# Family exploring option to move to Madrid



## mich&wiet (Apr 20, 2014)

Hi Everyone!


we are a youngish family with a 2 and a half year old toddler, considering moving to Madrid. The IT company I work for in the UK has an opening in Madrid, and the pay is pretty good. I speak spanish, having lived in South America for 10 years, but my wife would have to learn. But that will probably not be an issue, as she has already done a beginners course she really enjoyed.

I would like to seek the general advice from the forum members please, to get a 'feel' for what we would be letting ourselves in for?

I know the unemployment rate is quite high in Spain, and there is (probably) plenty of competition for any jobs. So for a person who can land a 'secure', long term position, would you recommend the move?


The bits that we are worried about are these:



What would be your view about how easy it is to integrate into Spanish society, and to make new aqaintances? My wife is worried about becoming isolated until she has learned the language properly? I'm not worried myself, as I speak the language and I won't have any issues amolding to the Spanish way of living, after having lived in SA for so long.

Our son is only 2.5 years old at the moment, so he's still got plenty of time, but we were wondering whether schooling is up to standards of other European countries, how easy it is to find a nursery, and so on?

My wife also speaks Dutch apart from English. Do you think this could be an advantage when looking for a job?

Any other advise you can offer for potential newcomers?


I really appreciate your time and the effort going into the replies.


Many thanks,


Michel


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## brocher (Mar 21, 2011)

Hi Michel

I know the unemployment rate is VERY high in Spain, and there is hugecompetition for any jobs. So for a person who can land a 'secure', long term position, would you recommend the move?

If the postion is secure and you can afford to live on one salary it may be worth a go! While knowing nothing of your wife's skills and work experience, it will probably be very difficult, if not impossible for her to get a job.


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## Justina (Jan 25, 2013)

Hi Michel,
I don't really see a problem for your wife. Changing countries does mean a bit of stress at any age, but you have the security of a good job which should mean that your wife doesn't have the anxiety of rushing to find a job.
I would look for an area with young families around or a variety of foreigners cos people do tend to be more open when they are from different places. I am sure that Pesky Wesky will be along soon to give you a better idea of which areas to look at when hunting for a place to stay.
A lot of interaction in Spain takes place in the bars which abound where it is the norm for the kids to be running or toddling around while the parents meet up over a beer or whatever. I find it quite charming although I run a mile from the plazas with too many kids, but then I am older, been there, done that, etc.
Generally, I find Spain much more friendly than England and since your wife has already changed countries, assuming she is Dutch, then there's no reason for her not to be happy here.
There are a lot of community centres around although will be closed from June until nearer October but she should be able to find activities that will help her Spanish and help her to integrate.
Kids go down well here and people will be chattering to your child in the street and the supermarket.
Good luck.


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## mich&wiet (Apr 20, 2014)

Hi Justina and Brocher, 


many thanks for your replies. I really appreciate the insights! Could any of you recommend a book that I should read before making my decision? I know there's probably a LOT of important minor details that I am not aware about, so I want to explore as much as possible before making the final call.

I suspect that once I take off the rose tinted glasses, there's probably a lot of day-to-day stuff that needs to be considered. So if there is any guide or books you can recommend, I would be very grateful. 


Kindest regards,


Michel


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## jojo (Sep 20, 2007)

mich&wiet said:


> Hi Justina and Brocher,
> 
> 
> many thanks for your replies. I really appreciate the insights! Could any of you recommend a book that I should read before making my decision? I know there's probably a LOT of important minor details that I am not aware about, so I want to explore as much as possible before making the final call.
> ...


The trouble with books on the subject of moving to Spain is that the rules and regs change so rapidly and arent always taken by all areas, so you dont always get an accurate picture or advice.

I would recommend you have a good look thru the posts and threads on here and then ask any questions.

