Schooling on the Costa Blanca
Relocating to Spain is a big decision especially if you are a parent, like the UK you will need to legally register your child in a school, so how do you find a good school on the Costa Blanca?
The first stop will be the local Town Hall or Ayuntamiento where they can give you information about the schools in your area.
Basically, there are a number of options, there are a number of good Spanish state schools in and around the Costa Blanca area, there are Private schools that have Spanish as the main language or Private international schools where children who are older and their 1st language is not Spanish can take lessons in English.
When making a choice for your children, it is worth considering their age as the expectancy to be fluent is high, the younger the child the better their chances are of making the most from the state school system as their ability to learn the language and the local customs is much higher.
Is your child over 11 years old?
It is worth considering that if your child is over the age of 11 years old, and they have a little or no Spanish then an international school would possibly be the best option for them, it is important to remember that your child will also be coping with a move to a new country, so to put them in an environment where they are not familiar with the customs and language can be traumatic (not always -some children flourish)!!.
Is your child an infant or primary age?
If your child is younger at infant or primary level, then consideration for a state school would be a good option, as the younger the child is the better the chance of learning and becoming fluent and integrating in new a new life and culture.
Each child and their route for education quite rightly will be different, but other things to consider are the costs for private schooling and the curriculum, which is different to that of the UK.
That said- there are a lot of fluent Spanish speaking British children that have overcome the challenges of a new life and will benefit across the globe with their new found language skills. Below or links for more information about schools but alternatively if you contact the local Town hall or Ayuntamiento they can assist you-
