Schooling in Cyprus

[Cleo Shahateet]

I just came across this article from May 29th Cyprus Mail that many may find useful in making a decision regarding schools. It is about the American Academy and its status in Paphos - also mentions Limassol School too:

http://www.cyprus-mail.com/news/main...45903&cat_id=1

[kerry-marie]

hi woodsym1...sorry to reply on an old post but i am looking at konia also...my children are 8 and 11,how have things gone since they started?? did they speak much greek before hand? im hoping to move over in the next few weeks..are you still in that area and would you recommend it? i have so many questions,sorry....thanks kerry

[gareth.u]

Originally Posted by MIKE H

Hi all, we have made contact with the International School of Paphos, does anybody have children in the school who could give us some honest feedback on the school and its pass rates. We were quoted nearly 5000 euros per year (seems quite expensive) are you paying this?
I would appreciate any feedback Thanks Mike

Cannot say much about the ISP, but the only alternative is the Private American School. My grand daughter (14) has been there for the last year and absolutely loves it. By all accounts their exam results will be really good this year. It's a small school, with kinder garten, primary and secondary sections. About 125 in the secondary but offer full UK syllabus for IGCSE and GCE 'A' level+. Contact phone number is 00357 26930709
Hope this is of some help.
Gareth

[Shirley77]

Originally Posted by sstrawberrymilkshake

I have a 18 year old daughter who goes to ISOP and a 9 year old who goes to the local greek school in Tsada.

When we moved here nearly 2 years ago we had no choice but to put my eldest in private school as she needed to sit her A levels so that she could get into Uni to be a vet. When she first started she found it very hard as the system is very different and the work much harder than it is in the UK. I have heard that the GCSE's are harder scored than in the UK as well. Thankfully she settled in well although she did have a few problems with a couple of teachers not explaining things to her properly. This was resolved after a chat in the right ear. She is now just away to sit her final exams and is doing great.

One thing to remember regarding fees though is that after you pay your yearly fees there is also school uniform, books, compulsory trips and exam fees which have to be paid for on top. All in all you can expect to have to pay around an extra 2000 euro on top.

We decided to send my youngest to the local greek school as we wanted her to integrate and learn the language. At the start she could hardly speak a word of greek but we found the teachers very helpful as she was the only british child at the school. She is now pretty fluent and doing brilliantly. The only thing we have had a problem with is some bullying. Cypriot schools are like english ones 20/30 years ago. There is very little playground supervison and children are left to sort things out for themselves, but to be fair i think it makes for a stronger child in the end... after all it didnt do us any harm!!!
Hope this info helps

shirley xx

Hi
Just reading through all threads on Schools and we are in the same position as you. We hope to be in Paphos next summer and put our eldest daughter who will be 16 into ISOP to do her A Levels and our youngest into Greek School as she will be 10. I was just wondering will your youngest do extra tuition to sit GCSES or will you send them to ISOP when they go to secondary school? Is it easy to get extra tuition for GCSES?
I would appreciate any feedback or advice regarding schooling over there.

Many thanks

[Chilminder]

Originally Posted by Shirley77

Hi
Just reading through all threads on Schools and we are in the same position as you. We hope to be in Paphos next summer and put our eldest daughter who will be 16 into ISOP to do her A Levels and our youngest into Greek School as she will be 10. I was just wondering will your youngest do extra tuition to sit GCSES or will you send them to ISOP when they go to secondary school? Is it easy to get extra tuition for GCSES?
I would appreciate any feedback or advice regarding schooling over there.

Many thanks

Hi I was nearly ten when I went to Greek school i was put back a year which hasnt affected me in the slightest, and i didnt speak a word of greek and i am fluent now. the education systems over here are a lot different than england and in my opinion they are much better. I loved greek school the locals were really helpful as were the teachers and i made great friends too. I did get bullied occassionally but nothing like the bullies are in england. I went to the gymnasium which is the middle school and sat my exams not knowing they were the equivalent of gcse's. My mum sent me to england to do my alevels there as the system over here for alevels isnt as good as they lack in variety and choices etc.

