# Local schools



## Tonis (Jul 23, 2010)

Hello. I am hoping to come to Alhaurin de la Torre in Oct for six months with my two girls. Their father will stay in England and visit weekends. 
The trip was initiated by the 15 year old who wants "to learn a language properly"
With that in mind I hope that both girls will attend Spanish schools.

We chose the town on a quick trip last Autumn. 
I am very much in need of inside information, especially about schools. I realise that we will need an address, and then registration (with which I may need help). 
Do I then go to the school in person? (I have no Spanish, daughter has been learning from a disc for only a few months.) 
Do schools have an upper class size after which there is no chance, as we do here? If there is no room at the nearest what happens next?
We will need senior and primary.
I have never used a forum before so please correct mistakes gently.
Thanks


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## jojo (Sep 20, 2007)

Tonis said:


> Hello. I am hoping to come to Alhaurin de la Torre in Oct for six months with my two girls. Their father will stay in England and visit weekends.
> The trip was initiated by the 15 year old who wants "to learn a language properly"
> With that in mind I hope that both girls will attend Spanish schools.
> 
> ...



Hey, great choice of town!!!!! The best school IMO is Oferta educativa - IES Capellanía Thats where my daughter goes. They have a bilingual facility there, altho they do tend to only let the Spanish use it!??? What I did to get my daughter in was to simply go there - they'll want to see your passport, your daughters passport and your NIE number, which you need to get from the local police station in Málaga, (altho rumour has it you can get one on line????) There is a primary school opposite too!

At 15 tho, are you ok with your daughter forfeiting her GCSEs??????? Also, altho submersion is the best way to learn the language, as kids get older it takes them longer to learn, so it wont be as easy as perhaps your daughter thinks??? 

Welcome to the forum

Jo xxx


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## lynn (Sep 25, 2008)

You will need to get your certificate of residency from the police station, and then go to the town hall to get on the padron. Once you have done this for yourself and your children, they will be allocated the nearest available school. As your 15 year old is nearing the end of compulsory education, I am puzzled how he/she is going to be able to get any qualifications?? Wouldn't it be GCSE year for them???


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## lynn (Sep 25, 2008)

jojo said:


> Hey, great choice of town!!!!! The best school IMO is Oferta educativa - IES Capellanía Thats where my daughter goes. They have a bilingual facility there, altho they do tend to only let the Spanish use it!??? What I did to get my daughter in was to simply go there - they'll want to see your passport, your daughters passport and your NIE number, which you need to get from the local police station in Málaga, (altho rumour has it you can get one on line????) There is a primary school opposite too!
> 
> At 15 tho, are you ok with your daughter forfeiting her GCSEs??????? Also, altho submersion is the best way to learn the language, as kids get older it takes them longer to learn, so it wont be as easy as perhaps your daughter thinks???
> 
> ...


You beat me too it Jo!!


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## jojo (Sep 20, 2007)

lynn said:


> You beat me too it Jo!!


I didnt go via the town hall to get Ruby in, cos the school they would have wanted her to go to - I didnt!!!!!!!!!! I had a friend who's daughter was at Capellania and she raved about it, so I just marched in there with my spanish dictionary lol, I dont think they needed to see my padron, but they may have wanted to see proof of address - rental aggreement, utility bill???? I cant rembember!!!! 

Jo xxxx


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## xabiaxica (Jun 23, 2009)

lynn said:


> You will need to get your certificate of residency from the police station, and then go to the town hall to get on the padron. Once you have done this for yourself and your children, they will be allocated the nearest available school. As your 15 year old is nearing the end of compulsory education, I am puzzled how he/she is going to be able to get any qualifications?? Wouldn't it be GCSE year for them???


precisely - there is *no* chance of a 15 year old learning enough Spanish in time to graduate at 16, so if they left at 16 it would be with no qualifications whatsoever



imo there is no choice but to send a 15 year old to a private school with a British curriculum, delay moving for a year, or leave the 15 year old in the UK with friends or family until they have finished GCSEs


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## Tonis (Jul 23, 2010)

Wow, people are talking to me!
Hello everyone.
The 15year old took her GCSEs this year (waiting results) 
As she is a year young she wants to learn Spanish for a year then go to sith form college for 'A's.
I don't think she is expecting it to be easy. The little one doesn't know what she is in for and I am frankly terrified.
Need to find some-where to live first. Does the school you suggest have an area code that I can use to find an apartment walking distance from it?


