To J4mes
Yes, if you are so concerned about your child/rens education, then why come here? Is it just solely because YOU wanted to come here? Did you discuss this with your child/ren?? And, how do you know that an international school will provide better education than a state school? Did you research it? Have you proof of it??
Marina - that may be the case that international schools in your area has smaller classes - my son is in a class of 7 pupils, in fact I think the whole school (state local school) has only 80 pupils to 100 if that! So don't tell me that an international school has less pupils - I think it varies from region to region.
And, judging by other comments, international schools are NOT that great - high turnover of staff which is very disruptive for pupils, extortionate fees and not learning the language of the country they came to live in!
One thing I can say about my son after 3 years of being here in a state school (first English child in the school in the village) - HE HAD NO OPTION OF SPEAKING ENGLISH, HE HAD TO LEARN THE HARD WAY AND SPEAK SPANISH, but I can tell you this, he is absolutely fluent in Spanish, top of his class in all subjects (including Lengua) and his teacher has said he is so intelligent that one day he could become a lawyer. So, state school isn't good is it??????
International schools
Why is everyone being so bristly and confrontational today..is it the weather 
I find that most people who knock private schools are the ones who cannot afford to send their children to them. There are some iffy schools here (mainly the ones recently opened who are aiming to cash in). Others are excellent and many run lots of spanish lessons, infact many of the students are of joint spanish/English nationality. Many go on to English and Spanish Universities which is something that Brit kids in spanish state schools don't seem to manage to do.
I find the Teacher saying your child could be a lawyer a very strange statement, surely any kid could be anything at that stage in life
I find that most people who knock private schools are the ones who cannot afford to send their children to them. There are some iffy schools here (mainly the ones recently opened who are aiming to cash in). Others are excellent and many run lots of spanish lessons, infact many of the students are of joint spanish/English nationality. Many go on to English and Spanish Universities which is something that Brit kids in spanish state schools don't seem to manage to do.
I find the Teacher saying your child could be a lawyer a very strange statement, surely any kid could be anything at that stage in life
Yes I did! Busyboy is at an international school and I am very pleased with it, he has never been happier. There is a very high proportion of Spanish children there too. I have looked at the broader picture and want him to have every opportunity open to him, this way he can go to Spanish University or a university anywhere else if he wants to and if he is capable. I totally agree with Katy´s statement.anewlife wrote:Oh, and another thing. Would all you who state that International schools are best, pay for private schooling in England???????
I am not saying in any way shape or form what I want my child to do later in life, he may not want to go into further education, I am happy what ever he chooses to do I just want him to have the best chance/opportunity of achieving it.
This choice is ours alone, I don´t want to ´fight´ about it, it´s horses for courses. What suits one doesn´t suit another. I can only say what our choice is.
Busymum
I keep child proofing my house but the little blighters still get in!
wow....ok, here's my take....anewlife wrote:To J4mes
Yes, if you are so concerned about your child/rens education, then why come here? Is it just solely because YOU wanted to come here? Did you discuss this with your child/ren?? And, how do you know that an international school will provide better education than a state school? Did you research it? Have you proof of it??
Marina - that may be the case that international schools in your area has smaller classes - my son is in a class of 7 pupils, in fact I think the whole school (state local school) has only 80 pupils to 100 if that! So don't tell me that an international school has less pupils - I think it varies from region to region.
And, judging by other comments, international schools are NOT that great - high turnover of staff which is very disruptive for pupils, extortionate fees and not learning the language of the country they came to live in!
One thing I can say about my son after 3 years of being here in a state school (first English child in the school in the village) - HE HAD NO OPTION OF SPEAKING ENGLISH, HE HAD TO LEARN THE HARD WAY AND SPEAK SPANISH, but I can tell you this, he is absolutely fluent in Spanish, top of his class in all subjects (including Lengua) and his teacher has said he is so intelligent that one day he could become a lawyer. So, state school isn't good is it??????
Firstly...did I discuss things with my kids??! They were 4 & 5 at the time....."do you want to go and live in Spain?" kids...."what the place with swimming pools and sunshine were we go on holiday?" "yes"...."lets go!!" hehe...
