# schools in Gran Canaria



## mapfromoz (Mar 18, 2011)

hi All, my husband and I and our children are about to take up a position in Las Palmas. As a mother I need to know how to contact schools. Any mums or dads out there to give me some information. In terms of accommodation what are the best websites (if any) to find housing and prices.


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## xabiaxica (Jun 23, 2009)

mapfromoz said:


> hi All, my husband and I and our children are about to take up a position in Las Palmas. As a mother I need to know how to contact schools. Any mums or dads out there to give me some information. In terms of accommodation what are the best websites (if any) to find housing and prices.


Hi & welcome - I've given this a thread of its own so that you get more replies

here is a link on which you can find the schools in the area

https://www.educacion.es/centros/selectaut.do

you don't say if you are wanting State or Private Spanish or British International schools

when I followed the links for my area the International schools weren't shown

if you look here Welcome to Nabss | Nabss

also, have a read of this sticky thread on the forum http://www.expatforum.com/expats/spain-expat-forum-expats-living-spain/62551-education-spain-5.html


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## mapfromoz (Mar 18, 2011)

Fantastic, thanks so much. I would be more looking at British International Schools as my eldest is in one at the moment in West Africa. I have read that there is a BIS in Gran Canaria that has one school in the south and one in Las Palmas. What is the distance between the two? Is it nicer to live in the south? My husband will be working in Las Palmas. 
Also, any idea on cost for BIS. I can't find it on their prospectus to will have to email them.


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## xabiaxica (Jun 23, 2009)

mapfromoz said:


> Fantastic, thanks so much. I would be more looking at British International Schools as my eldest is in one at the moment in West Africa. I have read that there is a BIS in Gran Canaria that has one school in the south and one in Las Palmas. What is the distance between the two? Is it nicer to live in the south? My husband will be working in Las Palmas.
> Also, any idea on cost for BIS. I can't find it on their prospectus to will have to email them.


I'm not local to the area so, I can't help specifically

a lot of the International schools don't put their fees on the website, so you would for sure have to e-mail

do they have the addresses on the websites? - you could try looking on googleearth to see how close they are to each other


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## mapfromoz (Mar 18, 2011)

yes the south address is El Hornillo, San Bortoleme de Tirajana. The North says Crta. Tafia a marzagan, Las Palmas. Can you tell me the distance (time and km) between the two


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## xabiaxica (Jun 23, 2009)

mapfromoz said:


> yes the south address is El Hornillo, San Bortoleme de Tirajana. The North says Crta. Tafia a marzagan, Las Palmas. Can you tell me the distance (time and km) between the two


put the two addresses into ViaMichelin: Mapas, rutas, carreteras, distancias, callejero, como llegar, reservas, guías, viajes

and it will tell you


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## mapfromoz (Mar 18, 2011)

great thanks again


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## Rach-mer (Aug 31, 2013)

*Schools in south gran canaria*

Hi all I'm new to all this so maybe doing things wrong. 
Me my partner and 8 year old daughter are moving to gran canaria within the next year.. I'm struggling with what state schools may be best for her she will be going into year 4  Did u manage to get any info on how to contact or apply for schools? Would be great if u could help 
Thanx Rachel : )


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## bob_bob (Jan 5, 2011)

Eight is pushing it for your girl to learn the language and keep up with her learning (nine when she gets there?). Have you thought about an International School?


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## xabiaxica (Jun 23, 2009)

bob_bob said:


> Eight is pushing it for your girl to learn the language and keep up with her learning (nine when she gets there?). Have you thought about an International School?


I wouldn't agree

8/9 is fine for the vast majority of kids - much older than that though, yes - it's much harder & once they hit teens pretty much impossible - though a few do manage


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## Rach-mer (Aug 31, 2013)

*Public schools gran canaria*

Hi guys thanx for the in put : )
The only thing with international schools bob bob is the cost they are really expensive I don't know if we could afford one espesh for the next 8 years : ( 
My daughter Gracie already does Spanish once a week in the schools she is at now, and is doing really well maybe if I get her into Spanish classes here ASAP!! Do you think this could help?? 
Obviously her education is our number 1 priority and our move will be balancing on this
Any help or advice is welcome :fingerscrossed:


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## xabiaxica (Jun 23, 2009)

Rach-mer said:


