How good ar the schools Spain (Costa Blanca)
Feb 11th 2004, 1:28 pm
#1
Just Joined
Thread Starter
Joined: Jan 2004
Posts: 24
How good ar the schools Spain (Costa Blanca)
Hi all
We are considering moving to Spain and i was wondering what people who are already out there think of the schools, and how there children have settled into Spanish life.
We are considering moving to the Costa Blanca. If anyone could help me find a web site of schools in that area that would also be great.
My children are 11 and 9 years old.
Many thanks
We are considering moving to Spain and i was wondering what people who are already out there think of the schools, and how there children have settled into Spanish life.
We are considering moving to the Costa Blanca. If anyone could help me find a web site of schools in that area that would also be great.
My children are 11 and 9 years old.
Many thanks
Feb 11th 2004, 2:21 pm
#2
C.G.D.S
Joined: Nov 2003
Location: Ireland--->London--->Spain--->Rockport, MA
Posts: 3,353
My two nieces are here. One is 7 and at Spanish school. She's getting on really well and is fluent in Spanish and Valenciano after a year.
The 15 year old is at an Intl school which is an out and out disaster. Her academic record has gone from straight As in England to below average. All the parents are up in arms over the standards there.
The probs with Spanish schools come later when they go to the Institut (senior) The standards seem to drop a lot. Avoid areas with a lot of expats like Torrevieja. I don't know a single person who's happy with the schooling there in the local or intl places.
Again it's a problem with kids. What do you do with them for higher education like uni? What about careers? Simply put there are no real career ops for people starting out. The Costas are fine if you want to shift down a gear or three but if you want somewhere progressive with a chance of a decent future for your kids, then I'd say it's most definately not the place to be.
Google around and you'll hear most of the expat parents say the same.
The 15 year old is at an Intl school which is an out and out disaster. Her academic record has gone from straight As in England to below average. All the parents are up in arms over the standards there.
The probs with Spanish schools come later when they go to the Institut (senior) The standards seem to drop a lot. Avoid areas with a lot of expats like Torrevieja. I don't know a single person who's happy with the schooling there in the local or intl places.
Again it's a problem with kids. What do you do with them for higher education like uni? What about careers? Simply put there are no real career ops for people starting out. The Costas are fine if you want to shift down a gear or three but if you want somewhere progressive with a chance of a decent future for your kids, then I'd say it's most definately not the place to be.
Google around and you'll hear most of the expat parents say the same.
Feb 11th 2004, 3:09 pm
#3
Just Joined
Thread Starter
Joined: Jan 2004
Posts: 24
Originally posted by sibsie
My two nieces are here. One is 7 and at Spanish school. She's getting on really well and is fluent in Spanish and Valenciano after a year.
The 15 year old is at an Intl school which is an out and out disaster. Her academic record has gone from straight As in England to below average. All the parents are up in arms over the standards there.
The probs with Spanish schools come later when they go to the Institut (senior) The standards seem to drop a lot. Avoid areas with a lot of expats like Torrevieja. I don't know a single person who's happy with the schooling there in the local or intl places.
Again it's a problem with kids. What do you do with them for higher education like uni? What about careers? Simply put there are no real career ops for people starting out. The Costas are fine if you want to shift down a gear or three but if you want somewhere progressive with a chance of a decent future for your kids, then I'd say it's most definately not the place to be.
Google around and you'll hear most of the expat parents say the same.
My two nieces are here. One is 7 and at Spanish school. She's getting on really well and is fluent in Spanish and Valenciano after a year.
The 15 year old is at an Intl school which is an out and out disaster. Her academic record has gone from straight As in England to below average. All the parents are up in arms over the standards there.
The probs with Spanish schools come later when they go to the Institut (senior) The standards seem to drop a lot. Avoid areas with a lot of expats like Torrevieja. I don't know a single person who's happy with the schooling there in the local or intl places.
Again it's a problem with kids. What do you do with them for higher education like uni? What about careers? Simply put there are no real career ops for people starting out. The Costas are fine if you want to shift down a gear or three but if you want somewhere progressive with a chance of a decent future for your kids, then I'd say it's most definately not the place to be.
Google around and you'll hear most of the expat parents say the same.
Thanks for your reply, that's really quite worrying. We would like to live in a place that has a better lifestyle than England but not at the expense of our children. Do you know of any schools that are ok or are they all the same? Do you think that paying for an education would be better? Do they even have private schools in Spain?
I think we need to look a bit harder into exactly what we want and what is best for the children.
Thanks again
Feb 11th 2004, 5:37 pm
#4
C.G.D.S
Joined: Nov 2003
Location: Ireland--->London--->Spain--->Rockport, MA
Posts: 3,353
Which area in the Costa Blanca are you looking at? If it's south I'd avoid it like the plague for a number of reasons as well as the education there.
There are private schools. I can think of one in Gandia and the International schools are all private. The prob with the Intl schools is that they are not in the league tables and do not have governors. There is no pressure on them to produce results and they are essentially just money making schemes.
I hate being the bearer of doom and gloom but I never hear a good thing about them. My sis's major worry is her kids futures. The youngest is doing well and is fluent but for her to advance she's going to have to leave the Costas.
There are private schools. I can think of one in Gandia and the International schools are all private. The prob with the Intl schools is that they are not in the league tables and do not have governors. There is no pressure on them to produce results and they are essentially just money making schemes.
I hate being the bearer of doom and gloom but I never hear a good thing about them. My sis's major worry is her kids futures. The youngest is doing well and is fluent but for her to advance she's going to have to leave the Costas.
Feb 12th 2004, 10:04 pm
#5
Forum Regular
Joined: Aug 2003
Location: Lancashire England & Guardamar Spain
Posts: 42
Re: How good ar the schools Spain (Costa Blanca)
Hello
From what I understand from talking to spanish people -is that even if you obtain a university degree there is very little oportunity jobwise - you often end up accepting a job that does not really require the qualifications that you have obtained
Young people that wish to progress have to move to Madrid/Barcelona etc. or move elsewhere in Europe. This may improve if Spain moves from a tourist/agricultural economy to a more commercial/scientific one but that could take a long time
Be prepared for your children moving away or if they stay in the Costa Blanca working in the tourist industry
Regards
From what I understand from talking to spanish people -is that even if you obtain a university degree there is very little oportunity jobwise - you often end up accepting a job that does not really require the qualifications that you have obtained
Young people that wish to progress have to move to Madrid/Barcelona etc. or move elsewhere in Europe. This may improve if Spain moves from a tourist/agricultural economy to a more commercial/scientific one but that could take a long time
Be prepared for your children moving away or if they stay in the Costa Blanca working in the tourist industry
Regards
