# schools - private or public



## Tracy Halstvedt (Aug 14, 2008)

hi there
looking for any advice on schooling for my kids, we plan to move over to the Murcia area this year. My kids are 5 and 9 they do not speak spanish and I was wondering if anyone had advice or expierience of both public or private schooling for kids around this age. We do not know if it would be cruel to put them to public school not knowing the language? 

all advice and expieriences welcome.

Thanks Tracy


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## SunnySpain (Jul 30, 2008)

Hi Tracey,

I once dated a young lady from Twechar - 

As with regards to your question, absolutely no idea whatsoever - lol


Regards, Dave


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## rjnpenang (Feb 20, 2008)

Hi Tracy,
Firstly, ALL schools are cruel places the first few weeks!, secondly, your kids are at a good age to learn another language, IF they go to a Spanish speaking school!, the 5 y.o will be speaking Spanish within a few months, the 9 year old they will put in a lower age group until he speaks Spanish. What a lot of people don´t realise is that YOU (or a private tutor) will have to teach them to read & write English!, I have met young English people raised in Spain who could not read/write English.
We put our 2 kids though a private Spanish school, much better discipline/tutoring, uniforms etc. than a state school, and not expensive, for some reason subsidised by the goverment. (the school bus dropped them outside our business)
I have no experience of, but I know some of the international private colleges here on the Costa del Sol are excelent, students off to the LSE, Imperial, Oxbridge etc. but, international colleges are EXPENSIVE!, I know you will get plenty of advice on this site. Good Luck, Regards Robert


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## Pasanada (Feb 5, 2008)

Hi Tracy,

Where in Murcia will you be moving to? I know of an international school but distance may be an issue if you live some distance away!


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## Tracy Halstvedt (Aug 14, 2008)

*no way*



SunnySpain said:


> Hi Tracey,
> 
> I once dated a young lady from Twechar -
> 
> ...


must tell me her name bet i know her or of her.


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## Pasanada (Feb 5, 2008)

Tracy,

There are 2 international schools, I hadn't realised that El Limonar was open yet (it already has a school in the Alicante Province)

Anyway, links to the 2 international schools that I know of and know that both have good reputations:

El Limonar International School - A private fee-paying bilingual school in Murcia and Alicante (Spain) - Colegio bilingüe privado en Murcia y Alicante.

King's College, The British School of Murcia

Good luck and let us know how you get on.


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## Tracy Halstvedt (Aug 14, 2008)

*Thanks*

Thanks for help guys.

Cheers Tracy


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## Pasanada (Feb 5, 2008)

You're most welcome.


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## Tracy Halstvedt (Aug 14, 2008)

Pasanada said:


> Hi Tracy,
> 
> Where in Murcia will you be moving to? I know of an international school but distance may be an issue if you live some distance away!



Not really sure as yet husband is a teacher so where he gets a job will be a big factor on where we choose to live.


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## rjnpenang (Feb 20, 2008)

Haltstvedt?, that´s a good Scottish name!. marriage or Norwegian?.


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## Tracy Halstvedt (Aug 14, 2008)

*Married a Norwegian*



rjnpenang said:


> Haltstvedt?, that´s a good Scottish name!. marriage or Norwegian?.


Husband Norwegian, well half Norwegian that is!


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## Tracy Halstvedt (Aug 14, 2008)

Just watched one of these 'Place in the Sun' programmes on Costa Calida it looks amazing (to die for!!!) Can't wait to move how lucky are all you guys? over there in the sun!! I am sure it has been raining here for forty days and forty nights now. Oh well hopefuly wont be too long till we have place in the sun too. 

Cheers Tracy


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## Pasanada (Feb 5, 2008)

Tracy Halstvedt said:


> Just watched one of these 'Place in the Sun' programmes on Costa Calida it looks amazing (to die for!!!) Can't wait to move how lucky are all you guys? over there in the sun!! I am sure it has been raining here for forty days and forty nights now. Oh well hopefuly wont be too long till we have place in the sun too.
> 
> Cheers Tracy


Yes, the sunshine is wonderful, but life still goes on, bills still have to be paid....same worries as back in the Motherland, just a different country.

Good luck!


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## chris(madrid) (Mar 23, 2008)

rjnpenang said:


> We put our 2 kids though a private Spanish school, much better discipline/tutoring, uniforms etc. than a state school, and not expensive, for some reason subsidised by the goverment.


There are two types of PRIVATE school here - One is subsidised (don't ask me why/how) others are not. The subsidised ones get rigorously controlled to ensure they meet state curriculum etc

I have a contact teaching in a 100% private school. Her response is that discipline is VERY hard to achieve. The minute one parent disagrees with his BRAT being disciplined - they pull them out and normally other parents do too. So they don't get disciplined as the school cant afford to lose their business. From what I hear from her (and her colleagues) the rich kids get away with murder. 

One option btw is Swedish schools - they receive Swedish state support I'm told.


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## Tracy Halstvedt (Aug 14, 2008)

Thanks Chris I will look into the different options we have and get as much feed back and opinion as possible before we move.

Cheers Tracy


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