> Hi guys thanx for the in put : )
> The only thing with international schools bob bob is the cost they are really expensive I don't know if we could afford one espesh for the next 8 years : (
> My daughter Gracie already does Spanish once a week in the schools she is at now, and is doing really well maybe if I get her into Spanish classes here ASAP!! Do you think this could help??
> Obviously her education is our number 1 priority and our move will be balancing on this
> Any help or advice is welcome :fingerscrossed:


MOST 8/9 year old children have no problems at all & will start to 'absorb' Spanish as soon as they start at Spanish school

certainly my own daughter, who was nearly 9 when she started in state school here, has had no issues at all

she's 17 now, & in fact several of the teachers have said that she is more 'Xabiera' (what the locals call themselves) than most of the kids who were born here, & that if you just hear her rather than see her you'd never know she wasn't Spanish

she starts Bachi (like A levels) this month - most of the studying will in fact be in Valenciano, which is the local language here & her 3rd language, rather than in Spanish - she passed last year with more than half her subjects graded as 'outstanding', some as ' very good', some as 'good' & a couple were graded as 'pass' 

so it _can _be done.


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## angil (Sep 24, 2012)

Rach-mer if you private message me I will give you the email address of the lady I was put in touch with when I was considering Gran Canaria. Very helpful, no agenda, had lived there for years. Her own, now grown up children, attended school there.


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## Rach-mer (Aug 31, 2013)

Awwwwh thanx xabiachica and angil! 
You've given me some great positive feed back  
Alls I'm doing day and night is whetting up the pro's and con's of our move!! 
I'm a self employed beauty therapist/nail tech so have had some fab respnse to emails concerning my work.. And my partner has posted his cv to a few jobs! So on the work front we are doing ok, it's just our daughters education. 

Angil I've been trying to private message you buy I have to wait until iv posted a few more messages, then I will be allowed


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## Rach-mer (Aug 31, 2013)

*Catholic schools*

My daughter would be ready to make holy communion in the uk when she goes into year 4. Does anybody know about making holy communion in gran canaria? Is it done a similar way? What the age is for making it?


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## angil (Sep 24, 2012)

I've just private message you back but not sure whether you received it or as I have no sent items showing up! I hope you did it was a very long message! lol. Let me know and if not I can have another go!


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## 90199 (Mar 21, 2010)

I personally would not want to commute between, the south of Gran Canaria and the Capital Las Palmas. Heavy traffic on a very busy motorway. Far better to reside in Las Palmas and use the public transport there. The south of the island is the destination for the majority of tourists,


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## Rach-mer (Aug 31, 2013)

Hi hepa
I'm not sure we fancy the capital las palmas..
With my line of work beauty therapist/nail tech I would make more money in or around more tourist areas.. Thank you for your input though everything helps towards our final desicion


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## 90199 (Mar 21, 2010)

Rach-mer said:


> Hi hepa
> I'm not sure we fancy the capital las palmas..
> With my line of work beauty therapist/nail tech I would make more money in or around more tourist areas.. Thank you for your input though everything helps towards our final desicion


I appreciate that, but it was the O.P. that was considering the commute. The climate in the south is what attracts the majority of tourists.


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## Rach-mer (Aug 31, 2013)

Thanx a lot anyway : )


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## Pesky Wesky (May 10, 2009)

Rach-mer said:


> Hi hepa
> I'm not sure we fancy the capital las palmas..
> With my line of work beauty therapist/nail tech I would make more money in or around more tourist areas.. Thank you for your input though everything helps towards our final desicion


Whilst your daughter's education is of upmost importance, the most difficult thing will be to find work, so I'd explore that throughly before you come. Do you have anything lined up?


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## Rach-mer (Aug 31, 2013)

Hi pesky wesky  
Thanx for your reply. I'm a fully qualified self employed beauty therapist/nail tech.
I've been intouch with a couple of people, one is a beauty & hair salon in mogan which sounds promising for when we get there within the next year.. I will be over around march to get Gracie enrolled at a school for September, and hopefully line some jobs up, we will have a nice amount of savings to get us started, I know there is a lot to sort out before we move we are doing plenty of research and will be taking Spanish lessons beforehand also.. How long have you lived in Spain?? 
Any tips or help is much appreciated thanx


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## bob_bob (Jan 5, 2011)

What will your partner do for work? How much will you have to pay the salon to work there? Have you really done your homework, done the maths on this? Your putting a lot of pressure on a nine year old, how about when she is 16 - 18 and wants/needs higher education. A very high percentage of local youngsters can't find work.

Best of luck with the project.


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