SaratonyT

We have been told that some Spanish Secondary schools are not taking any more British children because 'they cause too much trouble!' The school at San Miguel de Salinas was one school that was mentioned - has anyone else heard about this?

snikpoh

Not heard this here. We have a couple of (English) children starting secondary school in September - all been accepted.

CBANDY

I for one do not blame them. The school near us is so over-run by foreign kids there have been many problems (not just british kids). I have a daughter who is nearly 2. We plan to move to a more spanish area before she starts secondry school. We have been told that the junior school is good but the secondry is a shambles.

Lenox

If your kids go to a 'village' school, they will grow up with very poor written English unless you give them extra tuition.
This has happened to several kids around where I live. The 'English class' is given by somebody whose English is (understandably) pretty rough. The kids will not pick up much from the 'I am you are he is' stuff and their spelling, reading and written comprehension will be badly damaged.

Pugsy

I am not surprised. Could it be down to the fact that British kids (native english speakers) are being 'left behind'? It is a very difficult age for a child, let alone in a foreign language school.

snikpoh

I wonder if it's just English children or is it all foreign nationals? I could understand if there was a propensity of foreign students as this would tend to drag the Spanish children down (potentially).

I, personally, am not too worried about the quality of English taught. After all, we've moved to Spain and are ready to integrate fully. Therefore, the most important thing is to learn Spanish as the first language. Obviously we'll help all we can with English but the main thrust MUST be Spanish!

dawn.s

My son went to the school in San Miguel about 4 yrs ago. It took us 9 months to get him in, during that time he had private spanish lessons, so he would be better prepared. On his first day they had to change the classes round as there was only one spaniard in the class.
He was there for 2 yrs and hated it, by a lot of reports the foreign kids are more or less ignored, probably by teachers who are overwhelmed by the amount of foreign kids being thrown at them who can't speak the language.
I know hindsite is a wonderful thing but I think moving abroad with kids going into secondary school is a mistake, up to 10 they seem to be able to adapt more, our son was nearly 13 and that's when his education stopped. He's now 20 and just finished his first year at college on a sports diploma course. He's had to take all of his key skills, which I think he's found quite difficult, but he's prepared to work so he'll eventually catch up, but I still feel we let him down with his education

Nicks

I read somewhere that if one is to change country with children, it should be done before they turn 11yo. it has something todo with there ability to integrate, and absorb new information. Also at that age they have not yet formed strong ties with friends, and dont have girlfriends/boyfriends. Some friends of ours moved to Brazil, with there teen age kids, ages 15 and 17, it was a deseaster. they came back after 1 year, the kids didnt handle the move, and mostly it was the fact that they had dificluty getting new friends.

In my cae the kids are smaller 3 and 8, and i am teling my wife that if we move, it has to be withing 3 years.

n

Nicks

On a similar topic.... have any of you experienced that your child have been bullied in school, for being a forigner?

n

Pugsy

Ours are all under 11 and we chose to go for international school, less traumatic and smooth continuance of education.

Nicks

Thats the smothest way, if one can afford private schools, or if one dont have planbs for the children to grow up in spain. If they will, then learning spanish is of utmost importance, and the earlier they start the better and easier it is.

n

jackytoo

I don't see how they can refuse to allow foreign children in a school. Surely it would be agains European law!

Nicks

I guess if its a private school they could, but not if its public.

n

Rita1

The state has the obligation to educate the children but it's not obliged to place them in a particular school. Barcelona has been in the news recently for introducing a kind of quota system on immigrants in schools - simply because it wants them to be spread out better among various schools in an area rather than concentrated in just one or two schools.

jdr

Sounds a good idea to me. ;-)