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## jojo (Sep 20, 2007)

http://www.propertydirectors.com/hotspot.htm Speak to Carmen (she's english, well bilingual). She'll help you as her daughter goes to Capellania and she lives near there too! Tell her Jo sent you lol

Anything else you want to know I can help with I'm sure!!!



Jo xxx


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## xabiaxica (Jun 23, 2009)

Tonis said:


> Wow, people are talking to me!
> Hello everyone.
> The 15year old took her GCSEs this year (waiting results)
> As she is a year young she wants to learn Spanish for a year then go to sith form college for 'A's.
> ...


well that's different then!!


did she take the exams a year early?

if so - well done her!!


age-appropriate for 'graduado year' would be a child born in 1995 - does she come into that?

if so, it really would be a great experience for her to spend a year in a Spanish school

your younger child if of primary age should have no real problems


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## Tonis (Jul 23, 2010)

Yes she took them early.
She was born '94 but I understand that the year groups can be slightly mixed in Spanish schools.
If they concentrate on exam work in their last year before exams it might be better if she was with the year befor that.
The kids are likely to be less pressured that way.


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## xabiaxica (Jun 23, 2009)

Tonis said:


> Yes she took them early.
> She was born '94 but I understand that the year groups can be slightly mixed in Spanish schools.
> If they concentrate on exam work in their last year before exams it might be better if she was with the year befor that.
> The kids are likely to be less pressured that way.


yes, groups can be mixed - kids get held back if they don't pass enough of their subjects


you'd have to find out if a local school would accept her - she is past compulsory school age so they might not


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## Tonis (Jul 23, 2010)

I met Carmen when we came out lat last year and she is looking out for somewhere for us.
I will mention you and the school and give her a nudge.
What date do your children go back to school? 
Tonis


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## jojo (Sep 20, 2007)

Tonis said:


> I met Carmen when we came out lat last year and she is looking out for somewhere for us.
> I will mention you and the school and give her a nudge.
> What date do your children go back to school?
> Tonis



Heck, I should know that shouldnt I LOL( Mind you, we're on the brink of returning to the UK). I think its 7th Sept????? 

BTW, obviously there are other schools in AdlT so if you find a property then there will be a school fairly close by. Capellania, is at the Supersol end of town and having looked at a few IMO was the nicest by far. But yes give Carmen a nudge. She was in the UK visiting, but I think she's back now!

Jo xxx


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## Tonis (Jul 23, 2010)

Hi again,
More school questions. What are their hours, do they have uniforms and do they break for siesta?
Thanks


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## xabiaxica (Jun 23, 2009)

Tonis said:


> Hi again,
> More school questions. What are their hours, do they have uniforms and do they break for siesta?
> Thanks


in my area - & I think most of the country the hours are similar


primary school is 9am-4.30pm with a break 11-11.30 & long lunch 12.30-3pm

in June & September they are only at school 9am-1pm with a half hour break 11-11.30



secondary school here is 8am - 2 or 3pm with a 25 min break + a 15 min break on the longer days - all year round


in some areas all schools do something along the lines of 8-2


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## Tonis (Jul 23, 2010)

Thank you.
Xabiachica says that my oldest is past compulsory school age. She is only 15 at present but will turn 16 end Oct. Here she would have one more year. When do they stop in Spain?
Is this likely to cause problems? Putting her in a local school is the main reason for the whole project. Does anyone have any experience with this?

I am having real trouble moving about in the forum. Even finding the thread I was looking at yesterday is difficult. Any help would be most appreciated. (Yes I know my six year old could probably manage it but she is not good at explaining.)
Thanks


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## jojo (Sep 20, 2007)

Tonis said:


> Thank you.
> Xabiachica says that my oldest is past compulsory school age. She is only 15 at present but will turn 16 end Oct. Here she would have one more year. When do they stop in Spain?
> Is this likely to cause problems? Putting her in a local school is the main reason for the whole project. Does anyone have any experience with this?
> 
> ...


