Munich schools & life?

[LilyM14]

Hello,
I’m new to mumsnet. We have moved from London. My husband is originally from Munich.
I have two children in nursery & kindergarten in our local area. We’re looking at non private schools, Munich international school or Schorndorf (day boarding) to send our kids later.
Any general tips on places for toddlers would be much appreciated & how it is living here. As it can be a bit overwhelming during lockdown. Very interested to learn more about Germany & raising kids here.
Many thanks.

We don't live in Munich but we moved to Germany two years ago. My DS attends a bilingual school here and I think it's the best of both worlds. I didn't want him to lose his English but I wanted him to learn German as well. He's absolutely loving it.
There's a school of the same group in Munich as well. Might be worth a look.
muenchen.phorms.de/en/home-phorms-campus-muenchen/

Thank you so much for your reply. That‘s near us. Are you in Germany still? How old is your DS?

We are still in Germany, yes. DS is early 4, so in the kindergarten section of the school. I work in the primary school, though, so I experience that first hand and DS will transfer there when he's old enough. He keeps asking when he'll be five so that he can finally go to school.
I wouldn't send him to a school I'd be unhappy with as a parent, even if I worked there.
Good luck with the move and the settling in.

Can I ask why on earth you wouldn't send them to the local German school? At that age they will get perfect German at schools and perfect English at home!

I wouldn't send him to our local one because our catchment school is on the same campus as the local secondary school, which doesn't have a good reputation at all. Secondly, it would mean he'd have to make his own way there in the morning (takes a good 30 minutes to walk from our house) and then stay for Hort in the afternoon. Thirdly, it would mean that he wouldn't learn to read or write in English at a level I'd be happy with. I have no intention of making him do that additionally in his spare time.
His school will teach both English to a level where he'd cope in a UK secondary school should we move back and German to a level where he can enter a German grammar school without difficulty. There is no homework at primary level. There is not the focus on results I am used to from German state primary schools. On the whole, it feels a lot more caring than the state primaries I know around here. So, he'll attend a bilingual school. He's bilingual.

Hi,
I’ve booked an open day with Phorms & St. George’s in Munich. They have some great local schools here and the kids love their local kindergarten. I’m keen to check out the bilingual ones for my kids (3.5yrs & 2yr. old) for the English aswell. Very helpful & good to know your kids have happily settled in. Thank you so much!

I'm in Italy, not Germany, but my experience having moved to Italy with first child age 2 and having second child here from birth, is that even if they attend a good local school that is not bilingual, they are still so immersed in English at home through their mother tongue, books and tv that this is just not a problem. My now aged 8 and 4 children are easily above the reading and writing level of their peers in English (the eldest reads books aimed at 10-12 year olds in English). My own concern is actually still their level of vocabulary in Italian, not English. I would personally be much more worried that they wouldn't be getting enough German to be "native" speakers in a bilingual school. If you are doing 50/50 in school, and 100 English at home, then that's not actually the best ratio.

Having taught upper KS2 and KS3 in the UK for several years, I am well aware of the level of English DS would need should we move back while he is still of school-age. I am also incredibly aware that he would not achieve that level if he went to a German state school, especially not in reading and writing.
We do, however, follow the local German curriculum so his input in German, Music, PE and Science (all taught in German) would be the same as in any other local school. He wouldn't finish lessons at 11.20am, though, which is why he can have the English input. 70% of the children speak German at the school and it's the language predominantly used on the playground and when the children are talking amongst each other. So no, I'm not worried about the German not developing.

Hi OP, I'm in Munich having lived here for 3 years now, I've got kids in school, one in kindergarten and one baby!

Feel free to PM me!

Hi,
I’m new to mumsnet. Thanks for your reply. Where did you move from 3 years ago? How old are your kids? I’ve been living between Munich & London 2 and a half years now, but finally starting to settle in here. Lockdown also made traveling home tricker. My husband is originally from Munich but I’d like to meet some ex-pats too with kids. My kids are 2 years old & 3.5 years old.
Kind Regards

Will DM you. Thanks.