davyrowy

Is plymouth really that bad now , i was thinking of moving back home after 17 years away ! i guess everywhere is going down the pan .good luck in Spain.

JO71

Great advice, I do worry for my eldest, she has done a little spanish, she doesnt know enough to get her through a school day, is there an adult in classes to translate for new pupils? She will have a lot of catchup to do.

I have heard through speaking to expats in La Romana about being held back a year and think this will help, as it happens throughout the school indeed the country there is no stigma attached to it, if that happened in the UK it would be a bit embarassing for the bairns as it isnt the "norm" - I do think this will help a great deal as there will probably be other children in the same situation.

I so want this to work, the bairns are very excited about it and I think they will have a much better childhood than they have here.

Thanks so much

valenciatim

Why would there be an adult there to translate? Who would pay for the translator? In my experience here, foreign children in primary education may be given additional tuition in Spanish for maybe a couple of hours a week, but that's about it. Sometimes a councillor is available to help them adjust. My two eldest (now 9 and 5) were thrown in at the deep end at ages 3 and 4, both speak Spanish better than they speak English. They are also both the only English kids in their classes which also helps. Often if there are several other English kids, an us and them situation develops

GrapeEater

[QUOTE=JO71;7705291]We aren't entirely sure where abouts in Aspe....

My hubby has been reading this thread and has suggested Hondon.../QUOTE]


Hello, I know of a couple in the Hondon area moving back to UK very soon and would love to rent their villa long term - it's gorgeous and on the nearby Urbanisation which is a quiet place with is lots of ExPats and so you'll not be short of advice and help + there are a few other families with children in local Hondon schools so would be able to befriend / be advised by them. You'll probably feel safer too if you are on your own. There are quite a few others too who have husbands working off-shore / uk I believe. In fact, there is a family who live a few houses away from the one I mentioned.

If you are interested I can PM (Personal Message) you the web site address which has their contact details on. You can then ask what rent they want. Let me know.

sensationalfrog

well as you are very intelligent i wish you and your family all the best and really hope i dont meet you in plymouth in a year or two(which by the way is a great city),has good and bad areas like all cities,no one gets stabbed knifed or has to put up with abusive youths on dartmoor/exmoor,i suggest you move there,spain is not a great place atm

GrapeEater

Lesson: this thread should have been "Moving to Aspe nr Elche, would love to hear from anyone in that area" to save the defenders of Plymouth hi-jacking the main point of your question !!

Never slag off a place - if you want peace! Someone will always get on their high-horse and charge in with a counter argument !!

Keep it simple on here or the "poke-fun meisters" will have a field day or probably will anyway !

leckytech

[QUOTE=GrapeEater;7705697] Excellent advice, it does worry me having to leave the family there while i go off and work. I hope I am correct in assuming which web site this is, in which case their phone should be ringing around now . PM JO71 though grapeeater as I cant always access from here

lynnxa

this is true - in our town, if you want your child to go to a certain school, you need to enrol early - and still may not get your school of choice

also correct about all the paperwork



also true - if there is a place available you can enrol at any time of year

lynnxa

so she was born in 1997?

if so she would be starting secondary in september

however - it's not uncommon for kids to be 'held back' a year if they don't pass all their exams, so you could ask for her to go into primary for a year - I have known of cases where this has been allowed

Hondon Voyager

JO71

[QUOTE=GrapeEater;7705697] My husband read your message from offshore and e mailed me the villa you were talking about, I have contacted the owners - thanks so much for the heads up, very kind of you.

JO71

Yes you are right my daughter was born 1997, the thing I am unsure of is whether the kids start where they left off in the UK, or, do they start where the Spanish teachers feel best for child.

valenciatim

Normally they will start in their relevant age group. You really need to contact the school asap, or delay your move until you have sorted it out. It may sound harsh, but it is your childrens' lives you are playing with here!
Many families have had to return to the UK because their kids cannot settle, simply because they left it too late to make the move over. Starting a new life in Spain is harder than most people imagine anyway with the red tape, employment issues etc. Worrying about the kids settling down can only add to those problems.

painterhombre

blimey! I go to bed, wake up today and there's loads of posts!....er.........ok.........i'll try and work thru some of them

1) Yes, i should not have included Plymouth and didnt know why i did and i cant edit it!!!! Plymouth is a violent scum hole but yes, some people would feel strongly against that, so as from NOW, no more mention or discussion about plymouth, its irrelevant.

2) Thanks for all the great info sharing, its good to be prepared. (And ill have to check out this HONDON place, sounds great

3) We have already chosen our house in Aspe (partida Alcana, which i think is just on the outskirts) , albeit from photos and conversation with the estate agent and all seems above board, and theres no commitment as we are renting. We just couldnt afford to come over, just to look at houses, as it would have eaten too much of our savings, so we thought taking a gamble would the best bet and fun too! You never know the hosue miight be perfect, or just a stop gap, but we needed to choose someone .......

4) yes, this is well researched and has been in the planing for about 3 years. If anyone else is considering the move, research is the best advice i can give: You're not moving to England in the sun. (!)

5) The wife used to live in Valencia (city) before she met me 10 years ago. She speaks almost fluent Spanish, and i'm learning the lingo, so thats good too, plus the little one speaks a bit too (un poco)

6) I am in a unique position as i work on the internet so my wages etc and what i do for a job wont change, but our outgoing will be cut by more than a half! However i very much need to find a gestor to sort some business stuff in spain. As i have a uk business i will be taxed in the UK, but it would appear that i will have to pay national insurance in Spain, which is expensive. I would be very worried however if i was moving to Spain to find work, theres not much about and what is there goes to a spaniard 1st.

7) Yes, it is common for a british kid to go down a year when they start but they soon pick up, and no, theres no stigma, Spanish kids are in general more respectful and friendly that english kids. My step daughter (who is now 20 and is staying in the uk), went to a spanish school for a year in valencia city when my wife did her "sandwich year" at valencia university when she was 9 and she loved it. (Also the hours change in the year. Quite often they do 8am until 5pm most of the year and then 8am to 1pm during the hot summer months, plus its a 2 hour lunch break and kids either go home and eat with the WHOLE family, or eat in school, which is more like a restaurant than a school canteen.

8) SCHOOLS: You have to pay for ALL the kids books too, i do mean ALL. even the paper they write on. A book list would be available from your childs new teacher.

9) I agree with valenciatim too, many people move and dont kid the kids a second thought. Its got be planned wisely as yes its their life too. and yes JO71, they WONT start where they left off in the UK as the kids will be following a different curriculum, for example, history lessons, no "battle of hastings" or "british trenches in ww1", plus the child has to "orientate" themselves, it can be confusing to look at a UK map on the classroom wall your whole life and suddenly its a spanish one.! Dont worry about them though, they will be fine, although its tricky at 1st (i have this yet to come), but they soon settle in.

valenciatim

Re your point numbers..........

6) If you live in Spain, you will be liable to pay tax in Spain on your earnings! See numerous other threads

7)The hours usually only change in June and September due to the heat when the kids do half days. The length of the school day seems to vary from one school to the next as do meal times.

8)Depends on the age of the children. The Valencian Government are issuing grants for books for some age groups which NEARLY covers the cost.