# Help



## Mum of 2 (Jun 10, 2014)

Hi everyone

I'm moving to CDS with my husband and two children aged 11 and 7 in July.
I keep getting cold feet worrying if I'm making the right decision for my children,I will be sending them to international school.
Is there any expats who could give me advice wether you regret it or not
We have all the work side covered it's just the kids I'm worried about is it the right decision for there future aaarrrgghh I'm doing my own head in lol


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## angil (Sep 24, 2012)

The one thing I have never regretted is providing my kids with such a varied and interesting upbringing outside of the UK. For one you don't realise what a huge impact the weather plays in your life until you live somewhere with predictable seasons! We have only been in Spain for 1 year. My daughter was 2 when we left the UK and my son was 3 months old. They are now 17 & 13. Mind you International Schools the world over are hitty missy at best, education wise! But as far as the students are concerned my 2 have always had a fab time at school, they have friends all over the world. Never encountered any bullying etc ever. Best of luck.


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## thrax (Nov 13, 2008)

There are quite a few international schools to choose from, many of them describing themselves as bi-lingual. There are not as many British students as there used to be. International schools used to teach GCSE to AQA or Edexcel exam board requirements but many are moving or have moved to Cambridge. It means that if you are here until your kids take their GCSE exams O and A level it means that they would have the necessary qualifications to return to University in UK if that is what they want. But by that time they will almost certainly be fluent in Spanish and Spanish universities are very good!


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## angil (Sep 24, 2012)

thrax said:


> There are quite a few international schools to choose from, many of them describing themselves as bi-lingual. There are not as many British students as there used to be. International schools used to teach GCSE to AQA or Edexcel exam board requirements but many are moving or have moved to Cambridge. It means that if you are here until your kids take their GCSE exams O and A level it means that they would have the necessary qualifications to return to University in UK if that is what they want. But by that time they will almost certainly be fluent in Spanish and Spanish universities are very good!



Cambridge is far more challenging. & my daughter's IGCSEs were without coursework (extra exams instead!), very much like the old O Level. There is a coursework option with Cambridge but it is recognised as a more difficult course / exam. I only know one in our area, the school my kids attend now!, that are moving to teach Cambridge only exams. Very ambitious!!!
I will be seeking out a school that offers Edexcel for my son! As we have found out no one is bothered what examination board they are from just whether you got a C or above!
As far as Spanish is concerned I will be amazed if my son can pass his IGCSE in it come 2016 never mind speak it fluently enough to go to Uni here! It depends on the child but more over on the teacher and the school in question. There are always private Spanish lessons as an option. My kids aren't interested so I haven't pushed it.


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## JPRocks (Jun 11, 2014)

I would not worry at all!!! Your kids will have a great head start in life. I find the culture here much safer than the UK. No hoodies and respect for elders... Also your kids will be bi lingual a superb start in life. Only wish my mum and dad had moved here...


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## Mum of 2 (Jun 10, 2014)

Thanks for the replies, and I think extra Spanish lessons is a great idea !
And yes a healthier and safer place to grow up ;-)


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## xabiaxica (Jun 23, 2009)

Mum of 2 said:


> Thanks for the replies, and I think extra Spanish lessons is a great idea !
> And yes a healthier and safer place to grow up ;-)


Healthier, yes. But why do you think it's safer?


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## Mum of 2 (Jun 10, 2014)

xabiachica said:


> Healthier, yes. But why do you think it's safer?


Lower crime rate ?


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## xabiaxica (Jun 23, 2009)

Mum of 2 said:


> Lower crime rate ?


not necesarily - it depends on where exactly you are, and what crime

Spain as a whole has many many more robberies per 100,000 people than the UK, but a slightly lower murder rate


these were the most recent figures I could find, & I'm willing to bet that robberies have increased somewhat since then 

http://www.civitas.org.uk/crime/crime_stats_oecdjan2012.pdf


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## xabiaxica (Jun 23, 2009)

Mum of 2 said:


> Hi everyone
> 
> I'm moving to CDS with my husband and two children aged 11 and 7 in July.
> I keep getting cold feet worrying if I'm making the right decision for my children,I will be sending them to international school.
> ...


anyway - back on topic

I'd probably try the children in Spanish state school myself - the 7 year old will be absolutely fine (mine were 5 & nearly 9 when they started in state school) 

the 11 year old will almost certainly not find it as easy, but plenty of children that age do settle in & succeed

if it doesn't work you can always change to International school after a term or so, at that age it wouldn't be too hard to catch up


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## Mum of 2 (Jun 10, 2014)

xabiachica said:


> anyway - back on topic
> 
> I'd probably try the children in Spanish state school myself - the 7 year old will be absolutely fine (mine were 5 & nearly 9 when they started in state school)
> 
> ...


My 7 year old daughter is very shy and feel she'd settle better in an international school and my 11 year old son is at high school in sept so I think going to a Spanish school would be very daunting,also if things didn't work out they won't have missed out in the curriculum ,I just want to make things easier for them to settle,I'm going to get them extra Spanish lessons also.

Are you and your children still enjoying spain,how long have you lived there ?


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## xabiaxica (Jun 23, 2009)

Mum of 2 said:


> My 7 year old daughter is very shy and feel she'd settle better in an international school and my 11 year old son is at high school in sept so I think going to a Spanish school would be very daunting,also if things didn't work out they won't have missed out in the curriculum ,I just want to make things easier for them to settle,I'm going to get them extra Spanish lessons also.
> 
> Are you and your children still enjoying spain,how long have you lived there ?


we've been here just over 10.5 years now - we all have our feet very firmly planted 

some of the teachers at school have told me that my elder daughter - now 18  - is more Spanish & _Jáviensa _than most of the kids born here! There's just nothing English about her - except the blonde hair & blue eyes  

oddly, though my younger daughter (15 in a couple of weeks) is more Spanish than English, she still retains a little bit more 'Englishness' - yet she was only 3 the last time we really lived there!


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