# More info please



## emma wilson75 (May 27, 2011)

Hi all have just joined this forum and think it's wounderfull 

Me and my hubby have been thinking for years of a life in spain Alicante area along with our 3 sons now aged 7, 8 1/2 &14, Our main worry is like most, work and schools, we have given ourselfs 2 yrs to put a plan of action together, as we want our eldest to finish his GCSE's 1st, then putting our 2nd son at 11 and youngest being nearly 10. 
Just woudering what options my eldest son would have for schooling at 16 ??
many thanks in advance x x
emma x


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## jojo (Sep 20, 2007)

emma wilson75 said:


> Hi all have just joined this forum and think it's wounderfull
> 
> Me and my hubby have been thinking for years of a life in spain Alicante area along with our 3 sons now aged 7, 8 1/2 &14, Our main worry is like most, work and schools, we have given ourselfs 2 yrs to put a plan of action together, as we want our eldest to finish his GCSE's 1st, then putting our 2nd son at 11 and youngest being nearly 10.
> Just woudering what options my eldest son would have for schooling at 16 ??
> ...



At 16 your son would really need to go into an international school with a sixth form where he could do A-levels, unfortunately this would cost. Your other two maybe ok going into a state school, but would need to learn spanish and then follow the Spanish curriculum. the younger the better and by 11 it maybe quite tough, but not impossible???


Make sure in the meantime you come over and do a few fact finding missions and get a feel for how things are here and where you want to be, schools, areas etc

Jo xxx


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## xabiaxica (Jun 23, 2009)

jojo said:


> At 16 your son would really need to go into an international school with a sixth form where he could do A-levels, unfortunately this would cost. Your other two maybe ok going into a state school, but would need to learn spanish and then follow the Spanish curriculum. the younger the better and by 11 it maybe quite tough, but not impossible???
> 
> 
> Make sure in the meantime you come over and do a few fact finding missions and get a feel for how things are here and where you want to be, schools, areas etc
> ...


ditto

& fingers crossed the economy will have improved in a couple of years so the other hurdle - work - will be easier to come by

almost everyone (non spanish) that I know who is doing well here has an income from a business or job outside spain

I don't know what you & your OH do emma - but maybe during the two planning years you could look at establishing something that way?


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## emma wilson75 (May 27, 2011)

Thankyou, my hubby has a small vending machine buisness over here, and i work at Tesco p/t !!! we are all learnig spanish now, and in September my son is doing GCSE IN SPANISH, we have been over 3 times so far this year and like the area Altea and La Villajoyosa, we have a few freinds who live in Alicante who have there own buisnesses well established for over 15 years but neither have children, so its vital we get all the info we need regarding our childrens education. x x


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## jojo (Sep 20, 2007)

The 9yr old may be ok in a spanish school, the 11 yo maybe ok as well, altho at that age, learning spanish well enough to learn other subjects as well maybe a bit of a challenge, but it can be done. The 16 yo wont be able to get any real qualification benefit from a Spanish school and by law they dont have to take him as he's over 16. An international school will be able to put him through A-levels and follow and english curriculum, the costs vary, In my area, it would be around 800-900€ a term?????? 

You need to come and take a look and to find other British parents in your chosen area and ask which schools are good, what their opinions are etc?????

Jo xxx


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## xabiaxica (Jun 23, 2009)

emma wilson75 said:


> Thankyou, my hubby has a small vending machine buisness over here, and i work at Tesco p/t !!! we are all learnig spanish now, and in September my son is doing GCSE IN SPANISH, we have been over 3 times so far this year and like the area Altea and La Villajoyosa, we have a few freinds who live in Alicante who have there own buisnesses well established for over 15 years but neither have children, so its vital we get all the info we need regarding our childrens education. x x


I actually teach GCSE Spanish - I'm afraid even with an A* grade at GCSE, or even at A level - your son's Spanish would be far from the native level required to study another subject -& certainly not at bachillerato level. If you want him to do further education you really would have to pay for him to go to a British/International school for A levels.

the other 2 younger children would probably be OK though


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## emma wilson75 (May 27, 2011)

Thanks again for the info, greatly appreciated, i realy do feel that my eldest will struggle with A levels over here in the uk let alone in Spain !! bless him as he is'nt a gifted child academic wise :-(
So we realy do have an auful lot of thinking to do and maybe this may just be a dream for us !!! and not a reality !!! x


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## jojo (Sep 20, 2007)

emma wilson75 said:


> Thanks again for the info, greatly appreciated, i realy do feel that my eldest will struggle with A levels over here in the uk let alone in Spain !! bless him as he is'nt a gifted child academic wise :-(
> So we realy do have an auful lot of thinking to do and maybe this may just be a dream for us !!! and not a reality !!! x


Hold on! International schools, in some ways are better than the UK. The class sizes are much smaller, they get more "one to one" attention, its not only academic subjects and the ambiance is totally different (sort of like a private school in the UK ish??!!), so dont necessarily write it off. Come over and see a couple, have a look round. The only issue maybe the money - but, I would rate your little Einsteins chances higher at school here than there - however, it depends on him, how he feels and what he wants! Teenage boys arent the easiest creatures to please - I know, I have one lol!!!!

