Estybelle

Hi There Everyone, My Husband and I have been seriously considering moving to spain with our 2 children who are 13 and 7. Our concern is naturally, their schooling. can anyone advise me on the schooling situation? Also, do we get a mortgage in spain or with a british bank?

painterhombre

hiya and good luck, i am sure you will get lots of advice here. As far as the kids, well they will certainly have a better and safer life here than the UK. Your 7 yr old is a perfect age but you may have issues, based on other peoples experiences, with the teenager, spanish schools are VERY different than uk ones!

good luck

lynnxa

well yes, but the biggest problem will be the language, of course

a 13 year old has little to no chance of learning Spanish well enough to graduate on time or go onto higher/further education at all

the OP should look into international/british schools

Rosemary

Another thing regarding schooling is what language is used. I was told this week by a teacher that around our area everything is taught in Valenciano apart from one lesson per week in Castellan and for some one lesson in English.

Rosemary

jojojojojo

If you can get one, a mortgage from a Spanish bank is probably best, altho I think they want you to have lived in Spain for a year (something like that???). British banks are reluctant to issue mortgages on properties outside of Britain

Jo xxx

lynnxa

yes, my 15 year old does everything in Valenciano except for German & Castellano - but she chose to transfer to the linea valenciana in secondary school

however my 11 year in primary does most of her subjects in castellano -about 60%, & the rest in Valenciano

next year she will be in secondary, but will stay in the linea castellana, so the majority of her classes will be in Castellano

noelrosie

We bought our villa with a mortgage from a spanish bank and we were not living in Spain

Fred James

I think you will find it very difficult to get a Spanish mortgage even if you are resident and even more unlikely to get a UK mortgage on a Spanish property - they won't even lend to properties in the UK!

Things have changed somewhat in the last two years!!

pablosho

Hi Estybelle,

Firstly, have you decided on where you will be relocating to in Spain? Is there an International school there?
It has already been commented that your 13yr old may find it difficult to adapt, especially if they don't speak Spanish. Have you spoken, to him or her about the move? What was the reaction?
It is hard enough, to have to leave all their friends and family behind, but starting in a foreign Country with a different language, is difficult for teenagers.

With regards to getting a mortgage, I would seek professional advice but why not think about renting somewhere, before you burn all your bridges!

Rosemary

Just goes to show that each area is different. Majority of lessons in valenciano around here but a more equal divide and even a choice where you are.

Rosemary

lynnxa

I think it might be because there are more 'non-locals' here, by which I don't really mean non-Spanish

there are a lot of Spanish people living here from all over Spain who don't have any background in Valenciano

that said, in the primary school in the port, and one of them in the 'old town', where traditionally more 'locals' live, there is more bais towards valenciano

but there is still (sort of) a choice

paintermujer

Our daughter is in a castellano class but is taught in valenciano in everything except castellano and of course english.

Already she speaks some "churro" which is a dialect and not a donut.

cricketman

I never thought of a churro as a doughnut, though I guess it kind of is, except for the shape that is

Rosemary

How on earth did she manage when you first moved here. Did the school provide additional language lessons for her?

rosemary

cricketman

According to wikipedia, "churro" is basically Castellano/Spanish with some very small grammar changes and is spoken only in the North West of Valencia. Valenciana is a different language altogether.

http://es.wikipedia.org/wiki/Castellano_churro

Very interesting. Make sure you daughter doesnt get confused with regular Castellano though and then get marked down in her exams!