# State schools in Alhaurin del la Torre



## KJD (Sep 2, 2008)

Hi can anyone help me please - I have four children (11, 8, 6 and 4) I want them to go to a Spanish State school as I think this will most beneficial to them - Can anyone recommend any good schools in the del la Torre area? i also need to know does the 11 year old go to secondary school or still at primary school as it is not very clear.


----------



## jojo (Sep 20, 2007)

There are several state schools in and around La Torre, but you really need to take a look at them cos just like in the UK, there are good ones, bad ones, big ones and small ones. It also depends which end of town you're in. They do have the primary, secondary system here, although they also have a junior high school here which caters for 10 - 13yo ish, but as is about to happen to my 11yo, they usually hold them back a year cos of the language problem - So your 11yo would probably go to primary. Oh, and they dont start state school til 6yo here!

jo


----------



## KJD (Sep 2, 2008)

jojo said:


> There are several state schools in and around La Torre, but you really need to take a look at them cos just like in the UK, there are good ones, bad ones, big ones and small ones. It also depends which end of town you're in. They do have the primary, secondary system here, although they also have a junior high school here which caters for 10 - 13yo ish, but as is about to happen to my 11yo, they usually hold them back a year cos of the language problem - So your 11yo would probably go to primary. Oh, and they dont start state school til 6yo here!
> 
> jo


Thanks for that info - I am going to the town hall tomorrow - so should I ask them for a list of schools. Is the process quite straight forward, or is it going to take forever?????? We live near Lauro Golf - so probably are closer to El Grande, but our address is del la Torre. Do you know whether there are a few other English kids that go to the state schools in del la Torre and do they cater for English paople????


----------



## jojo (Sep 20, 2007)

KJD said:


> Thanks for that info - I am going to the town hall tomorrow - so should I ask them for a list of schools. Is the process quite straight forward, or is it going to take forever?????? We live near Lauro Golf - so probably are closer to El Grande, but our address is del la Torre. Do you know whether there are a few other English kids that go to the state schools in del la Torre and do they cater for English paople????



Are you near Torrealqueria I think you are, in which case that would be your nearest school. Its where I'm probably gonna put my 11yo daughter, I went there yesterday and got the necessary forms. It seems a really nice school and I know people who's children go there - english children, so the school is used to Brits!! 

You need to go to the school (the schools are open early for exams at the moment) who will give you forms to fill in and you return the forms with a copy of your NIE number, your Padron with your childrens names on it, a copy of their passports and birth certificate.

My daughter has, up til now been to the international school in Cartama, but wants to go to the local state school and this one was recommended to us, so we're going through the same process. The head at the school yesterday told us that as she doesnt speak any Spanish, she'll be held back a year so she's going into year 6 - having just finished year 6 at her last school.

All that said, my daughter may well still go back to the uinternational school cos she's getting a bit scared!!!??

Jo


----------



## KJD (Sep 2, 2008)

Hi, thats great thank you soooooo much - what is the name of the school in the Torrealqueria area? and sorry to sound like I haven't got a clue, but what is a Padron?




jojo said:


> Are you near Torrealqueria I think you are, in which case that would be your nearest school. Its where I'm probably gonna put my 11yo daughter, I went there yesterday and got the necessary forms. It seems a really nice school and I know people who's children go there - english children, so the school is used to Brits!!
> 
> You need to go to the school (the schools are open early for exams at the moment) who will give you forms to fill in and you return the forms with a copy of your NIE number, your Padron with your childrens names on it, a copy of their passports and birth certificate.
> 
> ...


----------



## jojo (Sep 20, 2007)

KJD said:


> Hi, thats great thank you soooooo much - what is the name of the school in the Torrealqueria area? and sorry to sound like I haven't got a clue, but what is a Padron?


The schools official name is CP Torrjos and is the only school in Torrealqueria, a village just outside of La Torre, you need to have a drive out to see. As for the Padron, you should have one if you live here, I think there's a "stickie" on this forum explaining it. You need to go to the town hall to register your address and that you live here. 

Maybe we could even meet up and I could show you where it is???? How long have you been here?? Are you working??

Jo


----------



## KJD (Sep 2, 2008)

jojo said:


> The schools official name is CP Torrjos and is the only school in Torrealqueria, a village just outside of La Torre, you need to have a drive out to see. As for the Padron, you should have one if you live here, I think there's a "stickie" on this forum explaining it. You need to go to the town hall to register your address and that you live here.
> 
> Maybe we could even meet up and I could show you where it is???? How long have you been here?? Are you working??
> 
> Jo


We moved here in July - just as the kids broke up for school. We have been here for the whole of the holidays. It has been lovely just to chill out with the kids, but they are starting to drive me a bit mad, so definately time for them to go back to school! I think I will get a padron tomorrow when I go to the town hall - it's really nice to speak to someone about things. I am not working, but may think about doing something once all the kids have gone back to school. What about you how long have you lived here for and do you work?


----------



## jojo (Sep 20, 2007)

KJD said:


> We moved here in July - just as the kids broke up for school. We have been here for the whole of the holidays. It has been lovely just to chill out with the kids, but they are starting to drive me a bit mad, so definately time for them to go back to school! I think I will get a padron tomorrow when I go to the town hall - it's really nice to speak to someone about things. I am not working, but may think about doing something once all the kids have gone back to school. What about you how long have you lived here for and do you work?