Jo xxx


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## Justina (Jan 25, 2013)

The only writer that springs to mind at the moment is Giles Tremlett, cos he does have quite alot to say about Madrid. Ghosts of Spain, is the one I seem to remember. As Jojo says things change, so google in life in Spain today and see what appears. Your company's HR will send you in the right direction for the Social Security system and you will soon find your local clinic once you have a place to stay.
Cheers.


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## mich&wiet (Apr 20, 2014)

Thank you again for the responses. I really appreciate it. I saw the book you mentioned on Amazon and I am planning to get a copy. Hasta Pronto!


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## Horlics (Sep 27, 2011)

I don't see a reason why you shouldn't do it!

Kids adapt and yours will fit in in no time
Your child will help you and your wife meet people and integrate (kids' clubs, etc.)
You can get a job with pay and presumably other T&Cs you need
If your wife's dutch she'll probably do what dutch people do - speak the language very soon and better than some of the native speakers
Madrid's OK (apologies to those here who live there!)

Go.


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## Chopera (Apr 22, 2013)

I've been working in IT im Madrid for 10 years - although I'm married to a Spaniard which makes certain things easier (and other things more difficult ;-) ) and we have a 1 year old daughter and a 4 year old son, so I can give a fair bit of advice - so please keep asking questions...

Regarding your wife settling in - yes it can be difficult - I found it difficult when I first got here. An easy option (that pays) is to do a TEFL course and teach English. Pesky Wesky knows more about this than me - but generally you can pick up (low paid) work in academies in September and that should help when it comes to meeting people. Another option is doing an intensive Spanish course during the mornings (they can last up to a year - but I wouldn't recommend more than a month or two to begin with). Also many nurseries look for English speakers to spend an hour with the kids each day giving them some exposure to English. Of course there are also various expat groups and clubs although I never got round to trying any of them. Perhaps more than anything the correct mindset helps - such as taking an interest in everything that's different and unusual about Spain rather than complaining about it (although we all do that from time to time) - although Madrid itself is becoming a bit too much like any other modern city, scratch the surface and explore the surrounding areas, and you'll find plenty of culture and history far removed from northern Europe.

Regarding your child's education - there are plenty of British nurseries dotted around (mainly the north of) Madrid so they could be an option. Our eldest goes to a Spanish semi-state school and we are happy so far. I think education in Madrid is generally good up until secondary school at least but, as ever, you need to choose what works for you and your kid. In general I think the life our kids have here is better than what we could offer them in the UK: the outdoors life, the emphasis on social relationships, the amount of activities on offer at very reasonable prices, and of course the fact that they are/will be bilingual (we are now even introducing Chinese as a third language). I grew up in a small village in England and the opportunities my kids have just doesn't compare to what I had.

Also if you're on decent money and your wife can find work, you'll soon realise you can afford rather nice accommodation in Madrid - at least an outdoor pool with a gym in a central area.


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## damnit (Jul 11, 2013)

Hi guys,

I may shed some light here, since I am spanish and I am from Madrid (so sorry if I make any mistakes, my english is not proficient). Take this advice: if the salary is good, take the job. Madrid is one of the most amazing cities in Europe, people is warm, and your wife won't struggle to make new friends or acquaitances. But first, tell her to learn a bit of spanish, that will make a big step, trust me. As you pointed out, unemployment rates now are quite high, but I don't thing she'll have any problems in finding a part-time job teaching english or something like that. 

And please, don't do what lots of foreigners do (specially british, no disrespect!), blend in, get to know our culture, our people, and you will find yourselves enjoying Spain at its most!

Any questions feel free to ask please, I'm glad to help.


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## Pesky Wesky (May 10, 2009)

mich&wiet said:


> Hi Everyone!
> 
> 
> we are a youngish family with a 2 and a half year old toddler, considering moving to Madrid. The IT company I work for in the UK has an opening in Madrid, and the pay is pretty good. I speak spanish, having lived in South America for 10 years, but my wife would have to learn. But that will probably not be an issue, as she has already done a beginners course she really enjoyed.
> ...