I sense a frustration with using the forum LOL  The easiest way is to either click on "spain" or click on "user CP" which will bring up your posts!!! And then have a play around !!!???

As for school. Once a child hits 16, they are no longer obliged to attend school. I dont know how schools would see that. I suspect it will depend on each individual school. In Spain kids only go up a year if they pass their end of year exams, so it is possible they'll take your 16yo in a year or two below her age????? But I dont think they'll have to???????????? You need to speak to the school or the local town hall/ayuntamiento

BTW, no uniforms at my daughters school and its 8.15am - 2.45pm with 45 minutes for lunch



Jo xxx


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## xabiaxica (Jun 23, 2009)

Tonis said:


> Thank you.
> Xabiachica says that my oldest is past compulsory school age. She is only 15 at present but will turn 16 end Oct. Here she would have one more year. When do they stop in Spain?
> Is this likely to cause problems? Putting her in a local school is the main reason for the whole project. Does anyone have any experience with this?
> 
> ...


compulsory school age is worked out by year of birth

my elder daughter was born in 1996 & she has 2 more years of compulsory school starting in September

those legally able to graduate and coming to the end of compulsory schooling at the end of the school year 2010/2011 - so June 2011 - were born in 1995

you said your daughter was born in 1994 - so would be past compulsory school age


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## jojo (Sep 20, 2007)

..........p.s. listen to xabiachica, cos she knows much more than i do re the school system here!! 

Jo xxx


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## xabiaxica (Jun 23, 2009)

jojo said:


> ..........p.s. listen to xabiachica, cos she knows much more than i do re the school system here!!
> 
> Jo xxx


I knew I was good for something!!


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## Tonis (Jul 23, 2010)

This is really important so detail is everything.
She will not be 16 at the begining of this school year as her birthday is end Oct so if we get out there quickly she will still be 15 would that put her in this years graduation year?


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## jojo (Sep 20, 2007)

Tonis said:


> This is really important so detail is everything.
> She will not be 16 at the begining of this school year as her birthday is end Oct so if we get out there quickly she will still be 15 would that put her in this years graduation year?



Its a bit like the uk in that respect. There is a cut off date! I dont know what it is , maybe xabiachica will know, but which ever side of that date you are on determins whether your child is over 16 or under - I think???????????? I rmember when they were deciding which year to put my daughter in, her date of birth was an important factor in the decision

Jo xx


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## Tonis (Jul 23, 2010)

As you say, just how it is in England.
Anyone with more detailed information? Your input would be most useful.


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## xabiaxica (Jun 23, 2009)

jojo said:


> Its a bit like the uk in that respect. There is a cut off date! I dont know what it is , maybe xabiachica will know, but which ever side of that date you are on determins whether your child is over 16 or under - I think???????????? I rmember when they were deciding which year to put my daughter in, her date of birth was an important factor in the decision
> 
> Jo xx


I have no idea if a school will take her

BUT as I said - if a child was born in 1994 they are legally allowed to have left school - so are past the age of compulsory schooling


the reason is that as far age is concerned, they go by the year of birth & calendar year - in other words from Jan 1st to December 31st of one year

so here if a child is born on 1st January 1999 they will be in the same year as a child born on say 31st of August 1999 or 31st December 1999

in the UK it's September 1st of one calendar year to August 31st of the following calendar year, so a child born on 1st September 1999 will be in the same year as one born on December 31st 1999, but the year below one born on 31st August 1999 


I hope that makes it clearer


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## Tonis (Jul 23, 2010)

Oh dear.
That is going to be difficult.
It was the 15yr old who wanted to do the trip in order to learn Spanish "properly"


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## Tonis (Jul 23, 2010)

Anyone have any idea how much private Spanish schools cost?


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## jojo (Sep 20, 2007)

Heres a link to a private school we looked at before we moved here?? I dont know if it has the fees on it, but if memory serves, they were about 400€ a month??????