As said sooo many times, I came here for a better quality of life.....I think my child's education wouldn't be as great here as it would in the UK (unfounded comment based on the general assumption that as state schooling here is a fairly new concept only a few generationw old, as opposed to the institution it is in the UK) however I genuinely felt that the "life experience" they would get, relocating, integrating, learning a new language, combined with the increased time they would get to spend with me (rather than just at weekends coz I was working all hours in UK) outweighed the loss of formal education....
However, having experienced the state schools for 2.5 years, and now having experienced the international school for 3 months, I can say that she is learning far more, far quicker than she did)....BTW my son is still in state school and LOVES it.....I want to put him into the international school in Sep, but this will be a consideration...maybe leave him there a little longer???(def want him there for his senior school years, so he has the option of attending a UK university (if he doesn't decide to rent out pedello's on the beach, which of course is a possiblity!!!!))
re your son being a lawyer......if he goes through the spanish education system, he will only be able to attend a Spanish university...hmmm...our company lawyer taught Law in Madrid, and told me that he left as he felt the poor kids were wasting thier time!....what he taught them in 3 years, he learnt in his first year in Havard!!!!! Spain has some excellent universities, engineering, art, etc, but "professions" are not something that Spanish universities excel in....yet....
So to clarify....I would rather they schooled here at state school than not be here at all, however, my PERSONAL experience is that the international schools offer a better curriculum (even daring to suggest that your son be EVEN FURTHER advanced than he is now, if he had such an opportunity)
PROFESSIONS are something the spanish do not excel in yet.
are you having a laugh, spend some time in a hospital,you will see how effiecient and professional are . the health service here is far superior to uk hospitals, and yes I am takling nhs, not private.
With an attitude like you have, your child would probably fit in very well in the private schools. you really dont know what you are talking about.
are you having a laugh, spend some time in a hospital,you will see how effiecient and professional are . the health service here is far superior to uk hospitals, and yes I am takling nhs, not private.
With an attitude like you have, your child would probably fit in very well in the private schools. you really dont know what you are talking about.
An attitude like mine!!? my child fitting well into private school (HOW RUDE!!)
listen numnut....all im doing is talking about personal experience...my lawyer (harvard educated, who's wife btw is an Oxford educated doctor!) gave me the advice about Spanish universities and thier "professions" lacking that of other European countries......Reckon they know what they're talking about and is the reason thier children will be atending International senior school..
Also, I have indeed spent some time in a Spanish hospital, and whilst I put it down to bad luck, the hospital was a shtihole, the operation was appauling, like it had been performed by a drunk edward scissorhands...my aftercare was shocking and months on, I wish i had never wasted my time! now who doesn't know what they are talking about!!!!!!!!!! anyway, we weren't talking about an ability to RUN a hospital, merely the ability of the country to teach, so crap example....Unlike the example I quoted about law school!
I thought my post, based on personal experience and information fed to me by well informed individuals was fine
listen numnut....all im doing is talking about personal experience...my lawyer (harvard educated, who's wife btw is an Oxford educated doctor!) gave me the advice about Spanish universities and thier "professions" lacking that of other European countries......Reckon they know what they're talking about and is the reason thier children will be atending International senior school..
Also, I have indeed spent some time in a Spanish hospital, and whilst I put it down to bad luck, the hospital was a shtihole, the operation was appauling, like it had been performed by a drunk edward scissorhands...my aftercare was shocking and months on, I wish i had never wasted my time! now who doesn't know what they are talking about!!!!!!!!!! anyway, we weren't talking about an ability to RUN a hospital, merely the ability of the country to teach, so crap example....Unlike the example I quoted about law school!
I thought my post, based on personal experience and information fed to me by well informed individuals was fine
You will not find many people with the same experience as you of spanish hospitals, and yes I do know what I am talking about, to say they are s---holes is a lie, at least you dont have to wash your hands on entry, or expect to pick up a disease. spanish hospitals are much better than uk hospitals of which I have experienced horrific examples, and that was 10 years ago, and they have got a lot worse since then.
Dont put down something that you dont seem to know about.
If the uk is so superior, why did you come to spain. my experience of americans when dealing with them due to business was they didnt even know where spain was.
Dont put down something that you dont seem to know about.
