I came across this in one of the threads here, and it got my attention since we’re planning on sending our little girl to a private British School. I wanted to know what other people’s opinions on this are. Are they really as bad as all this?
pepsi - 28 September 2008 10:54 PM
My daughter went to a “private britsh school"in spain and was a total waste of time and money.
In my opinion if in Spain go to a Spanish school and if in UK go to a Btitish school.
It took my nearly 2 years and a lot of money to learn this.
Take advice from someone whos been there,takre your time and think very very hard.
your coming to spain , why sent you kid to english school when free one in spain teaching spain french english and will make more freinds Spanish is the Official language , Ethnic groups 89% Spanish, 11% minority immigrant groups
After investigating both in our chosen area to move to, we have enrolled our girls (who fly out to join us tomorrow) in an International school for the first year at least. They don’t speak Spanish, our eldest in particular is very anxious and concerned about the whole move, and we also have to accept the reality that it might not work out and they will need to slot back in to the British system eventually. If her personality was different we might have thrown her in to the Spanish system immediately, we know loads of people who have done so, generally with excellent results… but every child and situation IS different, and so is every school. I can only advise research the living daylights out of all the options and make the right decision for YOUR child. We hope that’s what we’ve done, because that’s all we try to do every day as parents isn’t it? Ours have been being spoiled rotten by my Mum for the past week whilst we drove down here and tried to sort their new home out, we’re absolutely convinced that they will have a better quality of life (including education) with the path we have chosen, but that doesnt mean it wouldnt have been easier to stick with what we knew. I wish you the very best of luck with all the challenging decisions you face and if I can help with anything specific feel free to PM,
I’m very interested in what you think about schools in the Costa del Sol area. We’re planning on moving to either Granada or the Malaga area next Fall. My oldest daughter is already accepted in the Anureta in El Rincon de la Victoria but we’ve also looked at a British School in Malaga. My girls speak Spanish pretty well as my wife and her family are from Spain, although we have been living in the US for many years.
I’m surprised to read a post that universally condemns every single British school in Spain. I would have thought this would be a subject for the moderators. Saying that, if the poster of such a comment could actually spell in the first place and then give reasons for the views expressed, I would tend to take their comments more seriously. Unfortunately, there is no attempt to justify the statement, just an outright dismissal of every British school. This has to be nonsense. Are we to take it that if the “all British schools are bad” argument is true, then it follows that all Spanish schools must be “good” - or does the poster just have a negative view of British schools? It would be nice to know.
Either way, we are in the process if planning a move to Spain, with a child who will be just under 13 when he arrives. We have lived overseas with our children before in both Europe and Asia and have experience of international schools in 4 countries. In that experience, we have found that 13 years is too old to be integrating a child into a local school that has another language as its medium. It’s fine for younger children, but much more difficult for older ones. They already have enough on their late dealing with another culture and environment - another language on top of this can be just too much.
With all that in mind, I would be genuinely interested in reading any constructive comments from anyone that has children in any secondary international school (British curriculum) in Spain. We plan to go to Valencia, but this could change if we hear particularly good reports of any one school. For us, the schooling is the most important factor.
well as some one has posted that are are few bad eggs around in any type off business , this is a forum here and people can post up here. there is rule and you have to stay with in side off them are yes the moderators how will “EDIT” are take down the post . me did hate school back then , love to be out watching day to days going on and making cash , had to work nights while at school myself and love it . i would think more street wise now due to it . but my spelling no spring chicken , better with my hands
veiws i have are from people i know that sent the kids to skools here , My borthers take in kids from the Eu for the summers for them to improve there english and this summer been ask to do the same with one Hungray kid . all throught work mates off one borther , fine the kids are alwas asking me think as i know are english man in the town here , my spanish co workers arealways getting the kid to ring mewith problems
Our experience is only a week and a half long so far, but we cannot speak more positively of the school we have chosen - the patient and kindly way they have helped to settle our eldest who is still adapting to the move has been admirable, and depended on home-school communication that SIMPLY COULD NOT HAVE HAPPENED in Spanish at the moment… because OUR Spanish would not be up to the job that is, which I full accept is our problem to overcome, but was a sigificant factor in our choice of schools. I can’t plug the place here but PM me if you want more info,
However here here to a forum where all views are open to airing and stirring up debate! May we never have strong opinions moderated away however unsubstatiated they may seem… if they offend or abuse no one then what’s the harm in opening up a discussion…?
Paiton Boy
I must point out first that the one spelling mistake on my post is a typing mistake,and my post said A british school not all british schools,please reread.
I made the mistake of saying private schools these ,are not they are fee paying school for the British curriculum.
When you have spent over 5000 euros on a child’s education in Spain to be told she is a straight A student and see exam marks of 70%you begin to wonder whats going on.After talking to other parents in various schools it seems most children are straight A students.Make your own conclusion.
When trying to complain about this school one has to first go through the school to get to a so called governing body.
These parents who wish to complain have no way of doing so without the school knowing.I will happily give you the name of the school if you wish.
There are many good fee paying schools in Spain but please please look into it very carefully.
I do hope my spelling is up to your educational standards.
there bad shops and good shop same with skools aswell , pepsi you did not give the impression you where going to name to shame but i step in frist to and we still not head very one side yet
I have read these posts with interest as i moved here with 2 of my children in November, 1 is 15 next week and the other one is 7. I have enrolled both of them into the Spanish schools here. There is an excellent private school at the other end of the Town. Then 1 other state senior school and about 4 primary schools. I asked around of the people i met out and about in cafe’s and bars as to where their children went what they thought of the schools and whether they thought private was better. Though all said the private school is excellent. Of the people i spoke with they have all put their children whether senior age or primary age into the spanish state schools as they say they cannot fault them, the standard of education is excellent and the teachers do there utmost to make sure the children are happy and comfortable within the school. They also believe that if the child is to gain any advantage to being in Spain they need to integrate into the Spanish system and learn the language and culture of the Spanish people.
This is just one example of a small town in the Murcia region, So in effect i am saying go out there and ask others with children that have done the move to the area you are in what they have done and what advice they can give in regards to the schools and the area. The best people to ask i believe is the people that live there and have children. Most people will not mind you having a chat while you are out for coffee and they are at the next table etc.. everyone has been in the same boat at the end of the day and most are willing to offer geniune advice to help you out.
We are thinking of moving to the Murcia area later on in the year, we need of advice about schools. We have four children aged 9, 5, 4 & 2 and ideally want to send them to a good spanish state school. We would like if possible for that school to have some english children in it so the children can adjust without feeling totally alone. We would also like to rent accomidation in the area of the school at first, then buy in about a year, so we need to know of a good rental company. Does anyone have any suggestions?
I guess many expats chose a Brit school because of the qualifications at the end of it.
Makes the return to UK easier on the student, Spanish state schools don`t always benefit foreign students and there teaching practises aren`t allowed in UK schools anymore.
Example you can have a class of 8 yr old in PE run backwards in a race on a concrete floor.It happened to us and our daughter fell backwards and broke her arm just above the wrist.
They used to force children to eat the food at lunch time, physically put the food in there mouths if refusing to eat.
The teacher would also throw board rubbers and chalk at children, in one class a Spanish parent laughed because there child had red pen on the face, put there by the teacher to punish the child in front of the class.
Have to say though the kids in general were well behaved in school, little sh88s outside though.