Hi,
I was on the forum yesterday, but not feeling very good so I didn't post here. (My first cold in perhaps 10 years!)
First as I expect you know coming from a multilingual background your child will have no problems adjusting to the language.
Your wife being Dutch I presume ,as others have said, will have little problem picking up the lingo either. However, I think she might have difficulties finding work in the beginning if she's looking for office work of some type as Spanish is almost always required. I actually work in a small bank that has its headquarters in Holland, but there are no Dutch speakers on a staff of 200. Over the road there is ING bank (this is in Las Rozas) which is huge here, but I doubt there are employees that don't speak Spanish. There is the possibility of training to be a TEFL teacher which could be for adults or children, but of course only if she's interested in teaching! Also this is not usually very compatible with having childen as most of the teaching (for both adults and children) is when the kids are not in school so you end up not seeing your own chidren. Look here for more info.
http://www.expatforum.com/expats/sp...ving-spain/358465-teaching-english-spain.html
Search teaching english on the forum and you'll find numerous threads.
As for intergrating, your greatest tool is your two and a half year old without doubt. The sooner you get used to the Spanish timetable which is very different to the British and extremely different to the Dutch, the better as you will coincide with other families in parks and at the pool in the summer. The pool is very important in Spanish young kids social life so be prepared to do major hanging out there if you want to make contacts and if you end up living in a place with a leafy plaza nearby beeline for there at key times too.
My daughter went to a state run escuela infantil cooperative and it was excellent. Most kids go to school from aged 3, well preschool. Although schooling is not obligatory until 6, I don't know anybody who started at that age. I found schools here very different to British schools, and as can be expected some differences were good and others not so. However, my daughter is now at university and basically if your child is "normal" and has support from home there's no reason why s/he can't succeed. A few pointers though -


Don't wait for the school to get in touch with you, You have to anticipate all the time. For example if your child is not doing well you might not find out until s/he's taken an exam and come home with a fail. OK your child is too young for that scenario, but you might not find out that s/he's having problems sharing toys until the end of the Christmas term.
There's a more traditional approach to learning. Little art and crafts going on.
Be aware of the school's timetable which can be very different to other countries and may cause problems for working parents.
If you search for Madrid, Madrid with kids/ children, living in Madrid you'll find other threads too


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## mich&wiet (Apr 20, 2014)

Hi There,


just wanted to thank you all again for those new posts. They've been extremely helpful and, above all, encouraging! 

If I may be so cheeky and append another 2 questions to this thread?

1 - Do companies in Madrid generally adhere to the 'Siesta' policy?
2 - What is the traffic like in the morning? We want to see whether its worth moving into a suburb instead of renting in the centre of Madrid. But if the traffic is a nightmare, it may not make sense?


Kind regards,


Michel


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## Chopera (Apr 22, 2013)

The siesta went out the window in Madrid years ago (although there may be a few companies that still have long lunch breaks). Some companies such as banks have a summer timetable where you work from say 8am to 3pm with a 20 min break during the summer months.

Madrid has a long hours culture in general - typically people arrive at work between 9 and 9.30 am, and leave between 7 and 8pm. In between they'll have a half hour coffee break and at least an hour lunch break along with a few other breaks as well. This can be incredibly frustrating if you are used to working in the UK where people tend to come into work, get their work done, and go home as early as possible. What's happened in Madrid is that before people had the 3 hour siesta in the middle of the day which accounted for the longer working day. Now they have dropped the siesta but kept the long hours. The result is that people work at a slower place, take extra breaks and generally drag the day out to make up the hours (such as posting on forums ;-) ). Having said that, I know a few people who are beginning to rebel against this and insist on working more productively and leaving early.

Also IT in particular is notorious for long hours - often due to management trying to cut corners and not scoping out projects properly. You need to check with your company what the hours are like in the Madrid office, as it can vary a lot between companies.

