# Moving to Orgiva with older children



## NicolaMark (Aug 4, 2015)

Hi all, 
I'm totally new to the forum so please bear with me. we're hoping to move out to Orgiva next year (April-ish). My parents bought a townhouse 4 years ago in Orgiva then retired from the UK 2 years ago. Myself, husband and 3 children (aged 17, 12 & 9) visit 2-4 times per year and our youngest 2 children spend the full summer with their grandparents. We're all in love with orgiva and have wanted to move there since my parents first bought their property out there. I know this is a long shot but could anyone please let me know about the Orgiva education? My children know very little Spanish and mainly integrate with English speaking children. I would love them to learn the language but am worried that because of their ages they would struggle in a Spanish school because of the language barriers. Any advice would be very much appreciated


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## Pesky Wesky (May 10, 2009)

NicolaMark said:


> Hi all,
> I'm totally new to the forum so please bear with me. we're hoping to move out to Orgiva next year (April-ish). My parents bought a townhouse 4 years ago in Orgiva then retired from the UK 2 years ago. Myself, husband and 3 children (aged 17, 12 & 9) visit 2-4 times per year and our youngest 2 children spend the full summer with their grandparents. We're all in love with orgiva and have wanted to move there since my parents first bought their property out there. I know this is a long shot but could anyone please let me know about the Orgiva education? My children know very little Spanish and mainly integrate with English speaking children. I would love them to learn the language but am worried that because of their ages they would struggle in a Spanish school because of the language barriers. Any advice would be very much appreciated


Hi,
To get more replies you need to open a new thread. Maybe a mod can move this for you.

I don't think you need an expert on education in Orgiva, just people who have experience of education in Spain.

IMO you are right to be worried about their education in Spanish. While it possible for all of you to reach a good level, it's not really realistic to expect children to progress in their education without adequate language skills.
Your youngest could possibly be ok. Primary goes up to 12 years old here so s/he'd have an extra year there to set some bases before starting at the more serious secondary school.
The 12 year old... I think it's a little late, but much depends on the child's personality and attitude. However, going in April certainly isn't going to help!
Spanish schools have the system of having to pass the year before you can continue so children can and do repeat years, Spanish children too, a lot of them! It's not the best way of doing things (the majority of course move up so they lose their classmates, they are with children a year younger, and the material is the same so it can be really boring), but for foreign students it can be a good idea.
It's going to be far too difficult for the 17 year old to continue education in Spanish, unless s/he goes to a university that has a Spanish as a foreign language facilty and I don't know of any that do.
Before bringing young people over to Spain you might want to look at this thread
http://www.expatforum.com/expats/sp...2666-what-youth-spain-like-2.html#post7817362
especially my posts number 11 and 12 which are pertinent to your questions about education in Spain.
Also look here for education and there's an old thread called "How old is too old for Spanish school"
http://www.expatforum.com/expats/spain-expat-forum-expats-living-spain/62551-education-spain.html


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## xabiaxica (Jun 23, 2009)

Pesky Wesky said:


> Hi,
> To get more replies you need to open a new thread. *Maybe a mod can move this for you.*


I've started a new thread with it


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## angil (Sep 24, 2012)

Pesky Wesky said:


> Hi,
> To get more replies you need to open a new thread. Maybe a mod can move this for you.
> 
> I don't think you need an expert on education in Orgiva, just people who have experience of education in Spain.
> ...


The only Universitys I can find in Spain for a student to take a full undergraduate degree in a language other than Soanish is the University of Marbella & Marbella International University Centre. Both have fees of approx €19,000 oer year. The MIUC are 4 year courses. If someone can correct me on this I would be very grateful.
A 17 year old being brought here would either need to take a 2 year A level course at an International School (there maybe 'equivalent' Btech courses or IB / High Diplomas available depending on the school). Or alternatively would be doing what the other kids do of that age who aren't in education; working in bars / cafes if they are lucky (usually May - Oct). Plenty young British kids in my area, an awful lot went to school here (Spanish & British Schools), and are working in the service industries now.
My daughter is 18 my son is 14 and we have been in Spain 2 years. Both attend a British School. (My daughter has just left after her A levels).
My son was 12 when we arrived (via the International School system in Asia) I certainly would not have even considered putting him in a Spanish school. Having seen with my own eyes how scary it is for children arriving not speaking the language of instruction adequatley at the school they are enrolled in. 12 is too old for immersion.


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