We.ve been here since the beginning of Feb, we live in a village called El Romeral, just outside of La Torre, the kids initially went to the International School in Cartama, my son who is 13 is very happy there as he's quite shy and likes the British way, but my daughter who is 11 wants to intergrate a bit and is very outgoing and friendly, so we thought we'd try her in the local state school. we know a couple of famiies who's kids attend there so we have a bit of a start.

I dont work, my OH commutes to the UK every two weeks for two weeks to run his business there. The initial idea was that he was gonna join forces with a similar company in Marbella, but due to work load (yes, his business doesnt seem to have been adversely affected by the credit crunch!) he hasnt had the time to spend over here - yet!


So far I love it here, I just wish we'd done it years ago, the weather (too hot recently), the views, the people are all wonderful. Mind you once the kids are back at school I may try to get a job, but I'm not sure theres much around
As for your padron, take everything official that you can, I cant remember what I needed, but passports, birth certificates and proof of address spring to mind.

I hope you get on ok at the town hall, let us know how you get on

Jo x


----------



## KJD (Sep 2, 2008)

jojo said:


> We.ve been here since the beginning of Feb, we live in a village called El Romeral, just outside of La Torre, the kids initially went to the International School in Cartama, my son who is 13 is very happy there as he's quite shy and likes the British way, but my daughter who is 11 wants to intergrate a bit and is very outgoing and friendly, so we thought we'd try her in the local state school. we know a couple of famiies who's kids attend there so we have a bit of a start.
> 
> I dont work, my OH commutes to the UK every two weeks for two weeks to run his business there. The initial idea was that he was gonna join forces with a similar company in Marbella, but due to work load (yes, his business doesnt seem to have been adversely affected by the credit crunch!) he hasnt had the time to spend over here - yet!
> 
> ...


My husband does the same as your husband he works in the UK running his business and then comes back at the weekends. I love it here as well, especially now the weather has cooled down a bit. I do feel a bit isolated sometimes, but I am hoping once the kids start school I will be able to meet people. I definately wouldn't go back to the UK and that is why I want the kids to go to Spanish school


----------



## jojo (Sep 20, 2007)

Well I went back to the school today and handed in all the papers I was given to fill in (written in Spanish so my friends daughter helped translate), along with copies of my daughters birth certificate, her passport, my padron, my NIE number, my passport, our rental contract, my inside leg meassurement (lol)....

So Ruby is now officially a pupil at Torrealqueria school and starts on 15th Sept!!! She will be in year 6 instead of year 7 cos of the language difficulties they're holding her back a year. There is an american teacher who works at the schoo who will help if she has any difficulties and needs to talk to someone and there are several other english kids in her class.

This is what my daughter wants, I havent influenced her decision, she wants to intergrate and although she was happy at the international school, she felt that this was the right thing for her. My son is staying at the international school because he loves it there and as he's 13 he and I feel he's a bit too old and too close to GCSEs to mess around with his education. It will be interesting to see how Ruby gets on. I'm sure we'll have ups and downs, but she's very socialable and confident, so I'm not too concerned for now.

KJD, have you got anywhere with it all yet???

Jo


----------



## KJD (Sep 2, 2008)

jojo said:


> Well I went back to the school today and handed in all the papers I was given to fill in (written in Spanish so my friends daughter helped translate), along with copies of my daughters birth certificate, her passport, my padron, my NIE number, my passport, our rental contract, my inside leg meassurement (lol)....
> 
> So Ruby is now officially a pupil at Torrealqueria school and starts on 15th Sept!!! She will be in year 6 instead of year 7 cos of the language difficulties they're holding her back a year. There is an american teacher who works at the schoo who will help if she has any difficulties and needs to talk to someone and there are several other english kids in her class.
> 
> ...


Hi Jojo - I went to the town hall yesterday, but I needed the full address of where we live, which our landlord hasn't given us and a copy of a utility bill, which our landlord pays and we just pay him!!!!! luckily he is coming on Saturday so I should be able to get everything I need and will go back to the town hall on Monday.

I found the school today and it is lovely we had a quick look around and have to go back tomorrow as they didn't have one of the forms I need to fill in - I have got one of the forms to fill in, which I will try and do tonight, will be lots of hours on the computer trying to translate!!!!!!! so if we finally get sorted the kids should be starting on the 15th aswell - My son Ben is 11 and will be going into year 6, so it will be reassuring for him to know there are other English people there.

I am so glad I logged onto this forum you have been a great help - once the kids have gone to school maybe we could meet up for coffee?????


----------



## jojo (Sep 20, 2007)

KJD said:


> I am so glad I logged onto this forum you have been a great help - once the kids have gone to school maybe we could meet up for coffee?????


I'll tell Ruby to look out for him! I expect we'll see each other at the school gate on the 15th anxiously waving our babies goodbye!!!! So yes, we'll do coffee!!!

Jo


----------



## jojo (Sep 20, 2007)

We met at the school gates this morning! KJD like a mother duck with her children all around her and me with my 11yo clinging on to me for dear life, sobbing her heart out and terrified!! Bact at 2.15 to pick them up!! Nice to meet you kirsty, i hope your lot enjoyed their first day and i hope my daughter eventually did too!!!

Jo xxx


----------

