Can my chilren go to school when we go to france on a 6 month holiday

[MataMata]

You are most assuredly not alone

[GALLUS]

I would not say that going to school is a waste of time.
But as some members noticed, it could be sort of a challenge for your kids.

Have a serious chat with the kids if they are 6 and above ... Ask them how they could cope and settle in such an environment? Somebody asked where would the school be, urban or rural? I would underline the necessity to have the teacher to volunteer to take them in the class since it is only temporary. They will learn anyway. Speak to the headmaster and ensure the school is adequate for them. Most primary or secondary school teachers speak a bit of English language and would be able to assist in one way or the other. Just be aware that nomads exist in France as well and they are accepted in every school they wish to attend. I know this is not your case, but this shows that kids can be accommodated in any primary school since school is compulsory 'till the age of 16.

If the kids are attending secondary school, I would exert additional caution since '"college" in France is an extremely challenging environment, with lots of bullying and aggressions. But still some are nicer than others, some have some sort of bilingual classes (filiere europeenne), read below and inquire locally. For a kid of that age I would strongly recommend full adherence to the schooling project.
Enseignement des langues étrangères - Wikipédia

If the kids are still at kindergarten, you would consider putting them only twice a week for the morning I suggest.


good luck and enjoy

[Claire la richarde]

Will they be going back to the same schools in the UK once the six months is over?
Are the schools willing to take them back, considering they will have missed six months of lessons? Or are they willing to make arrangements for the children to catch up?

[dijid]

Originally Posted by minesthechevy

Pete, I am just fed up - and have been for the last 20-odd years - of the way 'the child' has become the Centre of The Universe, and the way in which society - UK society in particular - has slid downhill thanks to pseudo-babble claptrap such as -, well, anything that could be described as 'PC'.

I am firmly in the camp of the 'good-enough' parent, and also of the original notion of 'tough love', although THAT has been subverted by the PC brigade to mean abuse and violence.

I am a tough love parent. Just ask my daughters who were fighting so horribly in the car two weeks ago that when we got home they got to stay there for an hour to practice getting along while the rest of the family ate dinner.

But until you've sent a non-English speaking child into a French public school lately, I don't think you can cast judgement. On my son'sl first day of school, an other English speaking boy warned him about one of his French classmates. On the second day of school, the French boy came up and punched him on the playground for no reason. It was witnessed by my daughters, so I believe it was unprovoked. My 10 yo has been kicked in the behind. One of her friends has been scratched and had a door purposely slammed on him (which caused bruises on his face) as he went through. My youngest was pushed down so violently that she hit her head on the pavement and it drew blood. All that within 2 months of arriving. The laissez-faire attitude seems to spill over to the supervision on the playground (which is just a large patch of asphault). Kids get an hour and a half for lunch, which is just too much idle time in which they can cause trouble. And I get the feeling that the new students are definitely targets - especially ones that can't even tell a teacher in French what is happening.

So, please, don't jumpt to conclusions and think that anyone is just trying to be PC when warning people that it might not be a good idea to send a child to school here for just 6 months.

New students of whatever nationality are often a target, in France or elsewhere. I know of cases of bullying as a former parent class rep in schools in different areas. I've also seen kids who speak little or no French integrate well enough.

It's bound to be tough in the early days - you might just be unlucky and find your child in a group with a disproportionate number of little monsters, or it might go far more smoothly than expected. I remember an 8 year old adopted child from Cambodia turning up on the first day of term in my daughter's class, didn't speak a word of French. He got on great though, and soon picked up the language - he had the right personality, and was fortunate to be with a good bunch of kids.

Some of the incidents you describe happen to anyone, French included. Newbies are targeted, unfortunately.

[GALLUS]

Thanks frogblogger, this is good positive remarks.

<<<< On the second day of school, the French boy came up and punched him on the playground for no reason.>>>

...and did your boy punch him back, which was probably what was needed to start a relationship of mutual respect? Tom Browns Schooldays, Biggles, and all that - ie, stand up to a bully with a bigger stick than the one he hit YOU with.

Fashions in parenting and teaching may have changed, but human nature hasn't.

I teach in a French school with a sprinkling of english kids, none of what you describe happens TTBOMK.

[dijid]

Originally Posted by minesthechevy

<<<< On the second day of school, the French boy came up and punched him on the playground for no reason.>>>

...and did your boy punch him back, which was probably what was needed to start a relationship of mutual respect? Tom Browns Schooldays, Biggles, and all that - ie, stand up to a bully with a bigger stick than the one he hit YOU with.

Fashions in parenting and teaching may have changed, but human nature hasn't.

I teach in a French school with a sprinkling of english kids, none of what you describe happens TTBOMK.

Yep, my son hit back. The kid left him alone for a while at least. Now he's more into name calling and I guess I shouldn't be surprised that the kid has quite the vocabulary of English swear words and insults. Unfortunately my son has been punched by a girl recently, but didn't hit back because she's a girl and she's also much, much bigger than him. I'd heard stories from a friend about the problems this girl was giving her son. THis mom (who is French) went to the school about it, but the girl denied everything and they refused to believe that a girl could be seriously hurting a boy. Well, girls can be physically aggressive as well. (And my son was targeted on this occassion because he is friends with the boy she normally takes her aggression out on.)

I would be shocked to hear that stuff doesn't go on in your school. I don't think the teachers are really aware of all of it because there is so little supervision during free time. (I'm sure as far as my kids' school is concerned, they don't know of any *real* instances of the stuff I talk about either.)

[Bevdeforges]

Originally Posted by dijid

I would be shocked to hear that stuff doesn't go on in your school. I don't think the teachers are really aware of all of it because there is so little supervision during free time. (I'm sure as far as my kids' school is concerned, they don't know of any *real* instances of the stuff I talk about either.)

The teachers are "protected" from having to do lunchtime or recess supervision. When the government turns to make-work schemes to try and hire young people, they very often fund posts in the schools for lunch-room monitors or playground supervisors. (At least that's what they seemed to have done in the area where I live.)
Cheers,
Bev

[johnnygeneric]

Originally Posted by bill122

Hello we are going on a trip to france for 6 months and are staying in a house we just bought ,if we are on a extended holiday would our kids be allowed to go to french state school, we are from the uk . thanks

Don't listen to the people below and enroll them. My only advice is to hire a French Tutor. They are cheap and worth the money to help your children. And then when you get back home, hire a tutor to keep them talking!

We lived in Korea for a few months and enrolled our 5 year old daughter in a small English/Korean school. Within weeks she was speaking Korean. We didn't stay very long at all and she lost that particular language. But read on.

I also lived in Dresden Germany and my daughter learned German in the daycare...without us even knowing it!! When we got back to Houston we enrolled her in Saturday German School and later in a German Language School program. We're BACK in Germany and my daughter who is now 8 still speaks German. We won't be here the entire school year but we will enroll her in the school. But since we kept her German going she will fit right in.

Prior to that we lived in Italy for a year and enrolled her in Italian Public school. We hired a German tutor who was really an Italian native who spoke German. He ended up helping her with her Italian as well. (They skipped over English entirely when talking) Near the end she was sort of our interpreter.

Since French is such a prevalent language (like Spanish is) when you get back home, you will not have any problems finding a tutor for your children.

I think a child who learns the language of a country you've visited is the greatest gift you can ask for. What a souvenier to bring home!

johnnygeneric