# Has anyone made it work?



## voltron (Aug 19, 2010)

Hello,

We were in Nicosia and have two scholl aged kids (8 and 7). We had them in a local greek school for 3 months but in that time they learned only a handful of greek words and were very isolated. This effected their confidence as well as put them behind academically. 

I know nicosia isnt really an ideal place as the school had no other english and were not at all setup to deal with us... Im now faced with some veri difficult choices:

1 - Pay for private - This will cost about 12k euros a year and will massivly reduce our disposable income, we will be 'tied in' and our kids will grow up as english kids in cyprus and never integrate. The fees rise every yeah so i doubt it is sustainable.

2 - Put them back into a state school - We would never send them back to the same one but im up for moving to larnaca area so anyone who has had kids in a state school and it has worked please let me know. This option is cheap but could risk further pain on the kids

3 - Go back to england - All the reasons i came here stand and i have a good job and enjoy living here.. however it would be very easy right now to just give up.


So if anyone is still reading this and has any suggestions or ideas about a good area and schools that are good at integrating english kids then please post. 

I have seen many generic posts and althou nice, they wont help much, so if people could actually specify areas schools etc it would help me greatly. For example: Oroklini schools is 20% english and your kids settled in great and love it..

I know one thing might suit one person and not other and i am going to make my own mind up but some freindly advice would be great.

Many thanks!


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## jojo (Sep 20, 2007)

How old are they, the younger they are the easier it is for them to integrate and pick up the language????? I'm not in Cyprus, but Spain, so I guess we have the same sort of issues. Three months isnt very long, but it does depend on their ages. In Spain, we've found that schools with lots of British kids have the opposite effect, the brits cling together, learn very little and tend to become a gang of their own?????


Jo xxx


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## voltron (Aug 19, 2010)

They are 8 and 7 (years 4 and 3 in school terms).

I know 3 months isnt long enough but you could see they were totaly ignored by teachers and kids alike and people just didnt want to know them.. really really sad.. there was also lots of fighting and it was pretty rough... now i can put up with some aspects but the isolation and the fact they had learned 5 words in 3 months told me it was time to call it a day.... they were not learning simply because nobody could be bothered to talk to them and try... Funny thing is we did two weeks in turkey last year and they made friends and picked up loads of turkish in 2 weeks.. so it isnt because they cant do it..


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## jojo (Sep 20, 2007)

voltron said:


> They are 8 and 7 (years 4 and 3 in school terms).
> 
> I know 3 months isnt long enough but you could see they were totaly ignored by teachers and kids alike and people just didnt want to know them.. really really sad.. there was also lots of fighting and it was pretty rough... now i can put up with some aspects but the isolation and the fact they had learned 5 words in 3 months told me it was time to call it a day.... they were not learning simply because nobody could be bothered to talk to them and try... Funny thing is we did two weeks in turkey last year and they made friends and picked up loads of turkish in 2 weeks.. so it isnt because they cant do it..


I really feel for you. But the ages are good for learning - in the right school of course. We had the opposite problem with my daughter when she went to her first state school here. Lots of british kids, but they didnt like my daughter cos they thought she was "stuck up" (hhhmmm comparitively she was thankfully lol), so they wouldnt talk to her. The Spanish kids didnt like the British kids and so they wouldnt talk to my daughter either. So she was thoroughly miserable. We took her out after 6 months. She then went to a different school, where she was the only Brit in her year. She quite liked it, but hasnt settled and actually wants to go back to the UK desperately?? We nearly did, however, I've jusat managed to get a job and she's now going to start an international school in September!! We'0ll see how that goes

My daughter is 13 tho, she was 11 when we arrived here!

If I were you???? Yes, I think I'd look around at other schools. Now you've been here a while, you perhaps will know what to look for!? I always find a good way to assess a schoolk is to sit outside and watch the kids going in and coming out - see what the other parents are like, how they all behave, talk, are they happy, nice, rough?????????

