Search Sort Posts:  Oldest to newest Newest to oldest

18/01/2008, 11:04 cooperlola Joined on 05/05/2006 72 - Sarthe - home of les 24 heures du Mans Posts 6,418 Re: Moving with a 13 year old. Whatever decision you make, at least you're thinking about your kids really seriously.  Occasionally on here one reads of parents who - for various reasons - have decided that living in France "will be great for the children."  This seems to be based upon the fact that being bi-lingual is some sort of passport to a brighter future. It is not - well, certainly not on its own.  There are so many other things to consider and employment prospects are one.  And they sure are pretty grim here.  There aren't 200,000 French people in London because they hate their home country.  They are there because that is where the work is. Healthcare Issues Site    Report

18/01/2008, 22:46 rusheslake Joined on 29/03/2005 Twixt Laval & Le Mans (72) Posts 47 Re: Moving with a 13 year old. We moved over here only after our one & only son had done a year at University and in my heart I knew he was 'OK' and could embark on lives journey without us....    Report

19/01/2008, 13:09 Tourangelle Joined on 31/08/2004 37 Posts 939 Re: Moving with a 13 year old.  mazza wrote: ..I hope to be employed in their school.... Debbie's right, in fact she doesn't go far enough, to be in admin it is just another sort of competitive exam, and even to be a cleaner in a school you have to jump through hoops.  Sorry, but as a teacher and having jumped through the hoops myself give it up unless you're bilingual, there are too many French people who are unemployed.  Even in my school out in the sticks they have no problem getting people to do the various jobs.    Report

19/01/2008, 18:40 Jura Joined on 28/11/2005 Posts 803 Re: Moving with a 13 year old. Cooperlola, also take into account the droves of young French filing into Ireland, Dublin in particular, for jobs in the hospitality industry.  Why? not only to work but improve their english language skills, just see how many work at the airport there and can hardly speak english let alone gaelic...what irony. Here in France unless you can speak French they won't employ you at all...try telling an employer you want the job so you can improve your french speaking skills...they laugh and fob you off. If only the french were more tolerant and accommodating with regards to foreigners as other countries are. They are too discriminatory here and that's a fact    Report

23/01/2008, 16:04 Mackyfrance Joined on 24/05/2007 Posts 33 Re: Moving with a 13 year old. I've not read this post for some time so just wanted to comment on a couple of things.  According to the French government's own statistics there were over 80,000 violent incidents in French schools in 2006, which is the last year that figures are available.  It would be a huge mistake to think that the same problems that exist in the UK don't exist here in France.  In my experience of 2 schools here, behaviour standards are average to poor. Theft in my son's college is at epidemic proportions. Both my children say that behaviour, both of staff and pupils at their UK schools was much better. Schooling here is rigid and inflexible and doesn't suit kinaesthetic learners who learn by doing things so the relaxed and more rounded UK system would certainly suit some children better than the French model. I think it is important to make the distinction between an urban and a rural way of life.  What the OP said suggests that they live in an urban area (95% ethnic minority, etc).  I think you'd find the same feelgood factor in a rural school in the UK without the need to move to France and would, at the same time, find exactly the same problems in urban schools in France as in the UK.        Report

Page 4 of 4 (32 items) < 1 2 3 4

France Forum » Living » French Educatio... » Re: Moving with a 13 year old.

(Quick links) Forums Home |- Search Forums |- Active Topics |- Unanswered Posts User Options |- Sign In |- Join this community |- Forgot Password About This Forum (READ ONLY) |- About This Forum Moving |- Finding/Owning French Property |- Making the Move From Outside the EU |- Long-Term Letting |- Employment Vacancies in France Legal and Finance |- French Legal Issues |- French Finance Building and Renovation |- House Renovations |-- Working with Wood Living |- Earning a Living |- Driving |- French Education |- Pets |- Animal Welfare, Rescue & Protection |- French Satellite TV, French Internet and Telephone |- Health |-- Changes to Healthcare Entitlement, CPAM, CMU and Cartes Vitales |- Swimming Pools in France Owning/Running a Business |- French Artisans |- Gite Owners |- Hotel and Restaurant Owners |- B&B/Chambres d'Hôtes Owners Leisure and Pastimes |- Gardening |- Sport, Leisure and Pastimes |- Shopping |- French Antiques, Arts & Crafts |- Photography |- Motorcycling in France |- Books and Literature |- Getting Married in France |- Pregnancy and Birth French Culture |- French Food and Wine |- French Culture |- French Language |-- French Language FAQs and Useful Links |- Wildlife/Nature/Environment |- French History Travelling to/from France |- Travelling to/from France |- Latest Good Value Deals to/from France Holidays |- Holidays General Discussion |- The Complete France Post Bag |- The Lighter Side |- Other Topics |- Forum Technical Support |- Useful Links About France/French Living Regions |- HOTEL SEARCH |- Central |- North East |- North West |- Paris Ile de France |- South East |- South West |- East |- West |- Corsica and DOM-TOMs