Colegio privado -El Pinar-, Alhaurín de la Torre

Jo xxx


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## Tonis (Jul 23, 2010)

Oh dear....,
Ok how does the next stage of schooling work?
If she gets good GCSE results (as expected) would a state school take her on for the first year of the baccalaureate course, knowing that she is going to be one of the youngest in the year and will probably need to retake the first year? 
Any ideas?


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## xabiaxica (Jun 23, 2009)

Tonis said:


> Oh dear....,
> Ok how does the next stage of schooling work?
> If she gets good GCSE results (as expected) would a state school take her on for the first year of the baccalaureate course, knowing that she is going to be one of the youngest in the year and will probably need to retake the first year?
> Any ideas?


you originally said you were coming for 6 months!!:confused2:


I do know a family who brought their kids over here & one of them had already done & passed GCSEs with good grades


they expected a school to allow her in to take Bachi - but there was just no way her Spanish was going to get up to speed enough for that to happen

they originally allowed her to effectively repeat the last year of Secondary - but even then her Spanish still was nowhere near the sort of level required to even consider Bachi

last I heard she was being allowed to do _educacion fomativa_ - which is what the kids not capable of doing Bachi, or not wanting to go to uni, do - and struggling at that

I don't know what to suggest for your daughter - she is to be applauded for wanting to really learn the language, but I can't see a way for her to achieve it, unless a school will allow her in

maybe she could do an intensive course in a language academy & volunteer somewhere she _has to_ speak Spanish?

as I said before - she is past compulsory school age - so they don't _have to let her in to state school_


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## lynn (Sep 25, 2008)

xabiachica said:


> you originally said you were coming for 6 months!!:confused2:
> 
> 
> I do know a family who brought their kids over here & one of them had already done & passed GCSEs with good grades
> ...


If you were to reverse the situation, and think of a Spanish young adult trying to access the British state school system at the same age, would you expect them to be able to get any further??? I am a great advocate of state education for all, but think it is pushing the boundaries for any system to be able to provide intensive language classes for those past compulsory schooling age. Resources are stretched at the best of times. Under the circumstances, perhaps she would be better attending Spanish classes offered by the local town hall, with some voluntary work in a Spanish speaking environment?


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## Tonis (Jul 23, 2010)

Thanks, all rather gloomy.
I think we have to come over as soon as schools start back and talk to them about the possibility of taking her on for the last pre bachi year.
Do you have any suggestions as to someone we could employ to come to the school with us to translate.
I don't want to sign up for a six month contract on an apartment and then find I can't get her into school.
I can't imagine staying permanently in Spain, but then I have cold feet about the whole thing. If I think of it as 6 months I can cope. Then we will see. ( I think my biggest problem is that I can see it being very lonely, as at present I have no Spanish)


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## jojo (Sep 20, 2007)

If moneys no problem (roughly 700€ a month), maybe she could sit her A-levels in an international school - they learn alot of Spanish as there are usually a lot of spanish kids in these schools, not to mention daily spanish lessons and a few lessons are in Spanish (my son speaks excellent spanish from simply being at an international school) and then as Lynn suggests, maybe some voluntary work too???

Jo xxx


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## jojo (Sep 20, 2007)

Tonis said:


> Thanks, all rather gloomy.
> I think we have to come over as soon as schools start back and talk to them about the possibility of taking her on for the last pre bachi year.
> Do you have any suggestions as to someone we could employ to come to the school with us to translate.
> I don't want to sign up for a six month contract on an apartment and then find I can't get her into school.
> I can't imagine staying permanently in Spain, but then I have cold feet about the whole thing. If I think of it as 6 months I can cope. Then we will see. ( I think my biggest problem is that I can see it being very lonely, as at present I have no Spanish)




If you're still interested in Alhaurin de la Torre, Carmen would be good as she's totally and completely bilingual Property Hot Spot / Alhaurin de la Torre / Sol Andalusi 

Jo xxx


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## Claire la richarde (Jul 6, 2009)

If your elder daughter is expected to get good grades at GCSE, could she be persuaded to go on to do A levels, including Spanish, either at her school or, if it doesn't offer Spanish, at another local school or tertiary college that does? She might want to do a degree in Spanish, taking a gap year first when she could look for work in a Spanish speaking country. Or she could just do that after A levels without applying to a university.