See what other advise comes in on here from local to you tho

jo xxxx


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## voltron (Aug 19, 2010)

Hi,

Your absolutely right. I just hope that there will be at least somone on here who can say yep i put my 8 year old in X local school in larnaca/nicosia and they were fine and teachers great


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## voltron (Aug 19, 2010)

I guess the lack of responces kind if gives an answer in its self... nobody has made it work, there are no statte schools in the nicosia or larnaca that will be easier for my kids and all uk expats either pay for private or go back to the uk :-(


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## Veronica (Apr 5, 2008)

voltron said:


> I guess the lack of responces kind if gives an answer in its self... nobody has made it work, there are no statte schools in the nicosia or larnaca that will be easier for my kids and all uk expats either pay for private or go back to the uk :-(


hi Voltron,

I think the problem is that there are not many expats with children in Nicosia or Larnaca. The biggest concentration is in the Paphos area so if you were looking at living in this area you would have had plenty of replies. 
Maybe if you are patient someone will come along who can answer your questions.
In the meantime there is a sticky thread on schools which has a lot of information, take alook at that. Kimonas is a regular contributor to this forum who works in the education system and his input is very informative.

Regards
Veronica


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## Veronica (Apr 5, 2008)

This is the thread on schools. Hope it helps.

http://www.expatforum.com/expats/cyprus-expat-forum-expats-living-cyprus/6423-schooling-cyprus.html


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## xabiaxica (Jun 23, 2009)

voltron said:


> I guess the lack of responces kind if gives an answer in its self... nobody has made it work, there are no statte schools in the nicosia or larnaca that will be easier for my kids and all uk expats either pay for private or go back to the uk :-(


or maybe there just aren't any posters here (on the Cyprus forum) with school age kids?

3 months really isn't long at all - & as Jojo says, they're a good age

mine were 5 & 8 when they started in Spanish school & picked up the language fairly quickly

have a read on the other forums of countries with different languages - I'm sure you'll find others with children in schools

and definitely speak to the school - maybe ask what YOU can do to help the transition


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## Veronica (Apr 5, 2008)

There are quite a few with school age kids who post here but they are mainly in the Paphos area.


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## xabiaxica (Jun 23, 2009)

Veronica said:


> There are quite a few with school age kids who post here but they are mainly in the Paphos area.


ahh

& you obviously type way faster than I do - 3 posts in the time it took me type out one!!


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## Veronica (Apr 5, 2008)

xabiachica said:


> ahh
> 
> & you obviously type way faster than I do - 3 posts in the time it took me type out one!!


 Thing is I am typing so much with working on my website but sometimes I type too fast and my fingers get muddled up and the words come out all wrong
I think my fingers get dyslexic at times.


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## CHocolate (Aug 21, 2010)

Although I would never go down the Greek School route as I am British married to a Cypriot and I just want to be completely involved in my children's schooling I do think that if that's what you want you can make it work. A friend of mine is Cypriot and she works at a Greek School and she teaches the foreign kids Greek separatly from the native speakers until such time as they are ready to be with the rest. She said that all schools have someone like her because the Greek Schools are having to cope with an influx of foreign kids. So perhaps it you find out which school for sure has someone like that to ease the transition. Btw you wouldn't have to pay EURO12,000 a year for two kids unless you are thinking about the Junior School. I pay EURO7,000 a year for a two year old and a 7 year old, with homework club and school bus one way.

x


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## voltron (Aug 19, 2010)

Choc - Firstly thanks for taking the time to reply i really do appreciate it. 

Ok as for the fees im because i have two kids in the primary school i think it will be 4k per term each and the extras will probably be another 2k so 10k is about how much i will pay and that is including the 10% discount for second child. I know compared to UK this is good but comnpared to the UK my salary isnt lol.. 

SO your not in denmark? Why wouldnt you send yours to a state school? just out of interest.. Im one of us was cypriot then i think i would. ALso the greek-cypriots I work with all went to state school and their maths etc is better than mine ;-)


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## voltron (Aug 19, 2010)

sorry forgot to ask which schools your friend works for and can you please ask her for some inside help on which ones may be an otption.. PM me if you find anythinbg out.