If the uk is so superior, why did you come to spain. my experience of americans when dealing with them due to business was they didnt even know where spain was.
State or private, if you are fortunate enough to be able to make that choice financially then wherever your child is happiest and thrives the best is where they should be. Mine are both at state school and I am happy with the education that they are receiving and they are very happy.
If your only consideration is whether or not they will be able to attend a UK university, they can attend a UK university if they have been through the state system, s this would be a false economy in my opinion. The UK takes about 100,000 European students into universities every year. This is something that I looked into before we came here as we are not financially able to send them to private schools. My mum had her Italian high school diploma recognised in the UK 50 years ago so, this is not a recent development.
As to hospitals, my experience in the CDS with my then 3 year old son was excellent. I can't fault the professionalism, cleanliness and care he received (the food was lovely too), although my experience of UK hospitals is not the same. Awful on all counts. However, I suspect that just like in the UK it varies from region to region and hospital to hospital.
If your only consideration is whether or not they will be able to attend a UK university, they can attend a UK university if they have been through the state system, s this would be a false economy in my opinion. The UK takes about 100,000 European students into universities every year. This is something that I looked into before we came here as we are not financially able to send them to private schools. My mum had her Italian high school diploma recognised in the UK 50 years ago so, this is not a recent development.
As to hospitals, my experience in the CDS with my then 3 year old son was excellent. I can't fault the professionalism, cleanliness and care he received (the food was lovely too), although my experience of UK hospitals is not the same. Awful on all counts. However, I suspect that just like in the UK it varies from region to region and hospital to hospital.
Seems to be going a bit off topic 
Spain was near the bottom of the ratings for maths and science subjects in the European tables.
Private schools are not just about academic results anyway, they are also about giving your children the best start in life and giving them choices, better sports facilities, music and the arts, confidence etc. The only people who knock them are the ones who can't or won't spend the money on their kids.
I also find it very strange that in the Uk parents will spend more money on a house that has a good school in the area whereas they move to Spain and choose the house before they start looking for a school!
Spain was near the bottom of the ratings for maths and science subjects in the European tables.
Private schools are not just about academic results anyway, they are also about giving your children the best start in life and giving them choices, better sports facilities, music and the arts, confidence etc. The only people who knock them are the ones who can't or won't spend the money on their kids.
I also find it very strange that in the Uk parents will spend more money on a house that has a good school in the area whereas they move to Spain and choose the house before they start looking for a school!
My daughter went to a Spanish school and left with 11 passes and is now at a Spanish college where she is studying triple science and higher maths to make such a statement is ridicules that is of course unless you have spoken to EVERY parent that has a child in a Spanish school.katy wrote:I don't know any Brit kids who have been successful in spanish schools. Most of the spanish around here use private schools too. Depends what future you want for your children and if you have the money of course.
There are just as many failures and things that are not right with schools in the UK and does everyone there send there children to private schools?
Hee Hee Katy what a valid point! Parents pay huge amounts to be in the right catchment areas in the UK, my cousins included in that one.
I have to admit I am bored to death of the International schools here, they all just want your money and will get it one way or another whether it be school lunches, school uniform, they are a business at the end of the day and we are the clients.
My daughters were fine in the International schools but the turnaround of teachers has been amazing which has reflected on their final results, my eldest is now in the UK studying and I have taken my second daughter out of the international schools and she is now at home doing all her GCSE's with a home learning internet course which is working out really well.
But having done the circuit here I do think with the baby she will do the private spanish route to start with al El Rosario.
I have to admit I am bored to death of the International schools here, they all just want your money and will get it one way or another whether it be school lunches, school uniform, they are a business at the end of the day and we are the clients.
My daughters were fine in the International schools but the turnaround of teachers has been amazing which has reflected on their final results, my eldest is now in the UK studying and I have taken my second daughter out of the international schools and she is now at home doing all her GCSE's with a home learning internet course which is working out really well.
But having done the circuit here I do think with the baby she will do the private spanish route to start with al El Rosario.
er, isn't Harvard in America..........???re your son being a lawyer......if he goes through the spanish education system, he will only be able to attend a Spanish university...hmmm...our company lawyer taught Law in Madrid, and told me that he left as he felt the poor kids were wasting thier time!....what he taught them in 3 years, he learnt in his first year in Havard!!!!! Spain has some excellent universities, engineering, art, etc, but "professions" are not something that Spanish universities excel in....yet....