That way, it would also mean not disrupting your other daughter's education, especially if you were only intending to be in Spain for six months. She would barely have starting getting to grips with the Spanish language and education system before having to try to reintegrate into the UK system, having missed half a year. Even at primary school, that can sometimes be difficult.


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## Tonis (Jul 23, 2010)

Thanks Jo good advice.
Ok, have talked to Carmen that is going ahead.
So before I can register a child at a school I will need; Spanish address, registration with the Padron (done at the town hall), NIE number from the Police (which station in Alhaurin de la Torre will do this?)
If the above is a complete list how many people need these papers? Is it only me or the children too? If children too, do they need to be there in person?


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## xabiaxica (Jun 23, 2009)

Tonis said:


> Thanks Jo good advice.
> Ok, have talked to Carmen that is going ahead.
> So before I can register a child at a school I will need; Spanish address, registration with the Padron (done at the town hall), NIE number from the Police (which station in Alhaurin de la Torre will do this?)
> If the above is a complete list how many people need these papers? Is it only me or the children too? If children too, do they need to be there in person?


you all need to sign on as residents - you'll get your NIEs at the same time


you all need to be present to do it


I'm not sure where you need to go down your way, but jojo should


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## jojo (Sep 20, 2007)

Tonis said:


> Thanks Jo good advice.
> Ok, have talked to Carmen that is going ahead.
> So before I can register a child at a school I will need; Spanish address, registration with the Padron (done at the town hall), NIE number from the Police (which station in Alhaurin de la Torre will do this?)
> If the above is a complete list how many people need these papers? Is it only me or the children too? If children too, do they need to be there in person?


When we got our NIEs, we had to go to the police station in Málaga - its the mian "police" station as opposed to the guardia in AdlT - nothing's easy here lol!!!! As far as I know children over the age of 13 have to have their own NIEs and have to register in person. However, I have heard rumours that NIEs can be obtained on line, but I dont know how true that is!!!

We registered on the padron at the town hall/ayuntamiento in Alhaurin de la Torre, for that you need your rental agreement and NIE number

Jo xxxx


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## Tonis (Jul 23, 2010)

Isn't a 6 year old going to have trouble signing on for anything Xabiachica?
Waiting in a queue with her is not going to be much fun either. 
The 15 year old will cope.


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## jojo (Sep 20, 2007)

Tonis said:


> Isn't a 6 year old going to have trouble signing on for anything Xabiachica?
> Waiting in a queue with her is not going to be much fun either.
> The 15 year old will cope.


We went with a gestoria (a sort of legal secretary) who, for 60€ drove us down there (not easy to find when you're new), parked (not easy to do in malaga), went in sorted all the paperwork out and enabled us to queue jump!! Well worth the money!!!!!

Jo xxx


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## Tonis (Jul 23, 2010)

Thats what we need.
How do I find one of those?


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## jojo (Sep 20, 2007)

Tonis said:


> Thats what we need.
> How do I find one of those?



We used a chap called Alejandro, but I've lost touch with him. I'm sure Carmen would know someone?? Failing that I know a lady over in Alhaurin El Grande who I'm sure would do it. However, most of the legal bods in Spain take the whole of August off so its not easy to get hold of anyone at the moment.

Jo xxx


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## Tonis (Jul 23, 2010)

That is Ok as we are comming over to try to sort out this lot 20th ish Sep.
Do you think three days will be enough? Not including travel there and back.


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## jojo (Sep 20, 2007)

Tonis said:


> That is Ok as we are comming over to try to sort out this lot 20th ish Sep.
> Do you think three days will be enough? Not including travel there and back.



You need to find a place to live, get a rental agreement, get an NIE, go into the school/s, meet jojo for a coffee lol......... I guess you could!!?? Check that there are no fiestas on the calender for this area tho, cos everything closes down!!!!!! 

jo xxx


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## Tonis (Jul 23, 2010)

We ran into that last Oct when we came out to start all this; choose a town, find estate agent etc.
Carmen also said we should (three of us) meet up for coffee.
She is hoping to find us accomodation and has said she will come to the school to try to persaude them to take 15 year old. You could meet her too (teenager that is not Carmen). 
We were hoping to leave the 6year old at home, which is why I had hoped that she did not need to sign up for any of this in person.


