Schools and education

[april]

Hello,

We are planning to come for a period of up to 1 year in BsAs with our school age kids. I'd like them to go to local schools and be able to learn Spanish first hand.

How is the school system in BA? Do they have special programs for non Spanish speaking kids? I'll also be interested to know how much will cost to enroll them in a public school. We are Australian citizens.

Thanks,
April

 

[AraucariaL]

Hi April,
it really depends on which area you will be living on.
There are some international schools in Buenos Aires as well as English schools.
We work with kids at the Belgrano Day School in the Belgrano area. Most school requests that the children have a basic level of Spanish although if shown strong commitment from the parents, they will enroll them in no time.
Just be well prepared for the first interview and I am sure everything will be ok.

 

[AlfajorEfi]

Hi April,
Public school? You really son't want to do that.
Private school here is quite cheap, and depending on where you choose to live there are several options.
In private school the first half day in taught in Spanish and the second in English.
My daughter arrived to pre school with 0 English and today after two years she is totally fluent and equals as her peers (and she is fluent in 2 more languages), so language is not an issue when it comes to kids.
School year starts here in March and ends in December.
The enrollments starts now, in October for year 2012.

 

[Crema Americana]

I would send the kids to private school if only staying for a year - the public schools aren't that great from what I've heard though I suppose that depends on the area. There's a lot of private schools to choose from, some all Spanish, some bilingual. Keep in mind that Argentine kids have the same classmates from kindergarten to high school, so sticking your kids in a public school where they don't know the language and kids already have their friends may be rough. Then again they may do fine, but I'd suggest that you at the very least walk through the school before enrolling.

 

[Tomokoar]

I send my daughters to a public school, called NORMAL 1. It is one of the best public schools in Buenos Aires. The enrollment starts on octuber, so someone already in Buenos Aires, please hurry up to do it. You have to have luck of lotery jajaja, there is draw to enter.

If your children are going to enter primer grado (1st year) , it will be easier if not you have to look for vacant to get them enter.As for other public schools, too, but it will be easier to enter without draw, if they do not have enough children. Even you can try, in Feburay.

For your information, I put a link as for inscripcion, and I am not sure if you can do paper work without DNI- Argentinian Identify Card- In any case I suppose every documents will be translated.
http://ens1de1.buenosaires.edu.ar/primario_inscripcion.html#inscripcion

As for special programs for non Spanish speaking kids, is nothing special.Nobody in school do not understand English except some English teachers.

I know a french girl who had a lot of difficulty of Spanish when she started,but
her Spanish progressed very much.

Or as other expats said, many of bilingual schools they say bilingual but half of the time is Spanish, and many of them even in English hours Speak Spanish so that it is good to learn Spanish and I guess less paper work.

I do not know exactly but it cost around 1500 pesos /month (1 dolar = 4.2 pesos argentinos) versus public school is free ony we pay 200 pesos in term of colaboration for the School maintenance.

 

[chris]

Argentines send their kids to private school if they have the money. State school only teach one half day by the way. Foreigners with good jobs usually send their kids to one of the two American schools or to places like Saint Andrews School where standards are closer to those of developed countries.

 

[Nicole_Ramirez]

I'm not in BA, but I have 1 kids in private and the other in public. Both are fine. If you choose public you really need to get a feel for it because the public we HAd to go into last year because we got here right before school started sucked. They were mean to him and my husband said they didn't like the fact that he was American..and I'm talking about his teacher. She was not nice. He went on to private but the younger one went to a different public and they were thrilled to death to be getting him and he has no problems what so ever. He spoke no spanish atall and is doing better ever day. Kids brains are sponges.

 

[april]

Thanks for all the information.
We'll arrive probably in Feb. Is it too late to enrol then or is it possible to enrol online?

 

[AlfajorEfi]

Get in touch by email with the school and find out.
Alternatively come next month and check it for yourself as well as find a place to rent, aren't you planning to get things ready ahead of time?

 

[Jcyordenana]

We have been really happy with Jacaranda, a private school in Nunez (border with Belgrano). My four year old son arrived speaking no Spanish, understanding a very little basic Spanish, and he is now more fluent in Spanish than I am, after eight months. (Sala de cuatro was either morning or afternoon, about three hours, and Friday all day with the morning designated for English immersion, I am not sure what the balance of English and Spanish is in primeria but I can ask other parents with kids in primaria if you are interested.

It's on the pricier side for private schools but you will not face a negative attitude from the school for being a foreigner; in fact, for my son's age group at least, I think this was a plus. I am married to an Argentine but it's the other moms in my son's sala that have made the difference here for me.

I hear mixed things about the public schools here, just like in the states I think there are good ones and bad ones, and I don't think it would be so easy to figure out from a distance, but I am sure there are other people on the forum who can help to recommend some.

You can tell a lot from the response you will get from the school when you first make contact, explain your situation and ask for assistance. The way we were received at Jacaranda influenced us a lot--they responded right away, immediately contacted our son's grandmother and invited her to an open house, etc, never dropped the ball in communicating through email and by phone.

One thing you can also do now is get any school reports you have for your kids translated...

good luck