Traffic in Madrid is bad, although it has improved with the crisis (fewer people going to work, more people using public transport) and you may find parking in the centre to be expensive. However the public transport is very good, with an extensive metro and cercanias (commuter trains) and plenty of buses. All for only €55/month in zone A. You should easily be able to find somewhere outside of the centre that still has excellent public transport links to wherever you work.

If you tell me which area the office is and which areas you are looking at living in I might be able to suggest a few options.


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## damnit (Jul 11, 2013)

mich&wiet said:


> Hi There,
> 
> 
> just wanted to thank you all again for those new posts. They've been extremely helpful and, above all, encouraging!
> ...


1.- God, no! some companies may give you 1-2 hours for lunch, but that's all. As Chopera just said, we work long hours... without siesta! unless you have a long lunch break and you want to go home, on your own!
2.- The traffic in the very centre, within the M-30 ring is a living hell in the morning. But nothing stops you to use the public transport (Metro de Madrid works awesome) or buy a motorbike, I've been moving around the city in a motorbike for long years!

From a foreigner living in madrid perspective, I would definitely rent something within the M-30 ring, if your budget allows you to do so. Just give us an idea and probably we can give you some advice on where to look...


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## Pesky Wesky (May 10, 2009)

mich&wiet said:


> Hi There,
> 
> 
> just wanted to thank you all again for those new posts. They've been extremely helpful and, above all, encouraging!
> ...


PS You are extremely lucky to be offered a good salary in a Spanish office nowadays so this could be a great opportunity for you and your family


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## Pesky Wesky (May 10, 2009)

damnit said:


> And please, don't do what lots of foreigners do (specially british, no disrespect!), blend in, get to know our culture, our people, and you will find yourselves enjoying Spain at its most!


Really?
I think the British and American people that I've met in Madrid are the ones who most enjoy Spain and its culture. They tend to be people who spend a long time here and have Spanish partners.


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## Pesky Wesky (May 10, 2009)

> > [=Horlics;3754074
> > Madrid's OK (apologies to those here who live there!)
> 
> 
> Remember Madrid's not just a city


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## Horlics (Sep 27, 2011)

I worked for a global IT consultancy and visited the Madrid office quite often. I was offered the chance to be based there but turned it down for this one reason. I just can't see the point in allowing work to occupy so much of your time, whilst getting no more done.

That said, some of my colleagues would never want to give that kind of day up.



Chopera said:


> typically people arrive at work between 9 and 9.30 am, and leave between 7 and 8pm.


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## Chopera (Apr 22, 2013)

To add to what others have said - downtown Madrid does have a pollution problem (especially if it hasn't rained for a few months) and many young children need inhalers to help clear their lungs. It's a very good reason to live a bit further out - indeed we would have done so if we had known of the problem when we bought our flat near the centre.

Young kids in Spain have siestas and that means they stay up later - so even if you don't get home until 8.30 you still get to see them and in summer there's still plenty of daylight left to go out with them, find a terraza and have a beer while they play with all the other kids that will inevitably be around.

Also most companies I know let people leave at 3pm on Fridays - so you get some of those hours back anyway.


Well it's gone 7pm now and I'm off home...


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## Pesky Wesky (May 10, 2009)

Chopera said:


> To add to what others have said - downtown Madrid does have a pollution problem (especially if it hasn't rained for a few months) and many young children need inhalers to help clear their lungs. It's a very good reason to live a bit further out - indeed we would have done so if we had known of the problem when we bought our flat near the centre.
> 
> Young kids in Spain have siestas and that means they stay up later - so even if you don't get home until 8.30 you still get to see them and in summer there's still plenty of daylight left to go out with them, find a terraza and have a beer while they play with all the other kids that will inevitably be around.
> 
> ...


Enjoy your evening Chopera 
Last night I went to bed at 10:30 'cos I've got this cold...
Woke up at 4:00am:doh:!


