWorx

Thanks for your info.

Does anyone know if there are any state schools in the area which help british kids learn the language and intergrate them into the spanish schooling system ?

Chiclanagir

My friend´s children went through the Spanish system not knowing any Spanish . Although tough for the first year they are now bilingual, so stick it out. In the end it will be marvellous for them. If your OH speaks Spanish he will be able to help with home work etc. As for estate agents I personally couldn´t recommend any of them. I would suggest that you rent initially for six months. There are various areas around Chiclana. If you go near to the beach you may find that you do not have much of a community as it is really only busy during July and August and then with Spanish and German/Dutch tourists. Be careful also because some areas have a problem with water supply drying up in the summer. It is a shame at the moment as Chiclana doesn´t look at its best we have had so much rain over the last four weeks it has become quite depressing. I would also suggest that you go on to the local forum http://paulday.proboards.com.

Anyway good luck and welcome to the area.

jojojojojojojojojojojojo

Have you thought about international schools?? altho you have to pay, they do a great job in teaching Spanish. My son was 13 when we came over and we felt it was better for him to stay with what he knows (All kids are different tho)

International schools follow the UK curriculum - IGCSEs and then take them onto IB. So the school work is all in english, apart from an hours spanish lesson a day and a "cono" lesson a couple of times a week which teaches them about spanish culture, history etc. Also, certainly my sons school has about 50% spanish kids attending so they mix and intergrate in the classroom, playgorund etc. The spanish use the international schools so that their children learn to be fluent in english, so it works both ways. My son has a couple of spanish friends and they alternate what language they speak in when they're together - quite strange to listen to!!??!

Jo xxx

FilmWorx

Thanks for all your comments.

Chiclanagr - could you advise which areas to look in for accomodation in Chiclana where there is a larger community of British people.

We have looked at The English Centre International School in Puerto De Santa Maria, however the fees are extortionate and to be honest we would really like our son to experience the full spanish culture, however also weighing up that he will be in his last 2 years of secondary school which are prob the most important of his school life, the private system may be the way to go.

Has anyone out there brought a son / daughter over to Spain at the same age 13 / 14 years ?? If so any advice ?

FilmWorx

Jo, which school does your son go to ??

Chiclanagir

My friend´s eldest daughter was 12 when she came over. She is now 17 and will be going to University next year. As to places in Chiclana to live it very much depends on horses for courses. We live in Pago del Humo and are very happy here with friendly ventas and pharmacy within walking distance. 10 mins to town and 15-20 mins to beach. There are English here but not too many. There is a new family with a daughter of your son´s age just moved to the area of Pago Mellia which is fairly near the beach. There is also Marquesada but I don´t know about families living there. As I said before do post on the local forum for more information. What will you do for work. Life is very hard trying to make a living over here.

FilmWorx

That sounds great, we will certainly take a look around those areas this weekend ( if we can find them !! ) We can work from wherever as long as we have internet connection. Do you know which school your friend's daughter went to if they are local or which school the new family have chosen? Are they on any forum ?

jojojojojojojojojojojojo

Well its not near Cadiz, its in The Málaga province

Jo xx

Fredbargate

FilmWorx
Chiclanagir has recomended you take a look at http://paulday.proboards.com/ a local forum.

There are about 20,000 illegal properties around Chiclana most of which the owners / agents will be happy to sell you, BEWARE

Chiclanagir

Which is why I said to rent!

poollounger

Filmworx there is a thread on the Cadiz forum Chiclanagir recommended about estate agents and details of one that is honest about electricity and lack of.
Yes many of the properties are illegal or semi legal, but it is not as bad as it sounds. As long as you don't buy on white land you might be OK. Ther is an excellent lawyer who advertises on the site, www.mycadiz.biz. Juan Antonio was extremely helpful and saved me a ton of money as in the excitement of buying our house we were sold an extortionate critical illness/unemployment policy that we were told was manadatory, but which is not and is illegal to force a person to have. There are some lovely bargain houses to be had provided you take care and get advice. Not all are illegal, just some people naively thought they could make an easy living and are now desperate to get back to the UK.
I sail in the UK, I am not a premanent resident in Spain. Marina berths are hard to find and as expensive as the UK, though not as dear as the southcoast prime spots. Many people buy a boat that already has a berth as the berth is then transferable. Cadiz has several marinas including one run by the council. There is a small one in Chiclana in the old port, but they have a two year waiting list, tho there are plans to redevelop and build a bigger one.
Barbate, an unattractive fishing town going east has spaces I have been told, and is not that far from Chiclana, as is Chipiona going west.
I have a house in Pago and like Chiclanagir I think it's great. There are properties more in the campo on the fringe of Pago, but many of these are on white land and you would have to have solar panels and wind gennys and diesel gennys. Water is more of an issue, as is adequate sewage. Beware of the flood plain, where cesspits can overflow in winter, and nearer the beach water can be salty. It's still a pionering area, but the rewards are gorgeous beaches, inexpensive restaurants, and Cadiz, Seville and Jerez on your doorstep. I can give you a telephone number of a former estate agent who is now mainly teaching English. Yes she went along with common practice in many instances, meter sharing for example which is now illegal, but she was meticulous about us not buying on white land, and on the whole was very fair.

Chiclanagir

Do update us how you get on.