schools
Jan 25th 2009, 10:40 am
#1
Just Joined
Thread Starter
Joined: Jan 2009
Location: ontinyent
Posts: 1
schools
moving to ontinyent very soon and need more info on putting my son in school
hes 2 and a half
hes 2 and a half
Jan 25th 2009, 12:19 pm
#2
Lost in BE Cyberspace
Joined: Oct 2008
Location: near Colmenar, Prov de Malaga
Posts: 5,174
Re: schools
Hopefully someone specific to your area will post, but have you done a search? There have been several discussions on schools in the past few months, plus possibly previously. You might 
find the majority think the major decision is Spanish v International/British, with the decision obviously being personal but potentially coming down to how much you prioritise your son's Spanish language.
Good luck
find the majority think the major decision is Spanish v International/British, with the decision obviously being personal but potentially coming down to how much you prioritise your son's Spanish language.Good luck
Jan 25th 2009, 12:26 pm
#3
Retired and loving it!
Joined: Sep 2007
Location: Ontinyent - Valencia region (campo)
Posts: 5,159
Re: schools
I have 3 children in school and know most schools well.
At 2 1/2 years old, for me the answer is obvious - straight into the Spanish system.
Jan 25th 2009, 3:46 pm
#4
¿Dónde estoy?
Joined: Jun 2004
Location: my paradise - Jávea
Posts: 13,330
Re: schools
can you not just tell us a bit about the schools here - more might be interested - we thought about moving to Ontinyent at one time
Jan 25th 2009, 4:23 pm
#5
Retired and loving it!
Joined: Sep 2007
Location: Ontinyent - Valencia region (campo)
Posts: 5,159
Re: schools
Now, parents can apply for any school. They put up to three on the application form (in order of choice) and you should get one of these.
In Ontinyent, the best schools are run by Friars (Conception) or Nuns (Pureza de Maria). The waiting list for both, I think, is several years but you can be lucky. We applied for our eldest to go to Pureza when he graduated to secondary. He was one of only 4 taken externally. The others were either from the primary school, or those that were held back.
Not wishing to sound like a snob but I would say that these two (private) schools are akin to Grammar schools whilst the others are like comprehensives. In this region, and it may be true of all of Spain, even if you go to a private school, the funding is from the state
Young children go to school from 9-12 (or it may be 1 for part of the year). At some point, I think when they are 5, they start going all day.
... lots more to say, but that's for a start.
Jan 25th 2009, 5:17 pm
#6
Knight Templar
Joined: Dec 2008
Location: Portugal
Posts: 2,115
Re: schools
Sure - when we first moved here we went to the town hall and were 'allocated' a school.It turns out that this is where they put ALL foreign children so there's a mix of english, russian, belg, iranians, morocans etc. etc. (oh, and a few Spanish). In hindsight, it's not the school we would have chosen but it's fine.
Now, parents can apply for any school. They put up to three on the application form (in order of choice) and you should get one of these.
In Ontinyent, the best schools are run by Friars (Conception) or Nuns (Pureza de Maria). The waiting list for both, I think, is several years but you can be lucky. We applied for our eldest to go to Pureza when he graduated to secondary. He was one of only 4 taken externally. The others were either from the primary school, or those that were held back.
Not wishing to sound like a snob but I would say that these two (private) schools are akin to Grammar schools whilst the others are like comprehensives. In this region, and it may be true of all of Spain, even if you go to a private school, the funding is from the state
Young children go to school from 9-12 (or it may be 1 for part of the year). At some point, I think when they are 5, they start going all day.
... lots more to say, but that's for a start.
Now, parents can apply for any school. They put up to three on the application form (in order of choice) and you should get one of these.
In Ontinyent, the best schools are run by Friars (Conception) or Nuns (Pureza de Maria). The waiting list for both, I think, is several years but you can be lucky. We applied for our eldest to go to Pureza when he graduated to secondary. He was one of only 4 taken externally. The others were either from the primary school, or those that were held back.
Not wishing to sound like a snob but I would say that these two (private) schools are akin to Grammar schools whilst the others are like comprehensives. In this region, and it may be true of all of Spain, even if you go to a private school, the funding is from the state
Young children go to school from 9-12 (or it may be 1 for part of the year). At some point, I think when they are 5, they start going all day.
... lots more to say, but that's for a start.
I think that this is a bit misleading. As far as I'm aware Spanish religious schools - which operate similarly to Private schools, are State funded, but I don't believe International (of any type) are State funded.
I worked in an International (Spanish owned) School in Alfaz de Pi, and it certainly wasn't State funded. Indeed, I believe that any school that does not follow the Spanish does not receive State funding.
I would also agree with the comments, that with young children, putting them into the State system is the better option. Good luck, and I hope you and your family have a good experience.
