moving a teenager

[alanrose]

We are in the process of moving to Brittany and have heard a lot of good things about the French system as applied to a bright kid but........ the forum seems to contradict this. Any experience of moving a 13 year old?? As an aside, our now 18 yr old dysgraphic has had absolutely no support from either English or Scottish schools.......too bright so he always managed the average....

[val2]

Personally speaking 13 is straight into collge,missing out on valuable education gained in primaire. Some children adapt well,but others will not. If your child had no or very little french language skills,especially in writing I think they will find it extremely tough going as there is no special help available usually in a state collge and they are also expected to take another language at the same time as part of the fixed curiculum,except with an orphthophoniste (speech therapist) for which you will have to apply for via your french doctor for help with the payment. You may want to think of an International type school as the Brevt exam is only a couple of years away at 15/16 years old and you need this to get a specialist Lyce course for the next stage to prepare for the child's future career.

[Teamedup]

I'm sorry that your disgraphic child had no help. A comment about that though, there is help on those British Isles, it is just a case of finding it and frankly it is not that rare, my son went back and so we have done the two systems now, he does get help there.

Here and well, there is virtually nothing.

Yes, I ALWAYS say that bright kids who can fit into to a ridgid system will do well, they do well in just about every system don't they. Deviants and it is another story.

I don't know where the french education gets such good publicity in the UK and if you look at most of the postings on this board it would seem to be echoed. Which always amazes me as when I talk to french friends and when I was on the school councils for years and years, rosey it ain't, for an awful lot of people.

Looking back my guilt and regret is that we ever let our children into the french education system, especially from secondary level.......this is not advice, just a personal reflection.