Nacnud

Hi all

Two children (8 and 10)... when they come to Spain (this summer), what's the situation regarding schooling please? Neither can speak a word of Spanish. There's an English private school near me but I have no ideas on costs yet but could they go to a Spanish public school or are they too old to adapt?

We're on the Costa Blanca near Benidorm. Where do I start please?

Any advice, experience etc?

Thanks very much.

jdr

Send them to a Spanish school, as they are the right age and they will soon learn the language and the Spanish culture.

You will get info on here, but another good place to look is in the FREE BEER thread at the top of the forum index, where it says READ ME.
There are various links to helpful things including a site called Mums in Spain which has a forum that gives excellent info on everthing mums need to know in each area of Spain.

mikeoc

I would say that the eldest is just about on the limit, my eldest was 9 1/2 when we came, the first term was tough but now he speaks 3 languages. If you appreciate also that he was ahead of the government targets in the UK, he not only had to learn the languages Valencian and Castellano, he had to play catch up with maths as they were so far ahead of the UK. We have had no problems at all with the Spanish system and has helped him to integrate more than we would have done had he gone to an English school. For your info, we had neighbours who sent their kids to an international school and when they went back to the UK 3 years later one of the reasons they returned was that they (the children) couldn't make any friends locally!

valenciatim

Only you will be able to decide whether or not they will adapt easily. I would also say send them to a Spanish state school, it's the only way they will learn the language quickly, and be prepared for them to be held back a year or so to enable them to catch up. This is common practice here and it is nothing to worry about. Then by the time they move up to the next school, they will be fluent.
Also bear in mind that in most areas, you have to register them for school in April or May for the September start.
I have an 8 year old and a 3 year old at the local village school, and it's the best thing we could have done for them.
The only slight downside is that it will be up to you to maintain their English education,
Regards
Tim
I also agree with Mike above that the eldest is just about on the limit. If they start before the end of the Prmeria, they stand a good chance, after that, it will become difficult.

Christine.J

Hi
We have only been in Spain for 4 weeks. Our 2 girls are 7 and 11, they are in a Spanish state school and we couldn't be happier. they spoke no Spanish before we came and are already picking it up. Fantastic wish I could say the same for me though
but only you can decide what is the right thing to do for your children. good luck

JO.DAVE

Hi

I do agree about them going to Spanish State school, we moved here 18months ago and was going to send our 6year old daughter to a International school. Listened to good advice and decided to send her to our local spanish school, best thing we could of done, she is now fluent and translating for me when needed which can be a bit embarrassing sometimes, .

thefamilycook

Glad I wandered in here. We are coming with luck in September and bringing
our 10 year old son. We had already decided to send him to a Spanish school so reading this has so far just reinforced our plan. I did read somewhere on the FREE BEER section about enrolling, someting about enrolling or being resident at least 40 days before end of term preceeding the term you want to start..... am really keen to get ours into school.

sunnydee

I work at an International school and the majority of children are Spanish. Unless you have any doubts about staying in Spain permanently then I agree you should send both children to a Spanish state school where they will pick up the language faster and make friends locally. I also think that you know your children best, for instance, my daughter at the age of 10 would have easily adapted to schooling in Spanish but my very shy son would have had more problems. Try the state system first you will have the opportunity to change if it doesn't work. I have met families who have children in both systems because the Spanish system didn't suit one child. I must add it tends to be boys who find it harder in the families I know about.

Nacnud

Wow. Thanks for the responses. Do we enquire at the town hall about the nearest school(s)?

Also, I just can't get my head around how they would start school if they can't understand a single word of Spanish. Do you know what I mean?

valenciatim

Town Hall or the schools themselves.
You will definately need to take your NIE's with you, copies of passports and the childrens' medical records from the UK. At our local school, the kids had to have a basic medical as well with the local doctor, so you will have to make sure that you are registered at the doctors. The school should give you the form for the medical.
As for the language, our 8 year old started at the school when he was 4. He was and is still the only English child in his class, even the teacher spoke no English at all. It took him a couple of weeks to settle in and as kids, they get by! Our 3 year old started last september and also loves it. Again, only English child in the class, and enjoys it so much that if he misbehaves at home, the punishment we threaten him with is not letting him go to school!!
Good luck
Tim

Hillybilly

Wouldn't it be best if you enrolled them for some Spanish classes before moving them here?!

xxfrecklesxx

HI,

i moved here when my daughter was 11, (shes 15 this July) and if we had of stayed in the UK, she would of moved up to Secondry school that September, I looked at private International Schools and the local spanish schools, which I went with, she went into the the Junior school, and 'redid' the last year, as most kids coming here do, so basicly they are in the year below what they would be in the UK, (but dont worry about that, as kids here if they dont do well have to 'redo' the year, shame they dont do it in the UK, so you get kids of different ages in a year.

She did one year in that school, there were 5 english kids in her class (out of 15) and it helped her ease into the spanish way and language,
the following year we moved inland, but I did ask the headmaster if she was ready to move up a year, as 2 of her english friends who had been here longer than her were being kept back for that year again, but he said 'no' she was more than ready to move up 'proud mummy moment' (this was in Busot by the way)

so she then moved to the Secondry school here in Bocairent, she is the only english kid in the whole school, and has done really well, she did find it hard at first, and we had a few tears, but she settled in well, made loads of friends, and shes fluent in spanish, and she sometimes gets better marks than the spanish kids, so im happy.

I did not need an NIE number when I enroled her, just her passport,etc..but the rules and regs change so quickly here.

By the way, at both schools, we had to buy all her text books, so be prepared for that, makes sure you get a list, and go and order them from the local book shop, i also have to supply all her art materials too, mind you she dont have a school uniform so I save money there,

good luck Jenny

keljo

Hi my sister has just moved here and she has two boys aged 8 and 10. To get them into the school took about 6 weeks of going backward and forward to the local ayuntamiento because there was no space in the local school for the older one. But eventually with lots of persistence and patience the school agreed to take them both. Neither of them could speak a word of Spanish but after two weeks they have made lots of friends and have settled in well at the school. The school have arranged for extra (free) Spanish lessons during religous education classes and after school on Mondays for two hours to help them.
Don't worry, I am sure they will be fine.

HeartofBuddha.3

Nacnud, Dont mean to panic you but March is normally the month to apply for a place in the local school. Applications are accepted up until the 31st. Although I have heard of people coming over here later in the year and applying and getting places for September. But some schools are over subscribed so if you can do anything from there it may be better. I know of someone who managed to apply from the UK for a place for her children. She had help with the application from the headmaster in her children's UK school .

battlezone123

We moved over here in the summer. We waited a few days after school had reopened after the summer break. On a Monday, without an appointment, we arrived at the school and the kids started the following day. The school even said that we could leave them then and there. All they wanted was the health books, NIE number and copy of passport. We were asked if they wanted to do religion and that was all. The hardest part for the kids attending a Spanish school was not the language but the food at dinner times. I still get grumbles occasionally when they come home saying "it was squid today".