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## xabiaxica (Jun 23, 2009)

Pesky Wesky said:


> Enjoy your evening Chopera
> Last night I went to bed at 10:30 'cos I've got this cold...
> Woke up at 4:00am:doh:!


I went to bed about that time

at just after 8am my daughter was shaking me awake!!


Mum - you have to get to work!!

somehow she totally missed it last night when I said I had cancelled......


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## mich&wiet (Apr 20, 2014)

Well, well, well.... 

This is turning into a VERY interesting and informative thread!! 

Let me just say THANK YOU again for all the incredibly helpful answers. I'm blown away with how responsive you all are! 

As for the location of work, here goes. The office is based in 28046 Madrid. Quite close to the train station. So it seems to be linked up very well.

In regards to what living location we would be looking at, that is completely open to suggestions at the moment! We really have no idea, and have only just started looking at what kind of housing options are available. Ideally, we would like to rent a house with a garden and a garage. 

Are the expats scattered all over the area, or do people prefer one area over the other? I have no clue!


Kind regards,


Michel


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## Pesky Wesky (May 10, 2009)

mich&wiet said:


> Well, well, well....
> 
> This is turning into a VERY interesting and informative thread!!
> 
> ...


I think we immigrants are all over the place.
I'm in the north west. You can look at Las Rozas, Mahadahonda, Torrelodones, Galapagar, La Navata, El Escorial, basically along the A6 motorway. There are a variety of high and low prices there and they all have train stations. To get to Chamartin station you can also be in the Alcobendas San Sebastian area, but I don't find it as attractive as where I am.


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## Chopera (Apr 22, 2013)

Yes if you're near Chamartin you have all the northwest corridor to choose from - you could even live in Cercedilla right up in the pine-clad mountains and not far from a ski-station (if you don't mind an hour long commute and it being rather snowy in winter).

Leafy and posh Pozuelo could be an option as well - although it's more expensive.

Mirasierra is closer to Madrid and also has nice houses.

Peñegrande also has houses but is not quite so expensive.

You have to trade off the fact that the greener areas with houses tend to have less going on.

I recommend getting a house or flat that is in an urbanisation with a shared pool - it'll help you meet people and make contacts.

To be honest I've lost touch with other expats now, and I don't really have the time to adventure further than the local area when it comes to going out. There are expat football and rugby clubs you can try, and a Madrid Expats Facebook page that I have never used, but seems to be quite popular.


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## mich&wiet (Apr 20, 2014)

Hi there,

Wieteke speaking (the wife of)! Thank you for the replies.

What I would like to know is whether there are any care jobs in Madrid. I work in (domiciliar) care in the UK now and I love the job. 

I must say that I already did a home course Spanish for a year, but it needs some dusting off. I will start looking for a private tutor over here. I don't like to go to a class because that's fairly slow and I am a quick learner. 

Although I am still a bit scared of the idea to move country again, I do have faith that it will be fine. I don't expect to get any type of work in the beginning, but I do like to socialise and make an effort to blend in with the Spanish. It will be a bit lonely in the beginning. Though I managed in the UK quite well, so it shouldn't be a problem in Spain I suppose.

Thanks a lot


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## Chopera (Apr 22, 2013)

A good option to meet Spaniards is language exchanges where they correct your Spanish and you correct their English. You often find them in the Irish pubs.

Not sure about care work - the language difference might be a barrier. The nearest I can think of is working in nursery schools - there is a big demand in Spanish nurseries for Engliah speakers to spend maybe an hour a day with young children (age 1 to 3 usually). If you want to send your kid to a nursery you might be able to come to some arrangement with one.


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## mich&wiet (Apr 20, 2014)

Chopera, would I need any official certificates for that? That sounds quite good, because I would like our son to go to nursery as soon as possible for two days a week. 

Maybe I should look at the care jobs in a later stadium. Sounds fair. The clients I have here I can barely understand sometimes, due to accents or lack of teeth . I can imagine it would be even more difficult in Spanish LOL


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## Justina (Jan 25, 2013)

As to understanding your clients, it can work both ways. I have a friend in London who has carer(s) who visit her a couple of times a week and at times she has trouble understanding them. However, finds it all amusing.


