Would like my son to go to France for a term - any advice?

[RedSuedeShoes]

Preferably at a French private boarding school but I don't know where to start looking.

The more I think about this - the more mad it seems. Disrupt his UK education, send him to a place where he doesn't speak the language and knows no-one. One term will NOT make him fluent in French and will probably cause him untold misery. Why, why why would you want to do this?

I'd be surprised if you could find a boarding school to take him for just one term to be honest. Also you talk about a private school, but most French schools (as opposed to the international ones) are affiliated to the state system. The French tend to board when they live too far away to attend a day school - I have several friends whose kids do this. I think an international school would rather defeat the object - my experience of French kids who join my dcs' school in London when their parents are here on short contracts is that they never learn English because there are so many French kids to speak to.

People are so stuck in their ways....never wanting to challenge a child is the norm..."disrupting" his education? One term? Hardly!

It will serve as a great opportunity to show the OP's son that there is more than what exhists on his doorstep.

I think people feel panic when others do something different because it reminds them of how they have merely accepted the hum-drum.

I don't think it is people who are stuck in their ways who are questioning this decision - it is more a case of people who have moved their kids around the world asking if the OP knows what she's letting herself (or rather her son) in for.

There will be no academic impact on my son who is already working a year ahead but will be going to senior school in his correct year group.

He already boards at a good prep school so knows the system of being away from home. In fact, boys from Spain come for a term to his school and get on very well. I will not put him with a host family as I do not know how they will treat him whereas schools have a code of conduct to follow.

I will be doing it, so instead of criticising me I just want to find the right environment.

Thank you to all who have been helpful/kind/stuck up for me thus far!

You still haven't answered as to what you hope to achieve. We (us foreign living johnny's with children in other education systems) might be able to suggest how best to achieve it.

'There will be no academic impact on my son who is already working a year ahead but will be going to senior school in his correct year group.'

Indeed, as he won't be able to understand 80% what the teacher's saying

ForMashGetSmash- well, no, ds was born in NYC, we live in Paris now, he's trilingual,top of his class,he's always travelled a lot etc. But still I wouldn't send him away to waste 6 months in a school where he won't be able to communicate properly.

There is absolutely no reason to do this- except perhaps OP's ego

Sorry, unless you send him to one of those boarding schools catering to foreigners that scurry linked to- although there everyone will be communicating in English, whatever they say about 50-50.

You really have no idea, do you?

Gosh winnybella, your viper tongue really says more about you...

I am not going to give away all my information about this situation, which is my perogative. I also said I did not know where to begin looking. To say it's for my ego when you have no facts to base this on shows you as more of an ignoramous than I!

And as for not learning the language in six months - are your kids thick? My friend, who is in her late 40's spent 5 months in Bolivia and 12 years on still speaks fluent Spanish eventhough she has never been back to a Spanish speaking country. So if an old brain can manage it, I'm sure a young one will fair much better.

And, not that it as anything to do with those who made negative remarks, but my son is very keen to go so maybe you can think of some other way to criticise me now.

ego

child's desire

any more?

Calm down! Your thread title says Any Advice? If you don't want any then don't post.

Goodness, what a reaction. Tbh I'd probably go for the summer holiday course approach as well, but if your ds is keen on teh boarding option, then it might work for him.

What you are suggesting is not unusual for German families wanting to send their child to a UK boarding school, though to be fair they are usually sending older dc and often for an academic year or more. There are whole consultancies doing healthy business on advising parents which school to choose and how to go about it.

Might there be similar structures in France, who might have an idea about the equivalent in the French system? You could start with the Alliance Francaise, perhaps, or with Allef, though they are quite an extreme unique organisation who may not be that helpful if you're not signing up to their own programme. Worth a call though, you might be lucky.

Cactus Languages seem to be a respected organisation that do summer language courses for kids, so they might have suggestions?

Thinking about it there are some UK prep schools that offer a term in France, albeit with the normal school cohort, so they might be worth approaching? Also the Good Schools Guide consultancy.

I'll admit to having been a bit judgy. Sorry.

But you did ask for advice and I (and other posters) thought you would like to know a bit about French education system.

I suggest that maybe you start a new thread asking for Bonsoir- I think she might know more about quality of boarding schools in France than I.

You should also realise that you're asking advice on sending a 12 yo abroad to a country the language of which he doesn't speak- I guess we all felt a bit sorry for him, hence the reactions-but, yes, it's your kid,you do what you think is best.

And my kids are not thick, thank you very much-but I would think it would be stressful for my ds to be separated from his friends and family, that's all.And yes, he would miss out a bit on the academic side of things during the time it would take him to become fluent. That's just logical.

I'm sorry to Winnybella! [blus]

Perfectly reasonable thing to consider, especially if your child is used to boarding and is up for a challenge

We are thinking about this school here when our son is in year 7. I would have sent him in year 6 summer term (we have to give one terms notice and I missed it for spring) but they don't have spaces.

I know he would go now for a term and love it.

Friends of mine have had children go through her and they were very happy - Another is sending her child for spring term.

No, no, me too, had a stressful day

We currently have boarders in yar 4 from Spain and Korea, We also get quite a few boarders from Europe that come for the summer.

Totally normal in boarding schools and a great experience if you find a school that suits.

*year not that posh!

isn't that just an English boarding school in France, stoppingat3?

I've been in Belgium for nearly 5 years and I am not fluent in any of their languages, despite working FT for a Belgian company and having studied French to a reasonably high level before hand. My dd was 2.5 when she started school - full immersion in French, and she barely uttered a word for 6 months.

One term is just NOT going to do it. It is lunacy to imagine it will.

No my understanding is that they are linked to a French school and that only French is spoken. I could b wrong as investigations so far were thwarted when they didn't have space and I am currently awaiting the info pack.

People from the school my DC's are have advised the above and were incredibly happy with the time there children spent there. From what I am told it seems to be very geared up for short stays which may be better as you wouldn't feel like such a temporary outsider, but I could be wrong will let you know when the pack gets here

Have just discovered Sauveterre too and have emailed them.

What has poshness got to do with anything?

Winny - I feel like a right arse now, so sorry!

FWIW I don't expect him to be fluent but he will be better than he currently is!

Sauveterre implies Mitford connections....

I spent half a term at a French boarding school at 13 - with 12 others from my school. It was pretty ghastly. You're right to think very, very carefully about which school.

RedSuedeShoes........ I've no advice about boarding schools in France (nor in UK, not my "thing")

I can contribute a tiny bit from personal experience having lived abroad for a year as a much older student (19-20) when I was already fluent in the language. I found it really difficult, inspite of being socially very confident and linguistically very capable. In your position I would focus on finding a school with outstanding pastoral care, preferably where they could demonstrate a track record of having very young exchange students who have had a good experience (and ask for references directly from the children - not just their parents). I'd be worried about how will he feel if he has very weak French and is trying to make friends/keep up with subjects when he can't understand the language???

If you're child is up for it and you can secure a placement you're all happy with it could be a wonderful experience.

A few children from France, Italy and other countries have come to DS's prep school in similar circumstances and seem to thrive on it.

Obviously, there are pit falls to consider but that shouldn't put you off.

There are many many ways to raise and educate children...everyone doesn't have to do ti the exact same way for it to work. Disaster does not strike if you deviate from 'the path'.