International School of Bearn, Pau

[Fiona]

Hi there - just wandered if anyone was familiar with this school at all as we are considering it as an option for our two kids (6 and 4).  Does anyone know anything about it at all?  Also can anyone recommend any good estate agents in the area?

Thank you

[amanda]

Hi Fi I just saw your posting and was wondering the same thing. I can't seem to find out what the fees are though, do you have any idea? My children are 4 and 3.

Amanda

[Wendy]

What's wrong with the local schools...?

International Schools in France are never cheap.

[Fiona]

Probably nothing!!!! However, considering some of the responses on the "Do kids enjoy school", and knowing what my children are like and what they enjoy and don't enjoy I have to admit to being very concerned about how well my eldest in particular would settle and how happy he would be that, therefore I am looking at this school as a possible option - only a possible.  And it is only an option as the fees are relatively reasonable.

Therefore if anyone has anything constructive or informative to tell me about the ISB I would love to hear from them, otherwise.............

Thank you

 

[Joanna]

Are you planning to move here permanently?  Because if you are the chances are your children won't assimilate into the country properly if they go to the International school.  They won't get to know other local children, join in the local activities etc. 

[Joanna]

[quote user="Jura"]

What's wrong with the local schools...?

[/quote]

 

Jura, what's happened to you?  Are you actually saying something in France might be half way decent?

[Wendy]

Hi Joanna. Actually I still have my 'issues' with French schools to this day, BUT, when we moved here we only ever intended for our kids to attend French schools. Many things here in France are much more than 'halfway decent' so long as you do not consider the 'admistrative' side of France, and that has always been our problem. I just have problems with these Brits who come to live here, state how 'integrated they are'  and yet hang on to the British side of things...International Schools always cost loads of money for what they deliver...maybe if you want your kids to have a British education then it is best to stay in the UK and educate them for much less until they are finished with such...?

I wish I had and I am not even British!

I understand in a way though...life in the UK is dog eat dog; you risk your life walking down the streets there nowadays so no wonder folk want to get their kids out of that place. But if you really wish to make your whole life in France what good will it do your kids to educate them in France but in English...?

 

 

 

 

[Fiona]

I just have problems with these Brits who come to live here, state how 'integrated they are'  and yet hang on to the British side of things..

By "these Brits" I assume you are referring to, among others, myself?  With all due respect Jura you do not know me, anything about me or my plans and circumstances.  Therefore - I would be grateful if you could please refrain from making judgemental comments on a post that is not asking for anything other than information on a particular school and area.  How I choose to educate my children is MY business.  And quite frankly you appear to be one of the main culprits in why I am looking into the possibility of Int school for my children - for it is you,  among many others, who have made a lot of negative comments about French schools.  I know my children - I know what they are good at and what they enjoy - therefore I know where they will and will not be happy.  I have no intention of claiming to be fully integrated, particularly if we do go down this route of education - it is not a competition as far as I am concerned.  All I want is to have a happier, safer, slower better quality of life - I want to live somewhere where my kids can ride their bikes in relative safety, where we can go skiing in the winter and head to the beach in the summer.  Whether we stay here for a year or 30 years is entirely open at this stage - I just want to do the right thing for my kids, therefore, if this school is affordable and offers what I want and I think my kids will be happy there then I will send them thereand I do not give a toss what anyone thinks, alternatively if I find a really nice local school and I think my kids will be happy there then brilliant.  This obsession about being British in France and integrating etc etc to me is irrelevant - all I want to do is to give my family a good quality of living and my kids a happy carefree childhood.

So once again I respectfully ask if anyone knows anything about this school or area please let me know, otherwhise would those who only wish to gripe please do so on another thread....................thank you

 

 

[Joanna]

Fi, from my own experience I'd really adivse you to think about whether making your children happy is going to include making local friends and speaking the langauge.  They won't learn much French if they go to an International School - even if half the lessons are in French there will still be so many native English speakers there that they'll speak English in the playground - and that's where children learn French, not in the classroom.  When my children arrived here there was a half English girl in the same class as my 7 year old who spoke good English, even though they were separated at the end of the term my daughter's French didn't become really fluent until Natalie had been moved to another part of the school and my daughter had to stop asking Natalie to translate.

In addition there's the question of friends.  The chances are there won't be any children at the International school who are going to live close by, almost certainly none within a walk/bike ride away.  My kids went to a small private school when we arrived because we thought the smaller class sizes would be better.  It was only 7km away but even so there were no other children from our village there.  In retrospect I should have sent them to the village school for then they would have made local friends which only happened after child no 2 started to go to the local college.