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## Chopera (Apr 22, 2013)

I can't answer regarding certificates - but I expect you might not need one provided there is a qualified person in the room with you. I guess it depends on the numbers as well. I'm pretty sure some of the "English teachers" at the nurseries my son went to didn't have certificates (they didn't have much English either!)

By the way, there are various types of nurseries in Spain:

Escuelas Infantiles - these actually try to teach and develop the children rather than just being places to drop the kids off. You register your child for the academic year and they cost between €300 and €400/month for a full day, 5 days a week. You can also do half days with them, but they don't really offer arrangements where the child only attends a couple of days a week since they are trying to follow some kind of educational project. Of course you are not obliged to send your kid there every day, and you'll probably notice that the prices are so low compared to the UK that it might be worth paying for 5 mornings a week and only sending him there when you want to. These are the places that tend to be on the look out for English speakers. I think many take children from the age 1 to 3, but some continue to age 6.

Guardarías - these are places that look after children but don't run any long term educational project. To confuse things, many Escuelas Infantiles also refer to themselves as Guardarias.

Ludotecas - these are actually soft play centres, with ball pits, climbing frames, toys, etc, but many run some kind of arrangement where you can leave your kid there for a few hours each day and many will follow some kind of educational project. They often run separate classes like "theatre in English", "music in English", etc.

Also you may be surprised to know that if your child is 3 this year then he would be entitled (but not obliged) to attend state run/funded infant primary schools, which don't cost very much at all (you pay for meals, maybe uniforms, and maybe a small monthly fee on top). In fact most kids start school in the year they are 3 in Spain, although some start when they are older. So don't worry if you suddenly see kids the same age as yours attending school - yours doesn't have to do the same until he is 6, and there should be other options available anyway. But it's worth checking what's available locally before deciding on where to live.


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## Ishtak (Aug 18, 2014)

I'm making the move over to Madrid on the 4th October from South Africa. This thread has been fascinating to read through! 

The company I'll be working for (Amadeus IT) is in 28027 Madrid so the living options presented here have given me lots to think about! The company is paying for an apartment for a month for me when I first get there which is pretty close to the office (4 kms) but I'm wondering if it will be better to stay further out and commute when my daughter and wife come over in December. I am still deciding whether she needs to go to an International school or not (she will be 11 in October) and I guess that decision will influence where we decide to stay as I prefer her to be close to her school. 

My wife will also be thinking about what to do work wise, although there may be a possibility of a transfer to Madrid with her current employers as they have an office in Madrid as well so the suggestions in this thread have also helped us there


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## Chopera (Apr 22, 2013)

Ishtak said:


> I'm making the move over to Madrid on the 4th October from South Africa. This thread has been fascinating to read through!
> 
> The company I'll be working for (Amadeus IT) is in 28027 Madrid so the living options presented here have given me lots to think about! The company is paying for an apartment for a month for me when I first get there which is pretty close to the office (4 kms) but I'm wondering if it will be better to stay further out and commute when my daughter and wife come over in December. I am still deciding whether she needs to go to an International school or not (she will be 11 in October) and I guess that decision will influence where we decide to stay as I prefer her to be close to her school.
> 
> My wife will also be thinking about what to do work wise, although there may be a possibility of a transfer to Madrid with her current employers as they have an office in Madrid as well so the suggestions in this thread have also helped us there


You'll have plenty of options from where your office is. I agree that it's better to concentrate on the school and then take everything from there. International school would be the easier option I think for an 11 year old (and for you) - there are a few threads describing some of the schooling options available, but feel free to ask away.


