kevmcnal

Hi all

We are thinking of moving to Spain, my kids are 10 and 7 and I am looking at English speaking schools as I am unsure how they would cope in a state school as they are very shy.

I have looked at international schools but with my wife giving up her full time income I can't find any schools that are affordable, most would cost £5,000 plus per year for the 2 kids.

Has anyone found a cheaper option that could work where lessons would be in English, I know many will suggest sending my girls to a state school but I just worry that they wouldn't cope with the massive change as they find their local school a challenge ( not academically).

sunshine sue

Hi,

Any idea which part of Spain?

we moved to Costa de la Luz this March with our 11 year old son.
He goes to Spanish private school his fees are approx 3500 euros per year. They teach classes billingual half English half Spanish. There are only 2 British in class, but he is doing really well.

Sue

kevmcnal

thanks Sue

we are looking at anywhere in Southern spain or nearby. Glad to hear that your child is doing well, the costs sound similar to what I have been finding, 3500 euros x 2 kids = 7000 Euros per year which would be a big chunk out of my wages, I am self employed and work online so I wouldn't be looking for a local job but the nature of being self employed also means income can be up and down of course.

We are also looking at Malta where a good school would be pretty cheap compared to spain, but it looks like spain won't be possible due to the higher cost of schooling although it might be a lot easier for my wife to find a job in Spain ?

mum of 5

We are due to move out (see my thread; will we miss him too much). My three kids have spaces at an International school in Javea and it's sooo expensive, thats another reason I'm worrying about moving out!. My youngest 6yrs will go to Spanish school and then change over in 4 years when my oldest leaves for uni. then my other son 2yrs will do the same when the next one leaves!!

silverchick

Out of interest, why will you put the younger ones into International school rather than keep them in Spanish school ? From what I understand, the state system is superior the the U.K state schools and if they will be there for at least 4 years surely it would be a bit disruptive in their education? By then they will be very fluent anyway I'm sure.
I do think its a very good idea to keep up with English lessons though, otherwise their command of their mother tongue will never be as good as yours.

silverchick

Are the areas you are looking at mainly ex -pat? If not, the children would feel more isolated and wouldn't integrate as easily if they went to a school which doesn't have a largely local population.
It is a worry I know, Lynnxa on here will tell you how easily her children fitted into the Spanish system , they are fluent now, after having initially going to International school.It does mean making new sets of friends wherever they go, but if you plan on being there in the long term,speaking Spanish at school all day is a fast way to learn and to fit in with local children.
The school that my son will attend attach a teacher to the child until they are comfortable enough to be 'alone', not sure if that is the case everywhere though.

Snats

Have you seen the programme on the living in spain tv channel on sky? There's some useful things to consider about spanish re international schools. It would seem if you're not sure about staying in spain, or your children are older, then international school is the way to go, but if not, then spanish state or private school, because the children will never have as good a command of the spanish lingo if they go international? Which of course is a big minus if they too will stay and work in Spain. But on the other hand, once in spanish schools english is taught as a second language and so although your children will be bi-lingual and fluent in english as it's your mother tongue, their reading and writing in english will not come so easy. The nabss site (www.nabss.org) gives a pretty good list of UK schools in spain by locality, and most show their fees.

Robert Ellis

Hello Snats
I used to work in an International School in Benidorm (Costa Blanca International School). Most teachers are from UK and follow the English National Curriculum. All lessons - apart from Spanish- are in English.
The school has a wonderful relaxed atmosphere with highly qualified and dedicated teachers.
The majority of pupils are Spanish so would be good for English kids to brush up their Spanish.
I am not sure what the fees are now, but last year they compared very favourably to other schools in the area.

Snats

Hi Robert,

that's really handy to know. It's good to get feedback from the inside of a school! I'm paying fees here in the UK so Spain prices are a bargain by comparison. But, one big question about the international schools, is the level of education high by UK standards, or is it just paying fees for what equates to a state education in the UK? I suppose it all depends on facilities because thinking about it a well run state school with good funding can be better than a private school with poor teaching. I wouldn't be sending my kids private here in UK if our local school had been better. It is so difficult to decide what type of school to send your children to, I know the majority on here would say spanish state school without hesitation. But my gut feeling keeps saying they'd be happier starting off at least (before I get shouted at!) in international schools for a smoother transition.

(P.S. sorry to hijack your thread kevmcnal )

jdr

Send the children to local Spanish Schools, I am sure they are just as good as UK ones and a lot cheaper.
The children will integrate better and get the best out of life in Spain.
I can`t understand the reason for moving to Spain and trying to change this beautiful country into a little Britain.

jdr

I know lots who started their children in international schools, but soon changed to the local Spanish schools.

busters mum

hear hear !! or leave the children in england as boarders !

Snats

Oh dear, I knew this would open a can of worms so lets give this one a go . . .

I did say 'before I get shouted at' that I would at least begin the children in international school.

But what's everyone's beef with an international school? I agree if it is a wholly english school, maybe pointless, but then keeping a plan b in mind if all goes pear once out it doesn't disrupt childrens education too much if the family returns to the UK. Also, it would seem these schools are not english, and please do correct me if I am wrong, but 'international' i.e. multi national which is only a good thing IMHO. It would certainly teach my children that Brits do not rule the world, and cultural differences should be embraced not shunned. They would have greater exposure to diversity of nationalities and become bi or I would hope even tri-lingual, an opportunity non-existent in the UK. And a lot of spanish families send their children to these schools??????

Hang on, I'm just grabbing my body shield . . .

busters mum

you sound as though you expect it to go pear shaped, moving them to international school then to spanish school will also be disruptive. Also i can't think of a school in the uk that isn't multinational anyway.
see no shield needed

jdr

The International School near us has British, Dutch, Swedish, etc, and a few Spanish but all can speak English and are taught all lessons in English, apart from a few Spanish language lessons.
Some Dutch people we know took their children out because they were not learning enough Spanish, after all they do live in Spain. ;-))