5 Year Old Twin Boys starting School in Sept

[JackieH]

I am hoping to start my 5 year old twin boys in school in Sept '07 (somewhere near Bordeaux).  Any advice on the type of school they should go to.  Is it best for them to be in a totally French speaking school or more helpful if 'someone' speaks English at the school.  I am desperately worried about just leaving them in a strange school.  Any advice?  Also any advice on actually finding a school once we have pinned down an exact location.  (We are trying to rent a house).

[Panda]

Hi

This subject has been covered many times, you should read the previous posts in the section. 

As far as getting them into a school, our local school has already sent out the forms required for registration for September and so you would be wise to get a move on and decide on an area as in three weeks time all the schools will be shut until September and so viewing etc will be impossible.  The age cut off between maternelle (kind of nursery equivalent) and primaire (primary)  is 5 and so I believe they should be starting in primaire.  Whether or not you will find a school with anyone that speaks English depends where you chose to live, in our first property my son was the first English child in school and no one spoke English, he cried every day for about 6 weeks and it was such a wrench to leave him, he was just 3 at the time.  He did quite quickly integrate and was able to converse after about 5/6 months, he is now doing very well.

Do not underestimate though the feeling of desperation when you first leave them knowing they have to listen to a 'foreign' language for  8 hours a day.  I remember feeling so bad knowing it was my dream to come to France not his, having left all his friends and family behind he was also expected to go to a school where he could not understand anyone, I'm feeling tearful at the memory!

He is happy now though and that's the important bit, but please do make sure you do some soul searching and some planning before you embark on this journey as the first few hundred miles are very painful!

Panda

[Blanche Neige]

 I am desperately worried about just leaving them in a strange school.  Any advice? 

Vital

Teach them how to ask  for the toilet in French.

 

[Artois]

Hi Jackie

I think if you are going to send them to a French school 5 is an ideal age to start. We have friends who came over with  their daughters and the 5 year old adapted amazingly quickly to the language compared with her 9 year old sister who found it much harder.

I empathise with you having twin boys and it always complicates the situation. In a small school you may not have the choice of separate classes. Although at 5 it may be better for them at the start together, to have each other for support. Ours started out in the same class when they were 10 and appeared to take  longer than other children of their age to become comfortable with the language probably due to the fact they were talking to each other in English. We have also had a few behavioural problems as they tend to use the fact that they are different ie "Anglais" to push the boundaries, often using the lame excuse they do not understand. I don't think a singleton would try it on in the same way. However at 5 I would imagine your boys will be at a similar developmental level as the French children.

Although we are now moving back to complete their education in the UK (probably due to the fact 10 was quite late to start out and catch up with their French peers) We have no regrets at having chosen a French school. They have integrated and have friends at school and in the village. Unlike their sister who attends an International School and consequently has not integrated into village life in the same way.

The school have been very supportive within the confines of the prescritive French system but we have found it to be a big disadvantage that the school have had no previous experience of teaching English children.

Good luck with the move.

[Emma]

Our children started the local village school in September of last year.  At the time there were 5 other english children in a school of only 55 pupils.  The teachers unfortunately used this to their advantage and plonked our children next to their english classmates which, although it made life easier for them, my 5 year old daughter who is very lazy, didn't learn any french until I asked the teacher to move her away, at which point her french improved dramatically.  In hindsight I would have preferred for them to be the only english children as at the start they formed a little click at playtimes, which I'm sure didn't endear them to the other children.  There are now only 4 english children there, as one family left, and both my kids have close french friends now and can join in the banter with the others.

 

However, be prepared for plenty of tears all round, and the horrendous guilt you will feel for the first few weeks (possibly months), but stick with it, both children now come out of school all smiles, are doing really well in class, and more importantly, have lots of friends.

 

I would agree with the idea of teaching them to ask how to go to the toilet.  Before my children started at school, the teacher said it's a good idea to teach them general day to day stuff, like they have hurt themselves, they don't understand, words for classroom tools, pencil, book etc.  It's not much but gives them a bit of confidence if they need help.

 

Also some knowledge of french on your part is a major advantage.  You can help them with their homework and explain anything to them they haven't understood.  After a short time, my kids were coming home asking what something their teacher had said means.  If you show some confidence with the language they hopefully will too and won't be so embarassed talking in french if they see you doing it as well.

 

Obviously, there are other issues with twins which are probably best discussed with teachers.  Best to visit a few schools and assess, if you can, what their attitudes are.  There are pros and cons to going to small village schools or larger ones in the towns, I'm sure everyone has a different opinion, often depending on the individual child.

 

Whatever you decide, best of luck.

[Georgina]

Hi Jackie, I have twin boys started school here at 6.  No problem whatsoever.  Before I came, I introduced them to French in England with some French private lessons and some at school.  I took them to the school when I came on holiday as some of the holidays did not coincide.   The school did not have any other British children and after about six months, they went away skiing for one week, which was good for their French (their only problem was me being too worried).

It is actually easier having twins because of the obvious fact that they have someone else and will not feel alone.  My two are totally unalike in every way but I invited lots of other children to come to our house for goute (play and biscuits) after school.  They started in the class a year under their English equivalent and they are totally fluent now and have been after about six months of permanent schooling (they are 9 now). Now they are the eldest in the class but only by about four months.  I did not want to push them and they have felt no pressure.  Don't worry it won't be a problem at all.

Wish you were nearer, it would be nice to meet you and the twins.

Georgina