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## Ishtak (Aug 18, 2014)

I've done lots of research so far .. I think I've narrowed the choices down to either "The International School of Madrid" or "The Montessori British School". I've got 2 to 3 months to meet with both options when I get there in October to make a decision and get her enrolled. The plan (hopefully) is to get her into a school where they teach in English for a year and once she knows Spanish enough she can go into a Spanish government school. I cant believe how expensive the Brit schools are in Madrid .. but education is important so it must be done


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## Chopera (Apr 22, 2013)

Ishtak said:


> I've done lots of research so far .. I think I've narrowed the choices down to either "The International School of Madrid" or "The Montessori British School". I've got 2 to 3 months to meet with both options when I get there in October to make a decision and get her enrolled. The plan (hopefully) is to get her into a school where they teach in English for a year and once she knows Spanish enough she can go into a Spanish government school. I cant believe how expensive the Brit schools are in Madrid .. but education is important so it must be done


Are you sure those schools have places? If not I recommend you visit every international school possible and take it from there.

Also if you want to get your daughter into ISM it might be worth also looking at Numont, which is primary only so she'd only be there for a few months, but I believe they have an agreement with ICS that all the kids go there for secondary education. So it might be a backdoor way in.

However I recommend not moving your daughter from the international/British system to the the Spanish system during her secondary education, since the change in curriculum will be more noticeable. So for example, in history they might suddenly go from learning about 19th century British foreign policy in English, to learning about the Reyes Católicos in Spanish. And the Spanish system requires you to pass every subject in order to progress. So if you really feel that you don't want your daughter to spend more than a year or two in an international school then it might be worth taking the plunge and getting her into a Spanish school straight away, but one where they do a lot of teaching in English so it won't be completely alien to her. Therefore it might be worth looking at Spanish private schools that are highly bilingual (Base, SEK and Liceo Europeo spring to mind, although they aren't much cheaper than international schools).

Also something you might not be aware of is that the British system splits age groups according to their age in September while the Spanish system splits age groups according to their age in January. So if your daughter went into the Spanish system she would be a year below. Also the Spanish primary schooling goes up to age 12, so if your daughter entered the Spanish system straight away she'd have an extra year of primary education to learn Spanish, and she'd learn it a lot faster there than she would in an International school. You might also be able to drop your daughter down another year (which is much more acceptable than it sounds) to give her even more time to learn Spanish before entering into secondary education.

(apologies if this complicates things)


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## Pesky Wesky (May 10, 2009)

Ishtak said:


> I've done lots of research so far .. I think I've narrowed the choices down to either "The International School of Madrid" or "The Montessori British School". I've got 2 to 3 months to meet with both options when I get there in October to make a decision and get her enrolled. The plan (hopefully) is to get her into a school where they teach in English for a year and once she knows Spanish enough she can go into a Spanish government school. I cant believe how expensive the Brit schools are in Madrid .. but education is important so it must be done


If you're coming in October the first thing you'll have to find out, as Chopero has said, is which schools have places. (I don't know much about private education schools, but someone I know sent their sons to the Montessori in Alpedrete and were quite happy)
The idea of changing from one system to another... You'll have to be very careful with the language input ie make sure she has enough exposure to Spanish. I also agree with what Chopero says about changing when she has started secondary, much more complicated.
Spanish children do repeat years at school - you don't automatically pass from year to year although you have to be failing quite badly for that to happen.


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## Ishtak (Aug 18, 2014)

That last part of your message makes a lot of sense. It is actually something I have already considered but the wife is pushing for an International School that teaches in English. She has however said that we will make a final decision once I am in Spain and can actually go into the schools, both international and local, to speak to the teachers in person. I'm ok to let her repeat a year while she is getting to grips with the language. The company is paying for Spanish lessons for both myself and the wife as well so we can hopefully all learn together. Another thing is with her only starting at the school from January she will already have missed out on 3 to 4 months of the school year.


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## Chopera (Apr 22, 2013)

To be honest, once you've visited the schools you'll know a lot more about them than I do. Re. learning Spanish - it'll probably take you and your wife a lot longer than you think, and be prepared to be frustrated.


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