Wix primary/bilingual school Clapham

[cendrillon]

Hi

Does anyone know or have children at this school? We're returning to the UK next year and our 6 year old daughter has been educated in a francophone school since the age of 2 and a half. We're investigating options for keeping her French up(as English is our first/home language). This school sounds interesting, although I don't know whether there would be any chance of getting a place in the bilingual section.

I'd be grateful for any information/experiences. Many thanks in advance.

They didn't test my kids at all, but as they'd only ever been in a French school they probably took it as read that they were bilingual. I think if your child is already bilingual that must count for something.

Can anyone advise on the quality of teaching in Wix's bilingual school and how pupils' results would compare to English/French counterparts? I heard that they would generally be a little behind given that they are taught half the time in each language. I worry about that a lot. I am not french but speak french, and I know that the french system is very academic. So maths education in the french system is supposed to be a lot more advances. However, I heard recently that maths taught in Belleville school for example is a lot more advanced than that at Wix's bilingual. Same for reading/writing.

Can anyone advise through their experience?

I'm really undecided as to which option would be better: 1) a good English school offering French after-school classes ( or CNED ) such as Belleville or Honeywell, or 2) Wix's bilingual.

What worries me most is the work-load that children will have to cope with in 2 languages. This isn't much of an issue if one the language is native, but if the family speaks a third language at home, then the challenge is bigger ( we are in the second category ).
I've seen it working with children who speak 3 languages, but I presume the challenge is bigger and commitment of parents to expose children to means of learning all languages must be high.

Thanks for sharing your views.

I've only worked the other way, a French child in an English/French bilingual school in France but IME the academic side doesn't suffer. French maths is more advanced but English curricula are more focussed on creativity. The bilingually schooled children seemed to manage both.

They do have to work hard at maintaining both languages and the only children I knew with a third home langauge never fully mastered the French or the English (their home language was Korean, living in France, with an English nanny).

Having said that I would go for a bilingual stream because it encourages cross-subject processing of the language, whereas a school offering French after school is confining the French to a particular situation, you won't get as much exposure to French native speakers and the language of the playground will be English so any play dates etc will be English.

Hello

While the last post on this thread isn't particularly recent, I thought I'd try to revive it as I'm very interested to find out more about this maternelle/primary school.

I'm French, my husband English and we're expecting our first child next month. We live very close to the Wix's Lane school and have always considered it an interesting option for us when time comes, and this conversation has got me thinking.

First of all, as we're hoping to be a bilingual household, we would look at both the French and the bilingual options that the school offers depending on what would ensue that we get in. I gather from the above and the school's website that being a bilingual (as opposed to a fully French family) makes us low priority in the pecking order. We are however in the catchment area. Does this mean that we should look at the bilingual option instead as applications for this are done through the Council? And if so do we then have a lesser chance to get into the Lycee at the next stage?

Finally, when to apply? I understand from their website that applications are open a year in advance (September 2010 for September 2011), but some of you have mentioned a waiting list. Shall we go and talk to them as soon as our little one is born?

Many thanks for your help.

You apply when applications open and they rank applications for spots within the year.

French nationality bumps you up the list so you are more than 'just' bilingual.

I think you can maximise your options by applying to the francophone section as a French national and the bilingual section through the council but I might be wrong.

I don't think unsuccessful applications orbilingual schooling affect acceptance up the school but I could be wrong....

My daughter attends Wix Bilingual stream, through my experience STANDARD of education is very low in comparison to English Public school. This school is too hyped up for what it really is...Yes your child will be fluent in French but won't prepare for 11+ or any Academic British Examination!

Hi Madammano!

Do you know anything about the foundation stage classes? My daughter's 3 and we're moving into the area and they have a spot - wondered what others thought!

Thanks!

I went to Wix, and then went into the Lycee in South Ken. Loved Wix, great teaching and community, but found the main Lycee hard as it's so big and they aren't great with creativity (very academic).

Obviously this was quite a while ago! Back then it was quite segregated between the French pupils and the British pupils, so its been interesting to read these posts on how it is now. I'd love to send DD to a bilingual school, but there aren't any in Kent

Good luck though, hopefully the fact that your DD is already in a francophone school will help.