Jacqui

We will be moving to France at the end of 2003. Could someone tell me whether parent and toddler groups exist in France and if so, does anyone know of such groups around the Riberac/Aubeterre areas?

Can anyone give me advice regarding primary schools in the Riberac area? We have a nine year old son who is doing quite well in school in the UK but does not speak/read/write French (he started having classes twice a week from September). We will be moving permanently in December to north east Dordogne,on the border of southern Charente. We knew that it would be very tough for our son but thought that it would be best that he attend the local school and that we would also pay for an after school tutor to help him through the first difficult months of learning a new language and coping with a new school. However, when we visited the local village school, the directrice felt that it would be too difficult for him as neither she nor teachers spoke any english and extra tuition within the school is not be provided. She wasn't being unhelpful but obviously was trying to be realistic about the situation. We then visited a private Catholic school in Riberac which fortunately has very low fees. The directeur was helpful and spoke very slowly as my French is very rusty at the moment. Yet he also made it clear that it would be very difficult for our son and he could become totally lost as no extra help was given nor did the teachers speak English. I really liked the school even though we are not Catholics but once again was concerned about the language problem. After speaking to various people who told me that our son would have no problem integrating because Riberac is such an English area, I am feeling extremely worried and concerned that this will not be the case. I would feel much happier if I could get my son into a primary school where his teacher is able to speak a little English, just so that some aspects of the schooling can be explained to him without him sitting there completely lost for hours on end. We would then help him at home with a tutor. Any recommendations about primary schools (private or public) around this area would be gratefully received. Thanks Jacqui