# moving to costa blanca desperate to find good state school for 13 year old



## taximania (Sep 17, 2010)

Hi all ,
I know its a commom question but here goes and i hope you can take the time to help;
We are moving over to Costa Blanca area , its a 'lifestyle' move so the area is not set in stone its going to be determined by finding a good school for our 13 year old boy.
Dont think we can afford private education ...so it has to be state school ...we have looked at Quesada - Cabo Riog all the way up to Alzira / javea /Gato and would happily head for several of those places.
Do any of you have any info /advice on any of the state schools in the area , ones to avoid or ones that try to help the english children ... we are all learning spanish but i know he may struggle with the written language .
All help appreciated.
Sue


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## taximania (Sep 17, 2010)

also looked at Camposol, Benimar etc


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## fourgotospain (May 4, 2009)

If I was moving with my 13 year old I would be looking at Xabia International College. If you can possibly scrape together the funds for the 3 years he'll be there it gets really good reports around here. My kids were 9 and 6 when we moved so they go to spanish school, but
my eldest has found it hard and she still has 2 more years in the primary system. 

A friend who moved with a 12 year old (Year 6) was told by the same state primary here that it was unlikely she would do well in the graduado (GCSE equivalent exams) as she would have so much to catch up on. You see, it's not just the teaching language, it's the style of teaching and the style of learning - which we have noticed are so different in just a few short months of being here. XIC fees are not too bad compared to some other international schools.

Putting your 13 yr old in 'at the deep end' might be ok, but it will be VERY hard work for all of you and certainly may not be the 'lifestyle move' he has in mind.

Hope this helps
Rachel.


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## taximania (Sep 17, 2010)

fourgotospain said:


> If I was moving with my 13 year old I would be looking at Xabia International College. If you can possibly scrape together the funds for the 3 years he'll be there it gets really good reports around here. My kids were 9 and 6 when we moved so they go to spanish school, but
> my eldest has found it hard and she still has 2 more years in the primary system.
> 
> A friend who moved with a 12 year old (Year 6) was told by the same state primary here that it was unlikely she would do well in the graduado (GCSE equivalent exams) as she would have so much to catch up on. You see, it's not just the teaching language, it's the style of teaching and the style of learning - which we have noticed are so different in just a few short months of being here. XIC fees are not too bad compared to some other international schools.
> ...


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## taximania (Sep 17, 2010)

thanks , yes i see that one has the fees listed around 8,000 per annum ...its more than we can afford i think


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## fourgotospain (May 4, 2009)

Have a look at this page on their website: Xàbia International College


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## djfwells (Sep 28, 2009)

You will also need to consider that almost every state school in the areas that you list will teach 13 year old a number of subject in the regional language (Valenciano) as opposed to the National language. If your child does not already understand at least a basic standard of Castillian, then learning Valenciano on top of this can be no easy task. Many state schools therefore keep incoming foreign children back a year - to catch up, but you may want to speak to the schools in these area to see what their policy with regards to teaching the regional language is.


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## taximania (Sep 17, 2010)

many thanks


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## lynn (Sep 25, 2008)

I would think very hard before putting a 13 year old into the Spanish state education system. Yes, the school would most probably put them down a year, and this is common practice in the Spanish system, but as compulsory education finishes at 16, there will be no possible chance that your child will be able to matriculate in this time. That will leave him leaving school with no qualifications. 

As others have advised, I would look at an International school which teaches the English National curriculum to give your son a fighting chance of getting the education he needs.


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## jojo (Sep 20, 2007)

Having put my 12 yo into spanish state school, I personally wouldnt recommend it!! We stuck it out for a year before relenting and putting her into an international school (where she's having to do extra work as she's academically a year behind). She hated it, everyday was abattle to get her there, she made no friends nor did she learn the language because she refused to!! She's a different girl now she's in an international school, she's happy, making friends and eager to learn again!

Kids are all different, but at 13 with hormones raging and the ability to pick up a new language not so easy, the odds arent good for him to be happy and successful!!

Jo xxx


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## taximania (Sep 17, 2010)

thanks so much for the replies.
rgds
sue


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## xabiaxica (Jun 23, 2009)

taximania said:


> thanks so much for the replies.
> rgds
> sue


HI!

as the others have said, I would never put a 13 year old into Spanish state school - some manage at that age but they are few & far between!

I have a 14 year old in state school & she is doing brilliantly - but she has been in the system since she was 8

as fourgotospain said, look at XIC or I personally would _seriously_ consider The Lady Elizabeth School ¦ Colegios Laude

Lady Elizabeth might be a bit more expensive - but they have recently moved into purpose-built state of the art facilities outside Javea


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## MaidenScotland (Jun 6, 2009)

My three grandchildren are all at state schools and are doing fine.
Harrison went aged 11 and was held back one year but now at the high school he is in the top group of most subjects but saying that he is a clever boy and was the dux of his school in the U.K. James who is not as academic as Harrison went to school aged 9 and has not been kept back a year . Emma went at 3 years of age and has just gone up to the "big" school and has loved going since the day she was enrolled 3 years ago.. so much so that at parents evening her mum was told that Emma goes around the class telling the other pupils they are doing it wrong and this is the way they should do it.

