bess

Hi can anyone give me there personal experiance of different schools in and around the Javea area. Our daughter is 5 at the moment and 6 in Novemeber. We will be moving next Feb. I have been told the Vicente Tena school is good. My spanish friend called the townhall and they said you need to be in the catchment area. Does anyone know what is the catchment area for this school. My spanish is very very basic so would like to put her into a school where we could speak to an English speaking teacher if need be. My daughter is starting spanish lessons in September so she will know a little before she starts. Thanks

lynnxa

yes that's how it works - you need to be in the catchment area - although even if you are that doesn't guarantee a place if there isn't one in - just like in the UK

IMO all the primary schools in Javea are good - you will hear good & bad about all of them

I had a phone call a few days ago - some parents are very unhappy about Vicente Tena & the way they are currently dealing with non-spanish kids - apparently not giving them any extra help & just putting them in a corner to get on with doing nothing!

I had never heard that before about that school & had in fact heard the opposite - but I have no personal experience of the school

my younger dd goes to the Arenal school, as did my older dd until she moved into secondary

I have nothing negative to say about the school - my dd is now 11 & has been there since she was 5 - my older dd was 8 when she started there - she's 14 now - neither knew much Spanish when they started there

they get a lot of different nationalities at the school - it's the newest primary school in Javea so isn't full yet - so if your 'catchment area school' doesn't have room that is probably where your daughter will go

the head teacher, the cap d'estudies (sort of deputy in English school terms) & the school secretary are all really helpful

because they get a lot of different nationalities there they are very experienced at dealing with kids - and parents!- who don't speak Spanish - and have a sort of 'buddy system' where your child will be paired with another who speaks the same language (and Spanish) for a while until they settle in. Not for too long - they need to learn the language as quickly as possible & kids do usually pick it up easily. You'll probably find that your daughter at age 5 won't need extra Spanish lessons - spend the money on more lessons for yourself!

both my daughters have been 'buddies' in the past - and the older one often used to go to the office to translate for new kids & their parents

some of the staff do speak English - but probably won't speak to you or your child in English except in an emergency. It really is better that they don't, in any case.

snikpoh

The system for the Valencia region is based on points. You get a number of points for being in the catchment area, some more if you are 'familia numerosa' (have 3 or more children), points for having siblings at the school already, points for low paid etc. etc.


These points are then ranked and there will be a cut-off when the quota is filled.

However, you can put up to 3 schools on the form (1st, 2nd and 3rd choices) - some schools will not consider you unless they have been put first!!!!

Happy hunting.

bess

Thank you everyone. As we are coming over in Feb apparently we would only be give a place in what ever school still had availability and would not have a choice. I would consider waiting and keeping her out of school until the following Sept. However, I am still so worried about the schools. I heard there was a bit of bullying at Arenal. Also if at the Vicente Tena that just put the English in the corner then this would also be unacceptable. I'm so worried and wished I knew for sure what school really was the best.

cricketman

Why dont you all go for Spanish lessons now as a family for a couple of times a week? You have over 6 months until you come to Spain and it would be good start for you all.

Personally I wouldnt move to live in a country unless I knew some basic language skills, especially if I had responsibilities such as children

jdr

Same in our area too.

bess

Thanks cricketman but we are all learning spanish at the moment and have been for a little while now.

cricketman

Good on you

Given that your daughter is 5 and has some Spanish knowledge already I'm sure she'll be fine.

I hope you find a school that suits you

lynnxa

there is bullying at all schools - not just in Javea - or just in Spain - or the UK come to that

there is definitely bullying at Vicente Tena too - I know parents of kids who have been bullied there

any school in the world which claims they have no bullying is lying or burying their heads in the sand

it's how they deal with it that matters - & at the Arenal it is dealt with very quickly & effectively


when it comes down to it you quite possibly won't have a choice as to which school your daughter goes to - anywhere in Spain or indeed the world - unless you are able to pay for it

barneysmum

I just stumbled across this post and had to reply because I moved here two years ago and put my then 9 year old and 11 year old into Vicente Tena.