However if you think you might be going back to the UK sometime the International School is probably a good option.

Incidentally all my three have done well here - there have been some problems along the way, no system is perfect, but all in all I'm very glad we brought them here.  And so are they.  They keep on saying so.

[Fiona]

Hi Joanna, Thank you for honest reply and I appreciate what you are saying.  I apologise if my other post sounded somewhat curt but all I was asking for was information on this specific school and instead I felt as I was being judged which I did not ask for and do not welcome, particularly as the person in question does not know what our long term plans are and therefore is not in a position to pass judgment.  I fully take on board what you are saying though and I agree - I admit I have been a bit "scared off" by some of the other negative posts on the schools thread.  However the issue is really that we don't know if we will stay long term.  We know roughly the area we want to live in but have not had a chance to explore schools etc - therefore we intend to rent for about a year to give us time to fully explore areas to buy in (and what the schools are like in those areas), and to really see how we settle.  If it works for us then we will buy and then look at local schools - I was really just looking at the International school as an interim measure. 

Thanks again

Fi x

[apples4ykl]

If anyone has information on this school, I too would be interested in learning more. I am an American teacher married to a French citizen. I am currently teaching in the US Virgin Islands but long term goals is to move the family to France. Therefore, I am currently researching possible schools in France. The International School in Pau has an impressive website but that is the only source of information I have for this school at this point.

Thank you in advance for your assistance,

Yvonne

[Lollie]

Hi

 

Below is a list of schools in France offering the Option Internationale Baccalaureate, many of which are state schools with sections in English Spanish etc. A good compromise for those wishing to follow the french Bac and continue studies in their maternal language also.

Lollie

 

http://www.ciep.fr/en/oib/listetab.php

[JMB]

Hi, I have visited ISB a couple of times and spoken to parents who send their kids there.  They are very happy.  One family I know who is French and lived in England for a while wouldn't send their kids anywhere else. 

Madam Ellias who runs the school is a formidable woman and has done extraordinary things in difficult circumstances.  The French government  doesn't exactly fall over itself to accommodate non-standard schools. 

I have also met lots of people who are very happy  with the  French schools they send their kids to and, given so many people move to France from England and then go back within a couple of years, it should come as no surprise to find some of these people putting their kids through French schools in the UK.  I have also spoken to people who wish they had never put their kids anywhere near a french school, so it's horses for courses ...

Personally I would have no qualms about putting my five year old daughter into a local school, but my seven year old son wouldn't cope with the stress. 

As a child I moved between numerous schools in different coultries.  Each move was stressful enough even without having to contend with learning a new language in order to communicate with my friends.

[Jo]

Hi Fi, I've just read all your replies and I can understand your frustration at asking a simple question and getting a lecture in response !

Maybe I can help a little. We're moving back to Pau this summer having spent 2 years away. Our girls are going to start ISB in September. When we lived in Pau 2 years ago they went to Ste Ursule which is a private Catholic school (private in the French system doesn't equate to the same fees as the UK). We found Ste Ursule to be a good school, but we felt the French (perhaps especially private) education system demands a lot from the kids at a young age. At the time, our eldest was 7 and already getting a good hours worth of prep. Our kids are both bilingual having spent 5 years in French schools. Our plan is for them to receive their education in English, then subscribe them to activities after school run by French organizations - like ski clubs (which the eldest did 2 years ago & it was fantastic), gymnastics, swimming, horse-riding etc. That way, they'll be more than competent in spoken French. English is the International language and we feel that the kids need to have a good command of written English. Our eldest had to work hard to bring her English up to a scratch after all the years spent in the French system. Regarding the school itself, I spent a morning there in March and was VERY impressed. The class sizes are small and the standards are high. I also spoke to some parents, all of which had very positive things to say. I hope this helps a little. Good luck with your decision !

[Fiona]

Thank you Jo!!!  That was EXACTLY the sort of response I was looking for - relevant and informed [:)] (and thanks to John as well for his helpful comments).   Good luck with your move also - and perhaps one day we will meet at the ISB!!

Thanks again Fi

[moindou]

Yep I know Jo, she's right; happy kids, limited number in class, great teachers, good community (parents helping each other), but any future? Nobody knows; not enough children in secondary, no new buildings, no International Baccalaureat despite the headmistress's promises!!!!!! If you make any enquiries, be more critical, I mean less naive than we've been so far!

