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School waiting lists

1259 Views 9 Replies 3 Participants Last post by  xabiaxica, 
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First post, and likely to be many many more over the years, as we just decided to move to Spain next summer.

We are flexible on location, and the main thing is getting school places for our two boys (starting term of Sept 2014) who will be aged 6 and 8 at the time of the move.

We want to send them to an independent school, education primarily in English. Our ideal was to move to Pucol just outside of Valencia and the kids go to Caxton College, but that assumes Caxton would have available places, which they don't.

Of course each school will be different, but can anyone give a feel for how difficult it is currently to find places at international schools and whether there are local/regional differences (ie some places easier than others). Also whether anyone knows of schools that are likely to have places (assume the stretch down from Valencia to Alicante).

(eg we currently live in HK, and if asked the same question here, could tell you the waiting lists are long for most international school and its very difficult to find places, although there are one or two schools which have been expanding and are mroe likely to have places - and I guess looking for a similar type of feel for the situation in Spain in the Valencia/Alicante regions).
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xabiaxica
angkag said:
First post, and likely to be many many more over the years, as we just decided to move to Spain next summer.

We are flexible on location, and the main thing is getting school places for our two boys (starting term of Sept 2014) who will be aged 6 and 8 at the time of the move.

We want to send them to an independent school, education primarily in English. Our ideal was to move to Pucol just outside of Valencia and the kids go to Caxton College, but that assumes Caxton would have available places, which they don't.

Of course each school will be different, but can anyone give a feel for how difficult it is currently to find places at international schools and whether there are local/regional differences (ie some places easier than others). Also whether anyone knows of schools that are likely to have places (assume the stretch down from Valencia to Alicante).

(eg we currently live in HK, and if asked the same question here, could tell you the waiting lists are long for most international school and its very difficult to find places, although there are one or two schools which have been expanding and are mroe likely to have places - and I guess looking for a similar type of feel for the situation in Spain in the Valencia/Alicante regions).
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:welcome:

we have two International Schools near me (halfway between Valencia & Alicante) - Laude Lady Elizabeth (LES) & Xabìa International College (XIC)

I know teachers from both, & families with kids at one or the other

They are very different to each other - if you visit them both, you will probably come out loving one & disliking the other - though obviously not everyone will love/dislike the same one!

I know that there is/has been a waiting list for some age groups at LES

XIC has been for the past couple of years been offering something like a 50% discount for any child transferring there from state school
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Thanks Xabiachica. Very curious on how the two schools mentioned differ so much.

From what you say we should probably try get over at Easter to have a look before making any commitment to a school (once we find one that is).

Any way to describe the key differences between the two ?

(the older one would only want to know which has the better football team).
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xabiaxica
angkag said:
Thanks Xabiachica. Very curious on how the two schools mentioned differ so much.

From what you say we should probably try get over at Easter to have a look before making any commitment to a school (once we find one that is).

Any way to describe the key differences between the two ?

(the older one would only want to know which has the better football team).
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don't forget the schools will be closed over the Easter hols.....

they are just very different as far as premises, facilities, ethos, attitude, uniform etc, though apparently as far as exam results higher up in the school are concerned, there's very little between them
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angkag said:
Thanks Xabiachica. Very curious on how the two schools mentioned differ so much.

From what you say we should probably try get over at Easter to have a look before making any commitment to a school (once we find one that is).

Any way to describe the key differences between the two ?

(the older one would only want to know which has the better football team).
Click to expand...
The two international schools I visited (in Barcelona area) in the summer told me that they make admission decisions by Mar-Apr (they do take kids on a rolling basis as space allows). Sometimes they have a wait list but at the time of the visit (Aug 2013) they did not. I think the best thing before you have a chance to come to Spain is to contact the schools of interest and inquire about their admission process and timeline. If possible, may be a trip before their admission decision timeframe so you have time to submit an application.
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Hi Xabiachica, looks like XIC do indeed have places, and so far, positively inclined towards it. LES haven't responded yet, but we are inclined to have the kids focus just on Spanish for the first year at least, then take it from there at the end of year 1 (I'm not quite fluent, but close, so have already started on their Spanish). Part of the reson is that they have been exposed to so many languages already in their short life (four, five now with Spanish), and would prefer to stagger it.

Not final yet, but Javea currently in first place wrt options. The more I've read, the better it sounds.
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xabiaxica
angkag said:
Hi Xabiachica, looks like XIC do indeed have places, and so far, positively inclined towards it. LES haven't responded yet, but we are inclined to have the kids focus just on Spanish for the first year at least, then take it from there at the end of year 1 (I'm not quite fluent, but close, so have already started on their Spanish). Part of the reson is that they have been exposed to so many languages already in their short life (four, five now with Spanish), and would prefer to stagger it.

Not final yet, but Javea currently in first place wrt options. The more I've read, the better it sounds.
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they'll be taught entirely in English at XIC - they do the UK curriculum

they'll get Spanish lessons - but they won't be taught any subjects IN Spanish at all as far as I'm aware

I teach Spanish privately to some students from there - they do just a few hours of Spanish a week (despite what the website might say)
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Yes I'm guessing most of his Spanish will be learned out of school.

One thing confuses me, most of the international schools state they have 70% to 80% Spanish pupils. Do they mean Spanish residents (as we will be), or Spanish nationals (passport holders) ?

I guess we'll learn this when we get there, but it looks odd from a distance (and vaguely hints of meeting quotas for some reason ?).

But if true, would that make the playground language Spanish or Valenciano ? (the older one learned more Japanese in the playground than any lessons he ever had)
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and I read one of your old posts that mentioned could pm after 5 posts......so this is number 5.....
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xabiaxica
angkag said:
Yes I'm guessing most of his Spanish will be learned out of school.

One thing confuses me, most of the international schools state they have 70% to 80% Spanish pupils. Do they mean Spanish residents (as we will be), or Spanish nationals (passport holders) ?

I guess we'll learn this when we get there, but it looks odd from a distance (and vaguely hints of meeting quotas for some reason ?).

But if true, would that make the playground language Spanish or Valenciano ? (the older one learned more Japanese in the playground than any lessons he ever had)
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they'll mean Spanish nationals - their parents send them to the International schools so that they learn English to a high level...

the playground language could be anything - more than likely the kids will speak whatever language they speak at home - although I believe English is 'encouraged' - as I said - that's why the Spanish parents send their children there in the first place
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