If You Have Kids...
If you have kids and you relocate then education is key. If the options don't work then you're stuffed even if everything else works out great.
The single most important issue when moving to a new country with kids is how they will be educated. Do you go to an international school because the kids are at important times for exams and there is less disruption with the same curriculum? Do you decide on full immersion in the local state system or do you go for a bit of a halfway house with a private or semi private school in the local language? Montessori or traditional? Small class sizes or larger so the kids have more friends? The place with the best facilities or the one that gives off the best vibe and maybe a family atmosphere? So many questions and there is not a single answer that works for everyone.
In Spain and specifically in Valencia there are plenty of options when you look at the numbers of schools but there is one issue that is the most important. If you decide on a particular school do they have space for your child? That’s the main problem. The international schools are largely full. Your favourite option may not have a place for your child and this becomes a big problem when you have more than one. I can safely say that if you have four kids then there won’t be a school that has space for all of them unless you get really lucky and if they do then… there may be “reasons”.
Now back in 2021 I wrote the most read article on our blog, the guide to international and bilingual schools in Valencia. Most people contact us asking questions because firstly, they notice it was written a few years ago (This doesn’t matter as I update it regularly) and secondly I tell people to call us if they want to know some of the things I can’t write there because the schools read it or things we have heard recently. If you have kids and are thinking of sending them to a school in Valencia you should read it.
It’s time for some sound common sense though…
Send your kids to international schools if they are in the exam years and already preparing. There is too much disruption otherwise.
The younger the kids are the more inclined we are to suggest local Spanish schools
International schools are 90% Spanish kids so don’t worry about integration, the language of the playground is Spanish
The major difference between international schools and Spanish schools is in the educational project. Spanish schools still to this day have much more rote learning and many more tests and exams to demonstrate that learning
If your kid is shy and retiring then they may tend towards other native English speaking kids at the international schools as it’s easier. Try to encourage them not to. The more native Spanish speaking friends they have the quicker they will be integrated into friend groups outside school too whenre Spanish will be the lingue franca. This is easier in the local Spanish schools of course.
Keep asking questions of your kids about school because they can hide issues that are coming up if they are osatracised or otherwise have problems with integration. Talk to the schools about steps they take to integrate new kids beforehand if coming in secondary years
Start learning Spanish yourself, it helps with communicating with the other parents too when on play dates etc…
Look into online reviews of schools but take them with a pinch of salt. There are always parents with axes to grind and there are always ten sudden positive reviews written in the space of a day after those bad reviews. They are often in suspicious English as if they were written by the school owner’s friends perhaps ;-)
Oftentimes once here you won’t want to move your child even if you would prefer another school as the kid has their friend groups established and that social issue is just as important as a “Slightly better” educational experience.
Ask other parents about their experiences. You can find them hanging about in Facebook groups or by doing basic web searches on other platforms. You can also ask us about clients who have sent their kids to certain schools and we can put you in touch.
Last thing… if you are thinking about putting your kids into international schools then contact them well before your move. And here’s the thing. They are dreadful at answering mails, phones or any other communications. You have to be insistent. Usually though the reason they don’t answer is because they are full. If you send a mail then include the child’s name, date of birth and age along with details of their current schooling. Ask if there are spaces and if not then how many others are on the waiting list for your particular year. If you already have one child at the school and another at another then your second child goes to the top of the waiting list at your preferred school usually so if there’s only space for one maybe consider it.
If you have more questions about bilingual and international schools in Valencia after reading this and the main blog post then contact me and we can chat. We understand it’s the most important aspect of any relocation so it’s essential to get it right.