[FStolte]

Hi,

I have read with much interest the past thoughts about the International School and was wondering since how the children have adapted to the school and whether you have a recent opinion so share.

We are looking to relocate this summer to Pau from Texas and have 2 boys trilingual (German, French and English) and are really concerned to find them  a international school since they are alread in this system here in Houston.

Thank you very much!

[Arthur]

Hello,

I too have followed this discussion for the last year and wonder if there is in fact any new information about ISB. My family and I are spending the summer in Pau in search of a home and would like to know more about the school.

We are also searching for a gymnastics program for our daughter who is currently a member of the Prague gymnastics club. If anyone has any useful information regarding this please let us now. It would make a transition for us much simpler since she is very involved in the sport.

Thanks in advance.

[emma]

Hello

I'm new to this discussion but would also like to know more about the ISB. Does anyone know how much the fees are? Thanks :-)

[tina]

Some people are making good points about international schools in France but I don't think they should be looked at badly. Although they are private and can be very expensive, they give an excellent eduation and many of them offer the Baccalaureate International which is widely recognized around the world. If you are worried about your kids not learning French and not assimilating in the culture, there are other ways for this to happen. They can join local sport teams, get involved in other hobbies or clubs outside of the school, get to know your neighbors' kids, etc. Also it's important to know that the French also send their kids to international schools, so they will be meeting French kids there as well!

[Fiona]

[Post Removed at request of user.]

[oxy]

Hi,

I can only concur with Fiona's view. I recently moved from England to Pau and I was looking forward to sending my daughter to the ISB, but my willingness stopped short after I talked with some of my colleagues. The headmistress is not that brilliant at all and her English education does not seem to that brilliant. The school itself is located within an industrial zone just close the motorway, and I would not like to stay there when it is sunny. The play grounds are poor and dusty, etc ... so I got very puzzled by the previous comments. As Fiona said the fees are very high and at that prices it would certainly better to have a private tutor (even the full time nursery in England did not cost me that much), and my impression is that the school relies on "desperate" parents who rightly are looking for the best education for their kids but there is no much choice (ISB has been created with a business mind not really an educational one). All the teachers are not certified. Basically I ended up sending my daughter to French school and she's just as happy. On that basis I would certainly NOT recommend that school.

[mitsi]

We visited the school earlier this year with a possible view to re locating to the area. I was not too impressed by the fact that the school was on the edge of an industrial site and close to the motorway. There wasn't much outdoor space but to be fair there isn't in a lot of French schools. The teachers we met were lovely and gave us confidence that the school would be a friendly environment.  There were around 70 students and 23 nationalities (much like an innercity school in the UK?), all seemed happy, but a lot of work for the teachers when English maynot be the native tongue.

We wanted to go near to Pau for the location and the views, looking to set up gites, potentially. If our daughter went to the school realistically we couldn't be further than 20 mins to 30 mins away for the daily commute, that meant we were totally away from where we wanted to be and prices were higher.

With children as young as yours, personally I would put them in a French school. We came here 7 years ago so our children were 2 and 6 and they have no problems with the language. Our problem is the college years, no flexibilty at all. The youngest is struggling, she's had so many different teachers, mainly I think because we are too rural. If I were to come to France again I would choose somewhere more affluent - such as Pau with more facilities. There are 8 colleges and 8 Lycee (I think) in the Pau region and a University. People there are younger and more cosmopolitan. There is a possible other option at Orthez but I couldn't find much information.

Having recently gone back to the UK and visited some schools there, we have made our decision to go back. The schools there offer so much more. So after 7 years of wanting to believe the French system is better , it's back to blighty for us, older and wiser? Who knows, but definately different!

[sfhdweb]

Joanna,thanks  for  advice

[moindou]

Hi everybody,

I would NOT recommand that school.

My kids were there for 2 years (2007-2009)they enjoyed it for a while but not enough teenagers.

We letf mainly because the head mistress's is not trustworthy, business mind! From 12 kids per class as told in advertising they were 14 then 16 and now many more. Still no new school, poor structure, teacher coming and going 'out of the blue', no IB diploma even if some parents were told a very different story when they made inquiries... parents from private companies are warmly welcomed: Of course the fees for a secondary child jumped from €13000 to €18000 in

two years. Despite constant complaints from parents, few

decide to boycott that school: seems to be

less painful when money doesn't get out your own pocket!

After all, the most important is our kids regardless our Background and principles... so good luck and all the best for the ones who are still there.