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## jojo (Sep 20, 2007)

Tonis said:


> We ran into that last Oct when we came out to start all this; choose a town, find estate agent etc.
> Carmen also said we should (three of us) meet up for coffee.
> She is hoping to find us accomodation and has said she will come to the school to try to persaude them to take 15 year old. You could meet her too (teenager that is not Carmen).
> We were hoping to leave the 6year old at home, which is why I had hoped that she did not need to sign up for any of this in person.


I wouldnt worry about an NIE number for the 6 yo, I'm pretty sure its not essential, certainly not in the short term. Her school will want to see yours as her parent tho! Carmen actually came with me when I got my daughter Ruby into Cappelliana, in fact we chose that school because Carmens daughter (who is probably about the same age as yours) is such a lovely girl, bright, confident, intelligent and lovely with it, that we felt the school must be doing something right!

Actually I'm due to see Carmen sometime next week to catch up on gossip etc. Maybe we can fix a date between us for when you're here and we can all meet up

Jo xxx


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## Tonis (Jul 23, 2010)

That would be great.
I spoke to her on Fri telling her when we hope to come out. Havn't booked flights yet as I needed to know if I have to have the 6yr old with me and how long this is likely to take.
It sounds as though it will be quicker with a gestoria. 
Do you think three clear days will be enough?


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## jojo (Sep 20, 2007)

Tonis said:


> That would be great.
> I spoke to her on Fri telling her when we hope to come out. Havn't booked flights yet as I needed to know if I have to have the 6yr old with me and how long this is likely to take.
> It sounds as though it will be quicker with a gestoria.
> Do you think three clear days will be enough?


Three days should be enough, but "this is Spain" and one should always expect the unexpected in Spain - thats what makes it such fun lol!!!! Seriously tho, I think you'll get what you need to get done and if you do everything in order of priority as best you can then, if you do miss something, its not the end of the world! It may be prudent to double check dates with Carmen, if she's not available or if she needs to arrange property viewings for you then she'll be the one to tell you when

Jo xxx


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## xabiaxica (Jun 23, 2009)

Tonis said:


> Isn't a 6 year old going to have trouble signing on for anything Xabiachica?
> Waiting in a queue with her is not going to be much fun either.
> The 15 year old will cope.


I know of a 5 year old who signed on the register herself...................

some places might permit the parents to do it for a child but afaik the child still has to be present

you do all need to be on the register though for the kids to get into school

the paperwork for the NIE & residents list is all on one form & done at once



you shouldn't of course actually sign on the resident's list until you're resident

the same goes for the padron

the actual NIE number might take a while to come through - but you can do the padron & schools before it does - you'll have your bit of resident's paper straight away


there is absolutely no need for you all to make a special trip for this - it can all be done when you actually move here!

a trip to find somewhere to live you can do alone.............................


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## jojo (Sep 20, 2007)

xabiachica said:


> I know of a 5 year old who signed on the register herself...................
> 
> some places might permit the parents to do it for a child but afaik the child still has to be present
> 
> ...


Now, thats totally different to my experience with any of it!!????? In fact niether of my kids have NIE numbers even now, nor are they on the register or padron 

However, maybe its changed or maybe its different areas 

jo xxx


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## xabiaxica (Jun 23, 2009)

jojo said:


> Now, thats totally different o my experience with any of it!!????? In fact niether of my kids have NIE numbers even now
> 
> However, maybe its changed or maybe its different areas
> 
> jo xxx



probably a bit of both

thing is, when you came over the changes were fairly recent, and probably hadn't been implemented everywhere

most places will have caught on by now I should think


it's totally different to when we came here too - but I have a lot of contact with 'newbies' so manage to keep up to date with what's happening now


when dd1 started at secondary school a lot of her friends who had been here a while didn't have NIE numbers - they had to get them before they could start - even though some of them had been in the school system for years


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## Tonis (Jul 23, 2010)

It is important to do it all at once as we want to get the older one into a local Spanish school.
As she is 15, 16 soon, and therefore above the statutory age for compulsory school we have to ask and see if they will take her. 
We can't sign up for school formally until we have somewhere to live ie a rental agreement. 
I don't want to sign up for accomodation if the school will not take her as that is a major reason for coming.
Are you familiar with Noddy stories?!
So... all in one trip.


