Education for 15year old near Thivier

[Marge]

Hi,
My husband, myself and 15 year old daughter are moving to a village approx 5km from Thivier, dept. 24, in 2 weeks.
My daughter is very apprehensive and not too impressed at the moment!
I would appreciate any information that anyone can give me on schools in the area and any social clubs etc. I know that if she met some friends that she would settle much easier.
As most parents will appreciate, if she is happy then are lives will be a little more pleasant!!!

Many Thanks,
Diane Parker

[Miki]

Diane,

I guess that it was obviously you or your husbands choice (or both) to move to France, what thought had you given to your daughters education and further on, what work do you think she will eventually find in France ?

Or have you bought a business large enough to offer her proper employment in a few years time?

Did you not sort out schools a while ago in readiness for the rentree (return to school)in just over a couple of weeks time?

Does she speak good French? She will have to also accept that she will start in a class at least one year below her level.

I don't know the full story as you never said but although I wish you good luck, to my mind, you may well be in for a tough time. At 15 our kids wanted away from the N.Dordogne, as for much of winter, spring & Autumn, many villages around us simply "closed down" and we were forever taking them to friends houses etc which was often us much as a 60 minute round trip.

OK, quiet country living may suit some kids I'm sure, it did ours for a while but then teenage years really kicked in and they needed a little more in their lives.

Good luck again.

Miki

[Val_2]

Diane, be prepared for a rough time to come at the start. Your daughter is going to be plunged into a completely alien world without much hope of communication for a while and then will have to make the decision that could affect the rest of her life in which Lyce course she will take in a couple of years time. For those who have been through the system it dosn't get any easier the older they get and the cost to the parents is enormous in many ways,so be prepared to pay out big money. Would it not benefit your daughter to take her exams in the UK and then settle in France as she has a hell of a lot of catching up to do and the french education system is not geared up for one to one teaching at any level. I just want to warn you what you are likely to be in for and that you must help her with her work as much as you can. You should really have registered her back in June to start at collge because they have to work out numbers regarding students out of the area and the number of extra teachers to take on. YOu will also need to supply a full medical history including recent BCG vaccinations as well.

[Pucette<P><FONT face="Times New Roman" size=3>Pucette<FONT><P><FONT face="Times New Roman" size=3><P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt">"Qui ne connaît pas la campagne lhiver, ne connaît pas la campagne et ne connaît pas]

LAST EDITED ON 23-Aug-04 AT 08:12 AM (BST)

It might be worth posting under SW; I'd be surprised but intrigued to hear of social clubs round there (apart from night clubs and rugby clubs).

[Deby]

Hello Diane,

I tried to respond to you the other day - just before the Forum switched over and went off-line.  The other replies you have received are in common with my own thoughts.  Your daughter will find it very hard at her age - maybe in your first email you did not explain your circumstances fully, but it would probably be beneficial that she stay at her current school and continues with her education there, she could then experience France during her holidays - she would then benefit from the both worlds.

I wish you luck and hope these comments have helped to enable you to make a fully informed decision.

Deby

[Fleur]

I live in the area - no youngsters in our house though - but there does seem a lot of youngsters in the town generally.

As I suggested in my PM, try the Thiviers library, the english lady in there will surely help you.

Good luck to you all.

[Marie-Clare]

We have just moved to France within the last couple of months and have three of our four children starting at school this week. I mentioned your worries to my 16 year old who has just finished his GCSE s in England and is switching to the first year of a Science Bac. He has made very good friends with a lot of the local young people over our holidays in the last three or four years and although he speaks the language well will obviously have a lot of workto do on the written side. He felt that it will be hard for your daughter but was anxious to pass on the message that his experience of life here is that the young people are very inclusive and he is looking forward to starting lycee. We both hope it all works out well for you all.