One of the most positive aspects for our family in moving to France has been the opportunity for our six children benefiting from being educated over here.
On first arriving we had two children going into Primary education, coming from a school with classes in excess of 35 to move into a school of 22 children was a real eye-opener, within no time at all they had mastered the language, of course this wasn’t without challenges given that no-one in the school spoke English! Another daughter who had moved from a class of 40 in the UK found herself in a school of 18 and what a difference!
The first day at college was likewise a huge eye-opener for our older children. The system is so simple but so efficient. The educational day was completely different to any previous experience. In France they have been given the opportunity to study Spanish, the second language in south west France. Latin, an option they had never been offered at the local comprehensive in the UK was now on offer and we discovered that all three children who took it up have been very successful and in fact this has made quite a difference to their overall education programme.
The most challenging aspect of education, for our children of secondary age, wasn’t the new language but the difference in standard of education, all of them had repeated at least a year to learn the language and yet it took all that time to catch up in terms of maths and the science subjects.
Although the children have long days leaving at 7:30a.m and returning at 6p.m, they do benefit from aspects of social education on their free Wednesday afternoons. Any number of educational clubs to join from ski club; kayaking; horse riding; circus classes; music classes; rock climbing - any number of activities, all free choice, if the child wishes they can simply stay home for the afternoon.
Ask any one of our children whether they would return to the UK and not one would say yes, not because of the beautiful scenery or the lovely climate but simply because the education they are now receiving is offering them greater freedom of choice and opportunity.
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