When we had decided on the location more or less (Valencia region) and we had a chat with our friends about living in Spain, the next step was about finding a school. As I had mentioned in my first post I have two daughters and in the summer of 2024 when we started considering relocation they were 8 and 4 (Scarlett was born in July 2016 and Sofia in January 2020). So according to the British educational system Scarlett started Year 4 in September 2024 and Sofia started Reception. The idea was that we would move to Spain after the school year finished in July 2025. Finding a school in Spain was for us one of the most important aspects as we wanted them to settle well in the new country. We didn’t know how all this move was going to play out. In September 2024 we were still months away and it felt like we had lots of time. This was especially true when we heard that our friends’ process, from the decision to actual move, took 6 months!
My first thought regarding school was about choosing one of the public schools. The obvious reason was that the public schools are free (we didn’t know what the job situation will be for us in Spain) so we would look into making our monthly expenses as low as possible. However, in one of her first emails Susan mentioned that her children go to Iale International School. She had argued that in Valencia region public schools use 80/90% of time Valenciano as the main taught language. She had said that this was one of the downsides of living here that she wished she had known before they relocated over here. The mentioned school teaches Valenciano only once a week and the rest of the subjects are taught in English and Spanish with the Spanish curriculum. Moreover, the pre-schoolers start learning Chinese, which continues throughout their further education and from the primary they learn French too. This was a lot of information to take in and, I must admit, sounded a bit scary. My daughters are native British speakers and can communicate in Polish too, but to add to this mix Spanish, Valencian, Chinese and French sounded ridiculous!
We have decided to be open-minded about that (knowing too many languages can’t hurt you, right?) and taking into account our friends’ flying reviews about the school, we inquired about the places for our girls. The first email I sent to Iale was in late November and very quickly I received a reply with a subject in capital letters: NO PLAZAS 2020 ENGLISH. In the email the department for information and admissions had advised that the classes for those born in 2020 there are no places and there won’t be in the next few years. Nothing was mentioned regarding Scarlett. That was such a downer. I spoke with our friend and she advised that the school had grown popular in the last few years and it is challenging getting a place. Good job that we started looking early.
We Googled schools around La Eliana but then one that we got interested in was The British College La Canada. By then we had already booked our flights to Valencia for the February half term. Shortly before Christmas I emailed British College and scheduled a visit and the interview in February. Unfazed by the brisk reply from Iale I decided to try again. I sent them another email saying that they didn’t reply anything regarding Scareltt. I had also mentioned that we would be in Valencia in February and I had asked if we could only come and see the school. The reply was again very unhelpful saying that they were sorry but they already have 2 students waiting for a place in Year 4 (where Scarlett would be going) and they were sorry they were unable to assist us.
February came quickly and our trip to Valencia was everything we needed to put the stamp on our decision to relocate. We stayed 4 nights in the Airbnb apartment in Ciutat Vella and then 2 nights at our friends’ house in La Pobla de Vallbona. Although it was February the weather was beautiful. The women were already walking around in the traditional Fallas costumes. There was some sort of festival in the Plaza de la Reina where there was a stage and the Falleras were performing some traditional dances. It looked so beautiful and it was refreshing to see that the Spanish cultivate their traditions while so many nations lose theirs. During our stay we went to Bioparc, made a trip to the beach and just continued exploring. As scheduled we had a tour around the British College La Canada. The school looked great, clean, spacious with lots of extracurricular activities. I wouldn’t fault it except for the fact that we were not keen on living in La Canada. Although many wealthy Valencias have their villas there, the area seemed too quiet with not many other amenities. There was a park which didn’t look very exciting and we just saw a few cafes and small shops around the metro station. And the walk from the station to the school seemed long (around 20 minutes). At least we had an option as the school would have places for both of the girls. We thought that after we come to the UK we would do a bit more research and try to reach other schools as well.
We had our return flight on the 21st of February early in the morning. On the 20th we took the girls to Gulliver Park in Valencia. While there, I got an email from Iale saying that the decision had been made to have a few more places available for the year 2020 so there would be a place for Sofia. The situation was a bit more complicated for Scarlett as there were still 2 families on the waiting list but the email implied that there might be a possibility. They had asked if we could come to see the school on the 21st. So I called my friend quickly and told her about the update. She arranged for us to see the school the same day and we rushed from the park straight there. After the tour and having a long chat with Louise who is the International Deputy Head we had agreed to pay the registration fee for Sofia to secure her place and we put Scarlett on the waiting list. It was risky but we thought we had a better chance of getting a place for Scarlett if we already had one child in.
The next month was very stressful. We continued to worry what we would do if there won’t be any places in Year 4. We thought it would be awful if the girls had to start their new life being in different schools. We researched some schools and sent some inquiries but haven’t received any replies. In the meantime Scarlett had to also take an Entry test in Iale as they had to assess her level of English and Maths (children also have to take a test in Spanish but they knew Scareltt’s level was very basic and they said it wouldn’t be a deciding factor in her case). I have to admit my husband worried more about all this situation. Deep down I knew if it was meant to be, it would sort itself out. So after a month of uncertainty we had received an email from the school saying that there was a place available for Scarlett as well. And just like that the school problem was solved and we could focus on other things.
Many families thinking about relocating need to consider what school options they have in Spain. The main factor is if you have to pay the tuition or not, so there is a choice between public schools (free), semi private – concertados (there is some tuition fee but normally much lower than in private schools ) and private (full tuition fee). Local public Spanish schools offer national curriculum while many private schools offer either international baccalaureate (IB) or are bilingual, which means they teach local curriculum but with the increased level of English. The application process will vary depending on the type of school the family chooses but for the private schools it often starts quite early. We were told that by the end of February the parents who already have their children in school have to notify the school if they want to keep the place for the following school year. That gives the families waiting the chance to get in. The earlier you are on the waiting list, the more chances you have to get in once the school confirms there are places available. On the other hand for the public schools the application process starts at the end of May or in June and to be able to apply you will have to have the Empadronamiento (which is the free, mandatory registration of your address at the local town hall). When choosing the school the families should definitely consider if they want a private or public school which will also determine the curriculum, the location of the school and school facilities. We at Litora can help to guide you through this process as being in the right school can make the relocation for your children a more smooth and less stressful process. From our own experience we can see that our children thrive where they are and happy children make happy parents too.