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View Full Version : Education What junior schools are there in Los Cristianos, Tenerife?



courtney129
18-06-2012, 22:15
Anyone advise me on junior schools in Los cristianos please, I have twin daughters of 11 & moving out there soon. Also, where do you ex-pats meet up in Los cristianos? Would love advise about everything. Eager for replies, thanks.

bonitatime
20-06-2012, 14:22
Don't do it they are the wrong age to adapt.

KirstyJay
20-06-2012, 14:32
Unless your kids are fluent Spanish, I'd have to agree with Bonitatime. I'm a big advocate of the state school system here, as I used to work in it, and would normally be all for putting kids into the Spanish system, but for your age of children it will be hard for them to adapt. They will have to start at High school in a year. A new school, new friends AND learning a new language would be extremely tough. I would consider a private school such as Wingate instead.

courtney129
20-06-2012, 17:14
Thank you both for replying, have wondered if wingate would be best, at least for the first year. But do they learn Spanish there?

fonica
20-06-2012, 18:08
Not enough to move into a Spanish instituto and study all subjects in Spanish.Even English kids who have been in the Spanish system for years can find if difficult. You would have to be prepared to put your twins in an expensive private school, like Wingate for at least 6 years, and then,if they were academic,they would want to return to the UK to go to Uni.Think long and hard about what you are doing and make sure you have a huge pot of money behind you because you will struggle to earn any here. Not being negative,I love the island and have been here 30 years with children and grandchildren here,but it is tough for the newcomers, especially if they don't speak fluent Spanish.

courtney129
20-06-2012, 20:08
Thank you, have managed to pick up that it's going to be a struggle. Fortunately we have some money behind us and are planning on renting for a year to be sure it's the right decision before burning our bridges in the UK. Planning to live in Los cristianos, do you know if many of the ex pats reside there? Especially families. Thanks again for your comments.

Muppet
21-06-2012, 11:32
1. I think you mean "do they Teach Spanish at Wingate" - Yes they do, but only as a second language as they might in the UK or any other schooling system.

You appear to not be interested in any of the warnings from the many experienced posters here (Kirsty and Mrs TT) both experienced in such matters, so I thought it better to put up the post you really want to read, despite a very large packet of sea-salt on the table near me.

Do please come over, your husband will pretty much walk into a job as he gets off the plane at Tfs. The papers here are bursting with ads for people with plasterering and other building skills. Rates of pay are well in excess of three grand a month on full-time legal contracts, and with your obvious skills you should be able to find a part-time job in relative moments.

No problem with housing either - you are certain to find a beautiful 3 bed villa which you should be able to rent that will suit you perfectly, if you look around there's hundreds of them right on the sea-front with beautiful views and rear gates opening directly onto the miles of sun-kissed golden sand. Lots of lushous green grassed lawns too.

Private school fees are as cheap as chips here, your children will have some of the best carear opportunities ahead of them that you'll find anywhere in the world, and the language "barrier" simply doesn't exist in Los Cristianos as everyone speaks English - expecially in the social security office, the town-hall, and of course the police station where you will all need to register as do the doctors and other services you will need to speak to.

The entire town of Los Cristianos is British, speaking English fluently, the main central square is awash with beautiful cafes and bars where everyone gets together to chew the fat on sultry summer evenings over a half of Stella or a Dorada.

.........

.........

.........

Damn - just woken up - great dream though!

Suej
21-06-2012, 11:48
I also have seen your other threads Courtney129 and it does seem as though you are waiting and hoping for a reply that suits you best and will convince you you are doing the right thing! you really should take notice of the people that know how it really is and not make the mistake of your life! You won't find your pot of gold here you will have to bring that with you!:)

courtney129
21-06-2012, 14:41
It seems you have a good sense of humour Muppet, and thanks for your response and taking the time to answer. If only things could be that easy! I realise that they are going to be hard and that's why we are renting for the first year, also going to try and get the children into wingate if possible so they carry on their education.
I get the impression from this forum that so many people have regrets and have lost all their savings and ended up with nothing as they have persued their dream only to have it shattered.
It has made me very aware not to rush in and buy a property, I shall retain my assets at home so no bridges burned.
But I thank everyone on here for making me pinch myself, very hard, and having a sharp reality check.

KirstyJay
21-06-2012, 15:18
It seems you have a good sense of humour, and thanks for your response and taking the time to answer. If only things could be that easy! I realise that they are going to be hard and that's why we are renting for the first year, also going to try and get the children into wingate if possible so they carry on their education.
I get the impression from this forum that so many people have regrets and have lost all their savings and ended up with nothing as they have persued their dream only to have it shattered.
It has made me very aware not to rush in and buy a property, I shall retain my assets at home so no bridges burned.
But I thank everyone on here for making me pinch myself, very hard, and having a sharp reality check.