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## voltron (Aug 19, 2010)

no replies! C'mon people somone must know a good school state school


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## kimonas (Jul 19, 2008)

voltron said:


> no replies! C'mon people somone must know a good school state school


Hello again. I think I remember posting some advice when you had a different name - to do with schooling. The sad truth is that the state schools don't really live up to the average British ex-pat expectations. Another major issue to deal with is the institutionalised xenephobia that is ingrained into every school child through assemblies and celebrations (and much of it anti-British) which doesn't really promote integration. There are great teachers out there (and the EU sponsored language instruction that another poster mentioned is starting to take effect) but it really is a bit of a hit and miss affair. Living in Nicosia doesn't really help. There are many ex-pats in Nicosia, but almost all of them send their children to the private schools (English, Pascal, Highgate (which has moved to new premises – I’m afraid I don’t have the details)GC School, Falcon, American Academy etc). Parents (private and state) also rely heavily on afternoon and evening private tuition. I haven’t really worked that one out. Research from the US suggests that children (especially in their early teens) are at their most productive only for a few hours in late morning and early afternoon. School starts at 11:00 in some states because of this. In Cyprus, through traditions related to the oppressive climate, children are up at 6 to start school early – they therefore can’t really concentrate or be expected to take much in as their hormones are telling them to switch off as they grow. They therefore fall behind and parents rely on extra tuition. 
The bulk of ex-pats with children live in the Larnaca district (and to a slightly lesser extent the Paphos region which is not as well served with private schools). There were interesting reports from state schools in Oriklini and Protoras last year about the large numbers of ex-pat children and their struggle for integration (and the relative success of the advanced Greek instruction initiative). Bullying, truancy and other problems boiled down to ‘chav culture’ and an unwillingness for kids to learn Greek, or to even be in Cyprus – many of them having been dragged here kicking and screaming by selfish parents who wanted to live their dream without considering their childrens’ education. (I remember interviewing one parent who expressed her shock at the fact that the State Schools taught in Greek!)But the kids (and teachers) do have an uphill struggle. Teachers get on with their lessons (in Greek) and ignore those that can’t or won’t follow – they don’t have time to deal with language barriers, and cohorts now regularly consist of Russians, Latvians, Romanians, Polish and other children sprinkled in with the native Cypriots. I have, however, heard a few success stories of kids (of your family’s age) who have thrived in State Schools. One of the biggest problems is the practice of mixing up and moving teachers around each year, so that the makeup of the school is always in flux, so what was a great school one year, may be a bit off colour the next. Sorry I can’t be more positive…


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## voltron (Aug 19, 2010)

As always excellent advice thanks.

and your right about before!! 

Z...


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## Veronica (Apr 5, 2008)

voltron said:


> As always excellent advice thanks.
> 
> and your right about before!!
> 
> Z...


Just as we thought. Hello Zeebo. I hope you are going to behave under your new persona


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## voltron (Aug 19, 2010)

I have no idea what your talking about.. 

Im just a rebel i cant help it


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## loobielou (Apr 21, 2010)

Hi,

A bit late but just seen you thread. I really do feel for you and understand how you feel.

I live in Larnaca and have 3 children aged 4, 6 and 11. My 11 year old goes to the A Academy in Larnaca as we did not think it would be fair to put her in a state school at her age and she has settled in fine. My 4 year old who did not understand a word of greek goes to a greek nursery. We tried another one before this which he hated but he has settled in to this one as they can speak english to him if need be and they have been very warm and welcoming towards him. Since September he has learnt all his coulours and shapes in greek. My 6 year old on the other hand who understands and can talk a little greek has a had a few problems with bullying by older kids which luckily has now been resolved and the school were very good about it. He is struggling in class but im not sure if this is boredom as they are doing very basic stuff like bi and ba although its in greek the maths stuff he did 2 years ago in reception so I think with a mixture of the not understanding and the basic learning his mind wanders off to a faraway land which gets him in to trouble. His teacher is wonderful and very understanding and if need be she will explain everything in English to him as well. I live in the Vergina area of larnaca and all my neighbours are either fully english or english cypriot and have been here for 1-2 years. The nearest primary school has several english kids, although it seems that my sons school he is the only english child. We chose this school as his greek cousin attends and she can stick up for him if need be.

I have to say that although the Education system is very different here and it alll seems very basic the majority of older kids make it through to Uni and become very successfull so the Cypriot schools must be getting something right. I know that their is an afternoon school at the AAcademy called fastrac for kids and it helps them speed up learning greek in a fun way. This has just been recommended to me so I will be looking in to this.

As for Larnaca there are loads of english families so even if your kids dont make friends in school they can make friends outside of school which luckily my kids have.

As for going back to the UK there is no way. I would rather my kids were safe and happy in the sun than be worrying whether or not they are going to get stabbed at the school gates!!!!

If you are ever in Larnaca and want to meet up for a chat then please do not hesitate to let me know.

Good Luck in what ever you do!!

Lou


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