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## xabiaxica (Jun 23, 2009)

Tonis said:


> It is important to do it all at once as we want to get the older one into a local Spanish school.
> As she is 15, 16 soon, and therefore above the statutory age for compulsory school we have to ask and see if they will take her.
> We can't sign up for school formally until we have somewhere to live ie a rental agreement.
> I don't want to sign up for accomodation if the school will not take her as that is a major reason for coming.
> ...


why don't you just get Carmen to ask at the ayuntamiento or e-mail or ask at the schools directly explaining the full situation - there might be staff there by now who can tell you


that way you could simply save yourself a completely wasted trip - you might have to pay Carmen for her time - but you were going to do that anyway


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## jojo (Sep 20, 2007)

xabiachica said:


> why don't you just get Carmen to ask at the ayuntamiento or e-mail or ask at the schools directly explaining the full situation - there might be staff there by now who can tell you
> 
> 
> that way you could simply save yourself a completely wasted trip - you might have to pay Carmen for her time - but you were going to do that anyway


When Carmen took me to the school to get Ruby in, she told me not to bother with the Ayuntamiento as going to the school directly would be more successful????? So we didnt ever go anywhere near the ayuntamiento!? 

Right, this is how it happened for us!! When I initially went to the school with Carmen (I cant even remember if Ruby came with us???? - I've just asked her and she said she didnt!!), we met the head and head of year, who made the decision to accept Ruby. The head of year (a charming little chap called Rapheal) then got various forms from the school secretary, gave them to me and I went home with them to fill them in. It was only when I returned a couple of days later that the secretary needed to see and photocopy the necessary paperwork - rental agreement, Rubys and my passports, and my NIE number (I've lost my residency certificate and they didnt ask for it)...... oh and two passport sized photos of Ruby and they wanted a copy of Rubys previous school report and details of her results, abilities etc!! That was that!! They then gave me the list of school books and she started the next day!

Jo xxxx


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## xabiaxica (Jun 23, 2009)

jojo said:


> When Carmen took me to the school to get Ruby in, she told me not to bother with the Ayuntamiento as going to the school directly would be more successful????? So we didnt ever go anywhere near the ayuntamiento!?
> 
> Right, this is how it happened for us!! When I initially went to the school with Carmen (I cant even remember if Ruby came with us???? - I've just asked her and she said she didnt!!), we met the head and head of year, who made the decision to accept Ruby. The head of year (a charming little chap called Rapheal) then got various forms from the school secretary, gave them to me and I went home with them to fill them in. It was only when I returned a couple of days later that the secretary needed to see and photocopy the necessary paperwork - rental agreement, Rubys and my passports, and my NIE number (I've lost my residency certificate and they didnt ask for it)...... oh and two passport sized photos of Ruby and they wanted a copy of Rubys previous school report and details of her results, abilities etc!! That was that!! They then gave me the list of school books and she started the next day!
> 
> Jo xxxx


which is more or less what happened when we put our 2 into school too - but I know that it doesn't happen like that here now..................though as we all know - this is Spain & what happens can depend on the day of the week & the mood of the person dealing with us!!

Toni's problem sounds easily solved then


get Carmen to go up the school & explain the situation - if they'll take the girl in then Toni can get on a plane to find somewhere to live - then all the legal paperwork stuff can be done when they all move here


if they won't - then they won't.........


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## Tonis (Jul 23, 2010)

If we do it on the 'go along and hope' system It will, as you say, be a matter of who we meet and how they feel. 
As E has been trying hard to learn her Spanish for the past four months and is a lovely girl (not that I am biased) I think that we may stand more chance if we are there too. 
Given that I feel that way, if we don't go and the school says 'no' I will feel that we should have done it the other way. (We will, naturally, be paying Carmen).
So the plan at present is come out 19th Sep, see school, then decide what next.
Keep your fingers crossed for us.


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