I arrived in England with my Cypriot certificate at one of the leading colleges in leeds and they said they had just got a new system in which converts foreign qualifications and I was told that anything that was c or above was equivalent to a gcse. Meaning in total I had sat 18 gcse's, which is compulsary and I had 13 A's, 4 B's and a C.

My English is fine and I had a major advantage in england as I spoke Greek and I also had nealry double the gcses they had there. I thought I was going to struggle to get into a college yet it helped me a lot. It also enabled me to take 6 Alevels rather than the suggested 3 or 4 and I took 2 Alevels un assisted without any teaching in Greek and Ancient Greek mythology, which on the off chance I had already done here as Gcse material. The standard of maths and all the sciences over here in the Greek schools are 2 years ahead than england, which means to gain my alevels I was just repeating what I had already done which was fantastic and meant I finished with excellent grades.

The universities are always looking for someone that stands out and I did because of my grades and because I spoke Greek but I was English which they found interesting, I got placements at all 5 universities I applied to within a few weeks. I would recommend Greek school to anyone that has young children, it is truly the best thing my mum ever did, the locals respect me more for it, it has also made my life over here much easier, no language barrier and I love being able to converse in both languages without any difficulties.

Being introduced to 2 different cultures has also helped me shape my own ideas and thoughts and made me more independent. the first months are he hardest but within 6 months she should be fluent. good luck to you and your family

[Donegal]

Originally Posted by MIKE H

Hi all, we have made contact with the International School of Paphos, does anybody have children in the school who could give us some honest feedback on the school and its pass rates. We were quoted nearly 5000 euros per year (seems quite expensive) are you paying this?
I would appreciate any feedback Thanks Mike

Hi Mike
We send my Grandaughter to the school and she just loves it, she's 7! The teaching staff are very good and do have an interest in the children, there are always things that you like about a school and those that you don't.

The head would appear to want to charge as much as possible for things like school kit that must have the logo on, like skirts which you can buy much cheaper outside of school so that kind of petty profiteering is not so good.

as far as the education goes, we are very happy with Megs progress and she has come on leaps and bounds and she thoroughly loves going to school ( Must admit I never did) in fact she can't wait for the holidays to be over.

The school does do some marvelous school concerts which involves all of the children again a nice touch.

It has been said that for the older children the standard is not high enough but I can't really comment on that as we have no real insight to that and it could just be some - something you would need to check out if you're children are in that bracket.
Overall we are very happy with the school.
Good Luck

[MIKE H]

Thanks for the feedback my daughter starts in September Thanks Mike

Originally Posted by Donegal

Hi Mike
We send my Grandaughter to the school and she just loves it, she's 7! The teaching staff are very good and do have an interest in the children, there are always things that you like about a school and those that you don't.

The head would appear to want to charge as much as possible for things like school kit that must have the logo on, like skirts which you can buy much cheaper outside of school so that kind of petty profiteering is not so good.

as far as the education goes, we are very happy with Megs progress and she has come on leaps and bounds and she thoroughly loves going to school ( Must admit I never did) in fact she can't wait for the holidays to be over.

The school does do some marvelous school concerts which involves all of the children again a nice touch.

It has been said that for the older children the standard is not high enough but I can't really comment on that as we have no real insight to that and it could just be some - something you would need to check out if you're children are in that bracket.
Overall we are very happy with the school.
Good Luck

[daveayre]

hi, does anyone know of a school in Emba near chlorakas, been told of one there which takes english kids, but unable to find any info on it

[carolegan]

Originally Posted by daveayre

hi, does anyone know of a school in Emba near chlorakas, been told of one there which takes english kids, but unable to find any info on it

Hi yes its called EPEC next to easy living shop only 18 kids in the school my 3 go there but its full and there is a waiting list

[chello]

Originally Posted by carolegan

Hi yes its called EPEC next to easy living shop only 18 kids in the school my 3 go there but its full and there is a waiting list

If you are in Nicosia I can recommend Highgate Primary they moved to new premises to Akropolis area. All the teachers are really nice, a very good and caring environment.