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Moving with a reluctant teen? - views welcome


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Hmmm, perhaps..mind you having never lived in even a large town either here or in the UK it may all comes as a bit of a shock but then rural France for 4.5 years leaves you desparate for a bit of life. So whilst I'm trying to sound all 'I'm doing this for the good of my son' I'm actually quite liking considering living in a city in the future.
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[quote user="Panda "]

Yes, all options are going through my mind, which is why I am horrifed by threads like these where the education of the teen does not seem to be the most important thing, mess up at this crucial age and you could really mess their life up.  Is that OTT, perhaps it's just me...??

Panda

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Oh... this sounds so familiar.  We had the exact same discussions in the UK too.  Our son was at a fantastic little independant primary but we knew we would have to find a good secondary... our local one wasn't that great and again we thought of moving house to get into the right catchment area. 

You can't give your child an education nor can you make them learn but we can give them opportunities... I think you're right to research all avenues... I don't think you're OTT just responsible... On the flip side of this my step-children go to a huge school and we had real concerns about the choice... the school had a dreadful reputation and is one of the largest in Europe... but... they have flourished and are doing really really well... maybe that's down to the support of their family and the values we all impart... and of their own efforts of course, as much as the school.  I think that by doing what you're doing... you will give your son the best opportunities... you know him best after all!

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[quote user="Panda "]

Hello

The international schools I have looked at start at around 8k euros per year rising to 11k per year and that was in a very large city, I would be interested to know where the one that charge 20k is.

It's not all about integration, my son is pretty much fluent in French (after 4.5 years in france) but I am concerned that the local rural secondary school is not what I want for him.  Don't get me wrong the primary education has been great for him but I want to give him the best chance possible of following his aspirations to the full and also the chance of pursuing which ever career he choses, that for me means his English needs to be at the same level as his French,.  The international school I am considering follows the English curriculum and he would take International GSCE's, he can then chose (if he wishes) to go to Uni in the UK but as French is studied intensively he could also opt for a French uni. The other benefit for me is that should we have to return to the UK, you never really know if that could happen (main threat being lack of work), he will not suffer unduly because he could enter the UK system without issue.

So my reasons for considering a French international school are very different from someone bringing a teen in reluctantly, I would say though that from what I've seen of it the teen would get a good rounded education in one of these schools without risking total failure of exams as they would be following the curriculum they are used to, and being taught in English but with strong emphasis on French surely gives the best of both worlds for them if they really are going to be forced to come!!

Panda

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Forgot to say before anyone else does, I'm not rich just want the best for my son and no I couldn't afford the school Katie is talking about, not this side of winning Euromillions anyway!!

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Can I just add to this since we seem to be talking private versus state schools here?

Both my children went to our local college and then on to Lycee in Bergerac. My son went on to do Classes Prepas and took the entrance exams for Ecole Veterinaire where he is now in his 2nd year. My daughter is still at Lycee in Terminale and plans to do Pharmacie. Sorry but they wouldn't have done any better had I sent them to private school. My two are motivated and want to learn. It's really not about the school, it's about the student. If they want to learn then they will learn regardless!!

 

That's my two penneth!!   

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Hi Lucinda

Yes but as you;ve said yours went to Lycee in Bergerac, we live in the back of beyond and the local college will not be up to the Lycee in Bergerac and for me the chance of having to quit France mid my sons teens scares the life out of me as how well would he fair taking GCSE's if he arrived at 13 back in the UK.. not just private versus state..

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[quote user="Chateau Miaou"]

Has anyone seen Di?  [8-)]  Do you think she's been scared off?  [:(]  I hope she comes back to tell us what she thinks of the views expressed here . . .

[/quote]

I hope not... I would really like to know what she decides! 

