What The Best School To Send British Kids To On The Island?

[nick]

Can any one give their opinion on which School is the best in both State and Private sectors on the Island?
Also what about College and Uni's ?Where do most Ex-Pat families send their kids to -Back Home, The Mainland or on the Islands?

[karen]

Mary or Redswanlady will be able to help you out Nick. They are residents.

[redswanlady]

When deciding where to send your children here you have to consider many factors, we choose to send our two to the local Spanish school and they love it but other English kids hate it. They have to speak spanish all day no English at all and for some kids this is too much when they first move here. I know parents that send their children to the British Schools here and are equally happy, Mary would be the one to advise on these as her son goes to one.

You really have to think what is best for your children as you know them the best.

[ageingrocker]

Hi Nick,

Hopefully I can help out a little bit here as we have experience of both English and spanish schools.

We initially sent our 2 girls (8 & 9 yrs) to Kent college in the north, a private school where fees are payable monthly. Most of the children there were Spanish but had to speak English in the classroom. It was very a friendly school and I would highly recommend it. (I think there is another English school in that same area called Oakley)

We live in the south and it was a fair trek each day so for that and a few other reasons we decided to send our girls to a spanish school in PR. Here the techers speak and teach in Spanish. We have friends who sent their children there and they told us within 6 months their children were speaking fluent Spanish.

As we intend to be there for the long haul (no plans of coming back to blighty) we decided as I say, for various reasons to send our girls there. Although they are taught in Spanish there are also a few English children there too and our girls have been placed on a table with English and Spanish speaking children who help with the translation, which is a big help. You will need to buy all the books/pens/pencils etc which will come to around €150 ish per child. You will also need to fill in a few forms from the town hall with conirmation of residencia etc.

There is in my opinion, one major drawback with the Spanish school option in that our girls have been put back a year until they catch up with the language. I was unhappy with this from an academic point of view, but its a trade off for then being fluent in 6 months I guess. Also if they don't pass their tests/exams at the end of each year they are held back in that class. My 8 year old also has 10 yr old children in her class who have been held back. So... once the language barrier has been overcome it's best to make sure they stick in to progress each year.

From the childrens point of view our girls are very happy with the spanish school and they have made lots of new friends very easily. The transition has gone a lot easier than I thought it would, saying that it's early days - they have only just finished their first week, but things look good.

If there's anything else I can help you with just ask, and if I know the answers I will try to help

Mick

[yflood]

hi nick
my sister in law sends her kids to one of the british privates schools cant remember the name about 20mins outside prico they can be sent there when there 3 she says its very good but bear in the mind the cost very expensive fee to enroll child and fee every term also pays around 200 for lunch a month also has about 4 types of uniform and books etc which she says are expensive she looked at the spainish schools as well just was there personalchoice to go private.

[redswanlady]

Hi Nick,



There is in my opinion, one major drawback with the Spanish school option in that our girls have been put back a year until they catch up with the language. I was unhappy with this from an academic point of view, but its a trade off for then being fluent in 6 months I guess. Also if they don't pass their tests/exams at the end of each year they are held back in that class. My 8 year old also has 10 yr old children in her class who have been held back. So... once the language barrier has been overcome it's best to make sure they stick in to progress each year.


I disagree with you on this one I think that the fact they have to pass exams every 3 months is good for them and it means that children aren't simply pushed through the school system and only move forward when they are ready to.

[mary]

There are quite a few private schools on the island.
British school - has aprimary in the south and primary - to secondary in the north
Canerbury - same set up as britihs school
Oakley - priimary through to secondary
kent - up to 13 I think , in the north
My son goes to the british school and is in year 8. It cost us 670 euros a month (not in holidays) and that includes the bus there and back. he leaves at 7.20 in the morning and is back by 5. Lunch are 5 euros a day and is a good 3 course meal but i send him with a packed lunch. Uniform is just a school polo shirt and dark skirt or trousers and a school PE shirt and shorts. Not too expensive.
The school follows the UK curriculum and they do GCSE's and A levels and the International baccaleurate. Marks in comparison to the UK are very good and they are in one of the top of the International schools for grades - pretty good considering most of the school is doing the exams in their second language. Our son is in a class of 22 and he is the only Brit in his year. Most kids are spanish. Playground language is spanish, although they arent allowed to speak it really. Our son has been there for 4 years and I cannot fault it. He is fluent in spanish and has had one to one classes provided by the school at no extra cost. I also make sure he goes to spanish camps etc in the holidays to be flooded in spanish.
We chose this school as opposed to the spanish system due to our son and his needs. He has learning problems and I felt it was the best choice for him.
Children from this school have gone onto Universities all over the place - Las Palmas, Madrid, Oxford, London etc.

[nick]

Thank you all very much-Great help.

[nick]

Just to add , we are due to move over fully to the Island in 3 years.We have to wait due to GCSES for the 2 older kids (next year and in 2 years time) Plus work commitments make it impossible untill 2010.
Our youngest will then be 6 and we will have to consideer what school will be best. So all your help is appreciated. In the mean time we'll keep popping over , visiting our friends and hopefully bump into a few of you!
Thanks
Nick

[ageingrocker]

I disagree with you on this one I think that the fact they have to pass exams every 3 months is good for them and it means that children aren't simply pushed through the school system and only move forward when they are ready to.

Yeah, I agree with you, it was just was a major shock to us that they were put back a year initially. It's one thing being pushed through the school system but I wouldn't be happy if in two years time my (current) 8 yr old is still in a class with childern 2 years younger than her.

Where do you draw the line?

Mick