Each child is different and responds differently to each situation.
Harrison has grammatically much better Spanish than James but he is and always has been shy so he tends not to say too much as he doesn't want to be "wrong" although of course he chats away to his friends. James is bold in his Spanish and chats away ten to the dozen to anyone and everyone and is used as an interpretor for him mum as she feels his Spanish is better than hers, James doesn't worry if he doesn't know the word he finds a way round it.

Emma of course is Spanish in everything including her eating habits and dancing.

Maiden


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## dianeh (Jul 6, 2011)

taximania said:


> Hi all ,
> I know its a commom question but here goes and i hope you can take the time to help;
> We are moving over to Costa Blanca area , its a 'lifestyle' move so the area is not set in stone its going to be determined by finding a good school for our 13 year old boy.
> Dont think we can afford private education ...so it has to be state school ...we have looked at Quesada - Cabo Riog all the way up to Alzira / javea /Gato and would happily head for several of those places.
> ...


Hi Sue,

I see your query from way back last year, and wonder how you got on with your search. We are also moving to Costa Blanca next year (2012) and will be looking for the right school for my daughter who will be 16 and looking for A level education or equivalent. Any advice you can give would be greatly appreciated. 
Diane


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## katie5252 (Jul 2, 2011)

please do no do this too your son... at 13, there is no way he will intergrate into the spanish system, and he will at 16 be left with no education.. if you can not afford private school i would re consider a move until he is at least at college in the uK.... YOUR childs education. should be your main priority.. you can moveto spain, when he has the tools to get on in life.....it would be an absolute disaster too move the boy now.... what are you thinking


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## jojo (Sep 20, 2007)

dianeh said:


> Hi Sue,
> 
> I see your query from way back last year, and wonder how you got on with your search. We are also moving to Costa Blanca next year (2012) and will be looking for the right school for my daughter who will be 16 and looking for A level education or equivalent. Any advice you can give would be greatly appreciated.
> Diane


You need to puy her into an international school, unless she's been in the spanish system and is totally fluent in written and spoken spanish

Jo xxx


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## jmhalton (Apr 4, 2008)

Hi Sue, please note that if you enter into the Spanish state schools on the Costa Blanca, it is a requirement the the language of Valencia as well as Castellano must be understood. Some lessons such as Spanish history is taught in Valenciano. I do agree with the previous comments too. J


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## dianeh (Jul 6, 2011)

jmhalton said:


> Hi Sue, please note that if you enter into the Spanish state schools on the Costa Blanca, it is a requirement the the language of Valencia as well as Castellano must be understood. Some lessons such as Spanish history is taught in Valenciano. I do agree with the previous comments too. J


Thank you for the advice. I have been looking at the Xabia International College which teaches many nationalities. It looks like I have a lot of research to do!


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## jmhalton (Apr 4, 2008)

Yes, I think that this is a popular local choice. Also, consider Lady Elizabeth school, but this requires a journey to the Benissa/Jalon area where their main college is. Best wishes and good luck J


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## xabiaxica (Jun 23, 2009)

jmhalton said:


> Yes, I think that this is a popular local choice. Also, consider Lady Elizabeth school, but this requires a journey to the Benissa/Jalon area where their main college is. Best wishes and good luck J


it's in Lliber - there are school buses though 

it certainly has a_ very _good reputation


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## dianeh (Jul 6, 2011)

xabiachica said:


> it's in Lliber - there are school buses though
> 
> it certainly has a_ very _good reputation




Thanks again guys,

I will check them both out. We haven't decided exactly where we will settle yet - somewhere in the mountain area in Costa Blanca is all we have at the moment! So the choice of the right school could be a major factor in choosing our location. Any suggestions will be gratefully received.I can't ascertain if Xabia is fee paying - it's not mentioned on the website, so i have emailed for info. We would prefer not to pay, but it isn't out of the question if it turns out to be the best option.


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## xabiaxica (Jun 23, 2009)

dianeh said:


> Thanks again guys,
> 
> I will check them both out. We haven't decided exactly where we will settle yet - somewhere in the mountain area in Costa Blanca is all we have at the moment! So the choice of the right school could be a major factor in choosing our location. Any suggestions will be gratefully received.I can't ascertain if Xabia is fee paying - it's not mentioned on the website, so i have emailed for info. We would prefer not to pay, but it isn't out of the question if it turns out to be the best option.


Xàbia International College is fee paying

you won't find an english language/curriculum school in Spain which isn't


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## dianeh (Jul 6, 2011)

xabiachica said:


> Xàbia International College is fee paying
> 
> you won't find an english language/curriculum school in Spain which isn't



Hi, thanks for that. I just had another look at the website - don't know where I was looking before, as the fees are clearly marked!! Durr!

It's good to have clear information tho' such as yours - saves a lot of time searching and finally coming to the conclusion that you have to pay for an english curriculum. Obvious I guess, but as I've only just started researching it takes a little time for the penny to drop!


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