Jo xxx


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## xabiaxica (Jun 23, 2009)

jojo said:


> Hold on! International schools, in some ways are better than the UK. The class sizes are much smaller, they get more "one to one" attention, its not only academic subjects and the ambiance is totally different (sort of like a private school in the UK ish??!!), so dont necessarily write it off. Come over and see a couple, have a look round. The only issue maybe the money - but, I would rate your little Einsteins chances higher at school here than there - however, it depends on him, how he feels and what he wants! Teenage boys arent the easiest creatures to please - I know, I have one lol!!!!
> 
> Jo xxx


you have a point - yes, they do tend to have smaller class sizes, so yes, that can for sure help

you do have to pick the school_ very carefully_ though

you'd never ask to see teacher's qualificatons in the UK for example, but knowing what I now know, I would here

jojo - are teenage boys easier than girls or harder?

if they're easier, do you want a swap - after all - you have more experience with teen girs than I do!!


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## jojo (Sep 20, 2007)

xabiachica said:


> you have a point - yes, they do tend to have smaller class sizes, so yes, that can for sure help
> 
> you do have to pick the school_ very carefully_ though
> 
> ...



Easier!!! Well, they're lazy and grumpy and only answer in grunts, but girls????? EEEEKKKKK, they're just plain difficult and........ well, we were all teenage girls once werent we - we know!!!! 

Its best to look at international schools on this list Welcome to Nabss | Nabss

Jo xxxx


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## emma wilson75 (May 27, 2011)

jojo said:


> Hold on! International schools, in some ways are better than the UK. The class sizes are much smaller, they get more "one to one" attention, its not only academic subjects and the ambiance is totally different (sort of like a private school in the UK ish??!!), so dont necessarily write it off. Come over and see a couple, have a look round. The only issue maybe the money - but, I would rate your little Einsteins chances higher at school here than there - however, it depends on him, how he feels and what he wants! Teenage boys arent the easiest creatures to please - I know, I have one lol!!!!
> 
> Jo xxx


Yes money would be an issue, ??? the plan was when he leaves school over here in uk 2013, he would go to college to do catering, however with us wanting a life over in Spain we felt that it would be more important him finishing his GCSEs 1st then move out, or the only option would be wait till the kids have all finished ther english education which would be would be 9 yrs away !!!! not what we want at all  wish it would be a lot easier to sort out !! x x


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## jojo (Sep 20, 2007)

emma wilson75 said:


> Yes money would be an issue, ??? the plan was when he leaves school over here in uk 2013, he would go to college to do catering, however with us wanting a life over in Spain we felt that it would be more important him finishing his GCSEs 1st then move out, or the only option would be wait till the kids have all finished ther english education which would be would be 9 yrs away !!!! not what we want at all  wish it would be a lot easier to sort out !! x x


When he's finished his GCSEs could he live with a relative in the UK?? Gran? Aunt? and attend catering college???? and then come over when he has holidays???? and put your younger two into state school in Spain??? Hhhhmmmm, could I do that??? My son is 16, doing his GCSEs at an international school here and then wants to go to college in the UK! what to do??!!???:juggle:

Jo xxxx


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## emma wilson75 (May 27, 2011)

We dont have any other family memebers over here in the uk, me and my hubby have lost our Mum's and hubby has lost his father, Also I couldnt leave him, even tho he would be 15 hes still my baby ha ha ha.
Is there no other options for him at all apart from a private/international school ??


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## jojo (Sep 20, 2007)

emma wilson75 said:


> We dont have any other family memebers over here in the uk, me and my hubby have lost our Mum's and hubby has lost his father, Also I couldnt leave him, even tho he would be 15 hes still my baby ha ha ha.
> Is there no other options for him at all apart from a private/international school ??



I fully understand what you're saying. Not sure I could let my "baby boy" live in a different country - hence we have some soul searching to do, but thats another story!! 

The only other choice for you is that he comes with you and tries to find work. That wont be easy and there is no unemployment benefits, but he could come over and look, things maybe a bit easier in a couple of years???????. He could offer to work for nothing in a restaurant as sort of an apprentice????? maybe???

I dont know about vocational colleges in Spain, my friends daughter (who was totally fluent) was thinking of going to one to study hairdressing, but it was going to cost them a fair amount, so they all ended up going back to the UK

Jo xxx


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## gus-lopez (Jan 4, 2010)

jojo said:


> I fully understand what you're saying. Not sure I could let my "baby boy" live in a different country - hence we have some soul searching to do, but thats another story!!
> 
> The only other choice for you is that he comes with you and tries to find work. That wont be easy and there is no unemployment benefits, but he could come over and look, things maybe a bit easier in a couple of years???????. He could offer to work for nothing in a restaurant as sort of an apprentice????? maybe???
> 
> ...


The fiancée of my neighbours son needs to work on a full contract for 12 months to obtain permanent residency . She can't get a job even though they are willing to pay all the employers costs themselves & have it all written into the contract!!


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