The best place to find out about Wingate, would be via their website. There is a full list of their fees here : http://www.wingateschool.com/Fees%20and%20information.asp

By my reckoning, you will need to pay just over 3800€ per TERM. This already includes the 5% discount it states you get for 3 children from the same family. That's 950€ per month over a 12 month period. You'll also need rent. For a 3 bed house or flat, which is what you'll need for your family probably, you'll probably be looking at between 800 to 1000€ a month in Los Costianos. Then you have your food, utilities, and other expenses. For my family of 4 (me, my OH and 2 small kids + 2 cats) our weekly shopping bill is around 100 to 150€. That's not extravagant either. Then there's healthcare... if you are not on contract in the state tax system, you'll have to pay for private.

You will need about 3000 to 3500€ a month to support your family here. This is not coming from a person who has nothing and has pursued a dream only to have lost it, as I have lived here 12 years, own my own house outright and have my own business that is coming along nicely, even in the current economic climate. I'm not rich, but I am happy and consider myself fortunate. I also speak Spanish, so do not have a pay a translator to help me out with paperwork.

You have NO OPTION but to put your kids in state school at their age. You can only go the private education way if you have any consideration for your children and their education. That's not trying to give you a guilt-trip, it's fact - coming from someone that has worked in the state school system for 5 years and taught in the classrooms.

If you can afford the layout of 3500€ a month and can support yourself for at least a year, go for it. If not, stay where you are and use the cash for holidays :)

fonica
21-06-2012, 15:21
However you are still going to bring a 13 year old and 11 year old twins to the island and pay a huge amount of money for this trail run, (school deposits non refundable etc.) and then find that those of us who have made a go of life here were not advising you out of our own loss of illusion but out of reality.If you have a profession,speak fluent Spanish and have plenty of money,the first few years here are not easy and we all had many mountains to climb in the beginning but with 3 youngsters, at a really important time in their education,to risk their welfare in the cause of a little experiment,just isn't fair.

courtney129
21-06-2012, 20:18
Thank you so much for that info kirsty jay, I had reckoned about the same. With regard schooling are you suggesting wingate as best option for my daughters? Are you aware of waiting lists for this school?

KirstyJay
21-06-2012, 23:58
I have no idea. You should contact the school to find out that information. I, nor the forum are connected to them.

KirstyJay
21-06-2012, 23:59
And yes, it probably is the best option - if not the only option in south Tenerife.

slodgedad
22-06-2012, 01:27
My daughter did her schooling in Wingate because when we arrived here she was nearly 4 and we weren't sure how long we would be here so opted for an English curriculum which she could have continued had we returned home.

Now that there is a national curriculum in the UK British schools abroad are obliged to follow it, which means that moving back to a school in the UK is just like moving home in the UK.

Now, 18 years later, I wish I had sent her to Spanish school as most of her peer group are locals. (20/20 hindsight)

Apart from work and home she rarely speaks English.

Wingate is a great school but the same education can be obtained at a much lower price.

KirstyJay
22-06-2012, 02:00
But slodgedad, your daughter was 4. The OPs daughters are 11,11 & 13. It's a huge difference when taking about adapting. It's easy as a 4 year old, but not so later on.

slodgedad
22-06-2012, 02:13
But slodgedad, your daughter was 4. The OPs daughters are 11,11 & 13. It's a huge difference when taking about adapting. It's easy as a 4 year old, but not so later on.

Totally agree, K.

In my opinion, especially if the OP has no guaranteed commitment here, then the kids should go to English school.

If you noticed I mentioned 20/ 20 hindsight.

MrsTT
22-06-2012, 08:12
There are waiting lists for certain classes in Wingate, but Kirsty is right, and the best place for the most detailed information is the school itself -http://www.wingateschool.com/

KirstyJay
22-06-2012, 12:14
Totally agree, K.

In my opinion, especially if the OP has no guaranteed commitment here, then the kids should go to English school.

If you noticed I mentioned 20/ 20 hindsight.
I totally agree with you! :D Normally I am a full-blown advocate of the Spanish education system and would be actively encouraging a person to put their kids into state school, or at least a Spanish private school if they were young (infant or early primary) as they pick up the language so quickly. I have seen it happen and I'm jealous :D

However, I have also seen 10 and 11 year old children struggle in state school, and I didn't want the OP getting the wrong end of the stick and misunderstand the reply in the context of this thread. The decision she's making right now is pivotal to her children's educational future and she needs to fully understand the implications of putting her child in state school in Tenerife at the age they are.

:)