The headmaster of my relative's private international school in Spain had a simple explanation for why the British kids got the worst exam results out of all the nationalities at the school.

She said the parents of British children in Spain have a low level of education and work as builders, plumbers etc. While the parents of the other children at the school were in the main, educated to uni level.

Even though the school was all in English, the Spanish kids got better grades in the GCSEs than the British kids.

Controversial, but this is what she said!

Aloha college, EHIC British private schools have very good results amongst British children. Some go on to university in the UK (including Oxford and Cambridge, others to spanish and American universities. It is in the Spanish state system they seem to do badly.

I don't know why you think the system is free in Spain. I remember my friends whinging about the cost when their daughter went and they certainly had to pay 300 euro for accommodation plus food etc.

I would be interested to know the percentages of children going on to higher education in Spain.

I said almost free. Yes you have to pay a few hundred euros for tuition fees per year. Much less than in the UK where fees are £3k per year and likely to rise up to £8k per year in the next year or two (read what the UK government are proposing, its scandalous!).

Plus most Spanish kids go to their local uni and so still live at home with their parents, which saves another £5k per year.

The stats I found say there are 1.2 million students at Spanish unis compared to 1.9 million at UK unis which given the different populations (65 million in the UK vs 45 million in Spain) is a similar proportion.

The year before I went to uni students in the UK actually got paid to go to uni in the form of grants. It still should be this way imo, but uni should be limited to the top 20% of achievers. Half the courses in the UK are a complete waste of time and are not worthy to be called degree subjects. Unfortunately for the poor students who take these subjects, they now end up with a huge debt and qualifactions good enough for them to sell TVs at Comet, if they are lucky.

It depends upon the ages of your children...

The problem our British children have is that there are so many other British children..to play with and therefore they don´t speak enough spanish with each other. So if your child is in a class with another English speaker, the chances are he or she will speak English and not much spanish. Of course, they will still pick up the language but it will always be a second language. So learning new things will always be more difficult because they won´t have the language skills to learn properly.

If your children are over 8 I would say that the worse thing you could do is put them in a spanish state system..

Under 8, it´s fine. I do find the primary system very good...the classes tend to be smaller and there is a good emphasis on Maths. I do see there are problems with discipline.

I was totally shocked at their behaviour during my daughters graduation in June. The majority of the children in the audience wouldn´t be quiet and the teachers just shouted over them...even the parents chatted amongst themselves during the names being called out. (not seen that in the UK but take it as a cultural difference maybe)

We are now leaving Spain, one of the main reasons is so that my daugher can go to a secondary school in the UK. We feel that she wouldn´t cope with the learning in a second language. We came when she just turned 9.

Depends on the child as well of course

My OH's sister spent her graduation year at a high school in the US and graduated with very high grades, even though she had only been taught English at school in Spain as a second language (4 hours per week). She was in the highest maths class and had to be taught alone because none of the 200 American students were good enough to take the highest maths paper!

When my daughter went to her first spanish school here when she was 11, the other British kids wouldnt speak to my daughter because they thought she was "stuck up" The Spanish kids at the school wouldnt speak to her because she was a "guiri" and there was a real "them and us" thing at the school - it was a dreadful place. The british kids there learnt nothing, in fact the attendance level was appalling and it seemed that the teachers had given up on them

Jo xxx

Maybe just a bad school, cos our three grand children did and are doing fine in Spanish schools, it`s all about attitude and integrating.

No its as you said first, its all about not choosing a bad school! Intergration had nowt to do with it!!


Jo xxx

Sorry but it has, if you go to a Spanish school and blank the Spaniards and only hang round with the English then you have big problems.

I've said before that kids that grow up in a completely English speaking environment i.e. English only spoken at home, only watch UK TV, listen to English radio/music, don't discuss Spanish current affairs or sport etc will struggle at Spanish school.

Trying to pass exams and become part of a society that is not discussed at all at home is extremely tough. The biggest hurdle they need to overcome is one of attitude. If their parents think all things Spanish are not important, then why should they?

British parents in Spain have a duty to educate themselves about Spanish language and culture. This is the greatest gift they could give their children!

Who said anyone blanked the Spanish????? The Spanish kids, rightly or wrongly didnt like the British kids - neither did I as it happened (a bit of a rough lot - an understatement!!!!)! My daughter was pleasant to everyone, she was a shy kid. The brits didnt like her and because she was a brit neither did the spanish. Shes at the secondary school now and has made a few friends and is liked by the other kids! She's is the only British kid in the year!

Integration is an over used word on the forum. I'm not even sure I "integrated" when I lived in the UK ???? What does integration really mean, its an ambiguous word????

Jo xxx

When I lived down in the south...there was a clear "them" and "us" problem and despite trying to break down the barrier.

Fortunately, we don´t have that problem here in the North as my children are the only British kids and a bit of a "novelty".

11 is such a difficult age especially for girls..hormones and time for changes - so they feel self-concious and awkawd - it must of been difficult for your daughter. I am certain you did your best against such difficulties. I can understand as I have been there.

British parents have a duty to bring their children up to have a good education, be happy, successful and understand all cultures and nationalities. I guess where I live is a little more cosmopolitan than the "real spain" others live in. Cos my town is full of young spanish who are desperate to be european, with european tastes in fashion, food, music, cars, work, lifestyles..... I doubt very many of them aspire to ride a donkey thru lemon groves!

My children will never be spanish, they moved here too late. But considering the economic climate here, thats no bad thing. I know the UK isnt much better which is why I want my kids to grow feeling that they can fit in anywhere!! However, I want them to learn the language and to feel comfortable and accepted here here

Jo xxx

Thanks for that mama!! I do become a bit of a "lioness" where my kids are concerned lol!!!!!!!

Jo xxx

"Being Spanish" is not the point. And if you think being Spanish is riding a donkey through lemon groves then I am afraid that all hope is lost for you.

The following article is key reading for British parents in Spain!

http://www.tes.co.uk/article.aspx?storycode=6020962