No, he will be able to attend any university worldwide if he passes the entrance exams.
Well there you go, there is good and bad for international schools. At least my son in a state school has no option but to speak Spanish. And Katy, I resent the fact that you said my son's teacher remarked that he is intelligent enough to be a lawyer and you knocked that back... no I don't know what my son wants to profess in when he leaves school - he will make his own decision, but he is intelligent - he was in school in England and it's the same here and he is bi-lingual now.
So how many others out there wished that they had been taken to a foreign country when youngsters, be it Spain, Greece or Italy and learned the language 'just like that' because they had to??? I know I do!!
Case closed.
so the debate continues......
I went to "parents evening" yesterday at my sons school, a state school in La Cala....
As I have mentioned in previous posts, I moved my daughter to an international school at the start of the year because she was having difficulties in the state school, but left my son at the state school, a) because he loves it there and has a great network of friends and b) because he's a little sharper than my daughter (I mean by this, that my son "gets" what he's being taught before you have even finished showing him, whereas my daughter needs to be shown a couple of times and then, you have to keep her attention (maybe a possibility of ADD, still monitoring this)).....
Anyway, I put both of my children into state school because I wanted them (like the child of "anewlife") to be immersed in Spanish and learn the language the hard way. The difference is that in my sons class there are 24 children, and only 6 are spanish so quite simply he isnt immersed in Spanish, either in or out of school.
This has meant that he has received (along with a number of other children) an "insufficiente" in one of his required areas of development. The teacher explained that whilst he is clearly a clever little kid, and indeed passed on his required level of "lengua" mathematicas and other subjects, his lack of advanced vocabulary has restricted him. (example, he failed an understanding of nature, because he doesn't know what the spanish for "roots" is (despite knowing the spanish for flower, leaf and stem), he doesn't know all of the words for the parts of the human body (despite having learnt ALL he has been taught) there are just some things that unless you are "immersed" in spanish, either at school or at home, that the kids will miss out on.
I asked her advice, and she told me that whilst it isn't a major problem now (he's 6) the issue that caused him to fail will only increase.
So we either need to get him extra Spanish, although a couple of hours a week isn't going to cut it, get him a spanish "best friend", get a spanish nanny! or, move him to the international school where he DOES understand all that has been asked of him, and will STILL be taught spanish.
Tough decision........
I went to "parents evening" yesterday at my sons school, a state school in La Cala....
As I have mentioned in previous posts, I moved my daughter to an international school at the start of the year because she was having difficulties in the state school, but left my son at the state school, a) because he loves it there and has a great network of friends and b) because he's a little sharper than my daughter (I mean by this, that my son "gets" what he's being taught before you have even finished showing him, whereas my daughter needs to be shown a couple of times and then, you have to keep her attention (maybe a possibility of ADD, still monitoring this)).....
Anyway, I put both of my children into state school because I wanted them (like the child of "anewlife") to be immersed in Spanish and learn the language the hard way. The difference is that in my sons class there are 24 children, and only 6 are spanish so quite simply he isnt immersed in Spanish, either in or out of school.
This has meant that he has received (along with a number of other children) an "insufficiente" in one of his required areas of development. The teacher explained that whilst he is clearly a clever little kid, and indeed passed on his required level of "lengua" mathematicas and other subjects, his lack of advanced vocabulary has restricted him. (example, he failed an understanding of nature, because he doesn't know what the spanish for "roots" is (despite knowing the spanish for flower, leaf and stem), he doesn't know all of the words for the parts of the human body (despite having learnt ALL he has been taught) there are just some things that unless you are "immersed" in spanish, either at school or at home, that the kids will miss out on.
I asked her advice, and she told me that whilst it isn't a major problem now (he's 6) the issue that caused him to fail will only increase.
So we either need to get him extra Spanish, although a couple of hours a week isn't going to cut it, get him a spanish "best friend", get a spanish nanny! or, move him to the international school where he DOES understand all that has been asked of him, and will STILL be taught spanish.
Tough decision........
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