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Yes Panda but my two went to college in our local village with 100 other pupils!!! VERY small but had the advantage of small classes. We are quite a way from Bergerac so my two have weekly boarded. Daughter goes in on Monday morning and is picked up Friday evening. Son did that too and it was great preparation for having to move to Toulouse to do Classes Prepas where he has stayed for Ecole Veterinaire. I cannot fault the system here but the kids need to have the motivation and a lot of that comes from us parents. My two were 10 and 5 when they came here and I invested a great deal of time in sitting with them both and getting involved with their work. Once they went to College I felt it was easier to take a back seat because by then they wanted to suceed. Once to Lycee their fate rests in their own hands. I still support but only when asked - only last week I had to correct a dissertation on the effect of antibiotics and the sun which son had to write in English - his grammar lacks a little after 12 years here!!![:D]
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[quote user="pale pink specs"]Hi Lucinda... that's fantastic!  thanks - it's really good to hear all sides!  What age were your children when they moved?  (sorry I'm assuming they're not French which is a big assumption!)[/quote]

Yes they are English and they were 10 and 5 when we came here - they are now 22 and 17 - oh god I feel old!!![;-)]

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Lucinda... you don't know how good it is to hear that!  Sometimes it is easy to hear just the things that go wrong... you were so right to post your story to give some balance!  We live between Bergerac and Perigueux and we have been told of a couple of good schools in Perigueux... I think we'll find the right place for our son when the time is right!  Thanks! [:D]
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Lucinder, I think a child of 5 will adapt easily into a foriegn school. With your 10 year old, it could have gone one way or the other.  Your investment in them was well rewarded.  However, I thought we were discussing teens here where, I think it is a HUGE gamble to put them into a French school especially a rural one at such an important time of life.

I must add Lucinder, you are very pretty. [:)]

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[quote user="pale pink specs"]Lucinda... you don't know how good it is to hear that!  Sometimes it is easy to hear just the things that go wrong... you were so right to post your story to give some balance!  We live between Bergerac and Perigueux and we have been told of a couple of good schools in Perigueux... I think we'll find the right place for our son when the time is right!  Thanks! [:D][/quote]

I couldn't agree more, it is great to hear that your kids are doing so well, perhaps I shouldn't worry about it so much, my son is also doing well, getting 19's in most subjects on a regular basis and frets terribly if he thinks he hasn't taken something in well in enough so I guess he already has a good work ethic.  I too spend time working things through with him and giving him as much support are possible.

Hey look we've turned this into a positive thread in the end, well done Lucinda!

EDIT, you're right of course Katie, still think teens coming into a rural school generally = bad idea!

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[quote user="Panda "][quote user="Just Katie"]

I must add Lucinder, you are very pretty. [:)]

[/quote]

That  makes you the Mama and OH not the Mama, you have to have watched the show from which the pic comes to know I've not gone mad!

[/quote]

Dinosaurs!!! Well that's what kids think us parents are!!!!

[;-)]

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[quote user="Sigognac"]

As for small rural schools, there seems to be a lot people actually moving to the country to put their kids there.

[/quote]

And for primary I think it's not a bad idea, for secondary though I'm not so sure..  when there is no work in the area and little hope of securing a job I feel aspirations drop down to what is achievable, so in this area that means postie  or...

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True, but with the price of real estates going through the roof in major cities, there seems to be a large influx of people from the cities to the more rural areas (in fact I was having this discussion with a local official - a notable Woot! [:-))] - a few weeks ago, who confirmed "l'exode rural à l'envers". Therefore this is changing the population mix quite a lot.
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But there's still no work, true this may improve the mix of kids but does nothing for their prospects and therefore theirs and their teachers expectations of life outside school.

EDIt : prices are supposed to be on a general decline also across the board

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[quote user="Panda "]

But there's still no work, true this may improve the mix of kids but does nothing for their prospects and therefore theirs and their teachers expectations of life outside school.

[/quote]

We must agree to disagree, there are more and more people, therefore more and more diversity. Teleworking/sohos are also revolutionising the way people work. I know quite a few relatively remote villages around here where once upon a time nobody who have even thought about settling in, which are now turned into building sites. But then, as Clinton said "What is your definition of remote?".

[quote user="Panda "]

But there's still no work, true this may improve the mix of kids but does nothing for their prospects and therefore theirs and their teachers expectations of life outside school.

EDIt : prices are supposed to be on a general decline also across the board

[/quote]

At this time of year prices always come down, but there is still an acute shortage of affordable homes, the only homes that are affordable are away from the major centres, therefore...

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