I had the choice of Vicente Tena and the Arenal school and having heard bad things about Arenal didn't even go and look at it. I'm sure it may have changed now (don't shoot the messenger) but apparently there were big problems with a headmaster - I think he is an ex headmaster now.

Anyway, re English kids at Vicente Tena. I have nothing but praise for the school, the teachers and the way they treat my children. We as foreigners come in barely knowing the language and take over their classrooms, holding back lessons as teachers struggle to cope with kids who can't yet speak Spanish. My oldest daughter didn't have any problems with bullying, my youngest had a little trouble to begin with but guess what - it was from other English kids, not Spanish.

As for being put in a corner that is so far from what I have experienced that I can't believe it. Maybe it was a bad teacher? Was a complaint made and followed up? The current teacher of my youngest (oldest is now in secondary) is brilliant - she actively encourages her to mix with the Spanish and she even expects her to help some of the Spanish kids as she is very bright. If my daughter isolates herself with her English friends (which they do tend to do sometimes) then the teacher is not happy and brings it to my attention.

From what I have seen, and obviously it varies from school to school, class to class and child to child, it is usually the English kids that cause problems. Not that the Spanish are perfect - nobody is.

Vicente Tena has a great reputation and I'd thoroughly recommend it. As a parent, you do have to integrate and get to know the teachers otherwise you can feel excluded to a certain extent, but this is the same at any school. I felt like I lived in that school for the first few months, spending so much time at the front desk trying to figure out this and that. It wasn't until later that I discovered that the "secretary" I thought I had been dealing with all that time was actually the headmistress! You'd have to make an appointment to see the heads in England!

lynnxa

my kids have been at the Arenal almost since it opened - well the older one is now in ESO - the younger one started in 5 infantil & is now in her last year primaria, so this is her 7th year there

there has never been a headmaster/director there - the same headmistress/directora has been there since the beginning

yes, there were some problems at one time - about 4 years ago, for 1 term - caused by the AMPA committee at the time - I know all the inside story, because they kept trying to get me involved - If you want to know PM me

I think it's a great school - both my 2 have done very well there

I was also surprised to hear those comments about Vicente Tena - I've only ever heard good reports about it until very recently - but yes, the problems are the way the school is dealing (or rather not) with some English kids who are failing

mind you - these kids aren't exactly 'angels'


that's not to say that this doesn't happen in other schools - just that I know of some having problems there

all schools have good & bad as I said in my earlier post

bess

Hi there, thank you for your reply. We have still not decided on the exact area. We are now even considering Calpe. Do you know anything about the schools or nurseries in that area. Also what its like for living.

We also need to rent a 3 bed villa for about 500 euros so if you know or hear of anything please let me know.

My email is <snip>
Many Thanks
Jane

jdr

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barneysmum

Sorry, I have no info on schools in the Calpe area.

Certainly around Javea, I think you would struggle to find a decent 3 bed villa for €500 a month. Again, I don't know about Calpe but suspect it is cheaper there.

barneysmum

As I said, don't shoot the messenger. Chinese whispers and all that, I don't quote anything as fact. My only fact is that I heard negative things about Arenal and only positive about Vicente Tena so I based my decision on that. My experience so far only backs it up. I have no axe to grind with any other school, they will all suit different children.

I wonder what year the "failing" English kids are in and what the attitude of the parents is to helping the situation. I have seen English parents with attitudes that frankly suck and if I was the teacher in that situation I would be inclined to not be so positive.

Like I said - different schools / different kids - you can't apply one rule to all. What suits one will not suit another.

If you want Spanish, then go Vicente Tena. Arenal (so I believe!!) is VERY mixed race - and this is ony proven because they feed to the IES No.1 which is widely said to be not as "Spanish" as the Pueblo Institute. Personally I want as many Spanish as possible otherwise I would have kept my kids in English school.