Tenerife forum

[Helena and Shiel]

Hi guys, looking for a wee bit of advice (Again!!) I had pretty much decided to send Cora to Wingate or Britania, partly bacause I had heard you cant go to spanish state school after age 11, Cora will be 13 when we move. However we are all going to start spanish lessons soon, and she will have a full year of it before we come, (she already does it at school). I have now read that children can go after 11, and they will repeat a year, I think this sounds like a good idea, as we plan to stay out there for good, so it would be beneficial for her to have a spanish education, and also to help integrate her.
Could someone clarify - which is correct please?
Has anyone experience of this? (sending a child of 13 to spanish school)
Does anyone know what schools would be available and what areas they are in?
We would lke to have a look for a school when we are over in June, that way we know where we will need to focus our apt search. (We are currently loking at Callao Salvaje, as our financial advisor has several proerties there and highly reccomends it).

Thanks in advance guys!!

H x

[jenny]

The government website allows you to see a list of schools in the Canaries. See here:

http://www.gobiernodecanarias.org/educacion/DGC/DirCentros/scripts/default.asp?categoria=37

Where it says "Tipo de Centro", select Instituto de Educación Secundaria; "provincia": Santa Cruz; "isla": Tenerife. You can also narrow it down to the "municipio" if you wish.
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[Helena and Shiel]

Thanks for the quick reply Jenny! I'll do that now!

H x

[strippersrus]

At that age I would think it depends on the child. I am totally for spanish education and all 3 of mine go to spanish school, but they were young when we moved here.

It is quite a shock at first. My daughter started when she was 8 but she was a very confident, outgoing, academic girl, who managed very well in spanish school.

Some children are not quite so easy to intergrate.

Also at the age of 13 they will soon be starting their exams. So it may be better to place them straight into an english school where they can finish these.

Wingate I know has an excellent spanish program, so they will be learning a lot there. Also if you already have a year of good spanish lessons and get on well with them, then this will help a great deal.

The spanish schools do tend to keep pupils back a year if they dont pass the current year...this is good for many reasons, but also not so good if you get kept back every other year, which happens, as your child will still be in education, when all her peers have left.

The benefits of spanish schools and english school for a 13 year old would have to be weighed up very well. At the end of the day the choice is yours and if the child was yonger than about 10 I would simply be urging you to put them in spanish school.

theres is always the fall back that if your child starts spanish school and the feels they are not getting anywhere, they could then go to english school. At least you and they will feel like they tried.

Whatever decision you make I wish you good luck.

Mary
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Stripps

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[strippersrus]

Just to add...

You say you will be over in June to look at schools.

end of term is 21st of june, after that the school swill be closed until september when they open for the new term.

Also if you do decide on spanish school....you would really need to book in next April when they have the matriculation week.

this year it is this week. It is always around the 20th april for one week.
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[Helena and Shiel]

Thanks Mary...that is just typical we come over on the 24th
We planned to come over next april to "enroll" her as we had been told about that somewhere before, (good excuse for a wee holiday!!) I suppose even if we find out the exact locations of the schools, in June, it would still be helpfull.
Need to keep our eyes peeled for info on enrollment dates for next year....do they give out the dates far in advance?
I think we will need to play it by ear with the spanish lessons, and if she feels confident let her try the spanish school....she knows how important it is to learn the lingo for everyday life anyway, and seemed keen on the idea of the spanish school. the only problem is she has missed a full term here, with being ill, she only went back yesterday, so she may behind now.....just need to wait and see how she catches up. Now that she is on steroids she shouldn't miss too much school.

Thanks again!!

H x

[strippersrus]

the schools normally let us know about 2 weeks in advance, if that.

when the dates come next year people normally post them on here if we know someone needs them.

Youwill have to find the school and ask for the paperwork that is needed for the registration. Some schools differ slightly in what they want. You could collect that this june, then you are prepared.

Just remember it is around 20th APril..lol

This years is up until May 2nd I believe.
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[Helena and Shiel]

Thanks again Mary, you are great source of information!!
Dont worry, I wont forget , As of 1st of April I will be annoying you all asking if you know yet.....My next worry is "what if there are no places? lol!

muchas gracias

H x

[strippersrus]

Places...lol you don't get told if there are places or not. You also only get to find out if your child got in on the first of september when the school opens.

You could apply at a couple of schools...lol

In the school my children go to.....they actually opened up 2 more classes for the extra children that had applied...Mainly the younger children classes get full quickly. They now have a couple of mixed age classes for the young ones and year 1 A & B...lol

Dont worry it is a time away yet and I'm sure you will be fine.
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Stripps

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[Helena and Shiel]

Oh my god ...thats a nightmare....you must have been so stressed out! Oh well if she doesn't get into a school she'll just have to get herself some gigs same as old mum and dad!

[strippersrus]

lol....no it wasn't stressy for that...more for the fact that they didn't speak spanish..lol

You sort of just trust that they have a place....Dont worry about things like that now though, you have AGES..lol

Its the paperwork that stressed me out lol. That seemed like ages to collect, but once it is done, then it is done and not needed to be done again lol
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[JudeKen]

Helena hi

We cam out last october and have 2 kids 10 and 12 both went into spanich schools within 2 weeks of arriving they had both been having spanish lessons for nearly a year and thought that they had good spanish until they actually got here!! Ha

Anyhoo they are both loving spanish school, we were actually at a special open day at our daughters school the instituto (high school) today and it was fun!!

Our esdelst who is 13 next month has settled into her spanish wonderfully!! They both have but she is more academic than her sister.. it is a joy to watch them speaking in two different languages in the same sentence!! and after just 6 months!!

You'll be fine just use this site to get as much info as you can ,,,the more you know the easier it will be and those of us that have done it are more than happy to help
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[Helena and Shiel]

Thanks Jude, thats very reassuring. Wherabouts is your girls school?
H x

[JudeKen]

No probs... eldest goes to El Medano its a new school just opened the day before she started ...
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[jenny]

I think enrollment dates are different at each school, but by next year I guess you will have decided which school you'd like to send her to so we can see if someone on here has children there and can get the information for you.

If Cora is keen to go to Spanish school and seriously tries to learn at least the basics over the next year then I would send her there. Like Mary says, you could always get her enrolled at Wingate for the following year if she really doesn't get on.

IMO it all depends on confidence, when they are very young they don't worry about making mistakes and are much more confident. Plus the fact that to play with kids of 4/5 years old you really don't need to speak much - they just chase after each other around the playground! As they get older they get more aware of mistakes they make and worry more about image and whether they will look daft if they say the wrong thing. As long as Cora isn't worried then this would imply that she will probably get along fine.

Make a search about this topic as we have discussed it at length several times. Everyone has a different opinion and only you and her can make that decision.
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I will make this day a happy one for I alone can determine what kind of day it will be.