French lessons in UK then Toulouse?

[Berlioz]

I will also post this in Education. Having read some postings here I am hoping that someone is either is a FFL teacher looking for some work  here in UK now or will know of one in the Toulouse area for next year.

We are moving to Toulouse next summer.  We were told by our proposed College that our 11yo would need to do 2 months of intensive FFL French with Alliance Francaise in addition to having private lessons in the Uk (we live near Cambridge). In preparation to joining 6ieme in Sept 06. Also that we would need to arrange after school lessons and help with other subjects taught in French so that she does not fall behind. Although my partner speaks fluent French he will be working in the UK a lot.

We visited AF last week hoping to get more info on levels of classes for 11yo (2nd year of french), 16yo (GCSE A*)   and me ??yo .  After having got prices (ouch!) by e-mail from them last month.

They said they don't have any childrens classes for under 17s, but could offer individual tuition!!! They didn't know why we had been given the wrong information. The person who sent the e-mail was not in the office that day.

So what are my options?  Are there any language schools that do take children? I think we would all benefit from the social interaction of a small class.  Or are private lessons at home our only option?

We have had  very good Maths and English teachers from a UK internet agency in the past but they have no FFL teacher in our area available.

I hope I can get this to post!

D

[Lilly]

Just a thought and not exactly the answer perhaps but, what if your child went to the primaire ( primary school) and effectivley redoubled the last year before going to the college this would give him/her the opportunity to learn french as they do at school and make friends to perhaps go on to the college with and give a bit of settling down time before the demands of big school set in and at the same time you could arrange extra external french lessons here in France, whilst any french you can learn in the UK is beneficial I believe that with accents and colloquelisms you will learn oodles more here. If this expensive French school in Cambridge ( I used to live there also!) would allow you to take classes and allow your child to sit in as they are like sponges I'm sure they will pick a fair amount. I hope this helps.Incidently My sons schools' did not insist on any pre scolaring in French, however useul this would be,my point is it was not obligatory and let alone to specify what type of class with which organisation.

[Berlioz]

Thank you Lilly

I didn't get an e-mail prompt and havn't been on the forum for a while so had not seen your reply.  She will be allready going down a year to 6 in sept 06 as she will be nearly 12.  I did ask if she could do the FFL in the primary school and it isn't possible.  I can understand why they want at least some French language as I understand (from friends who live in France and who have children in the system) that there is a lot to keep up with in College and a lot of homework.  We have some leads to follow up and now that Christmas is over I must start on my very, very long 'to do'