At what ski level do you feel comfortable stopping kids’ ski school?

[Boomchuck]

My kids (ages 8 & 10) have gotten to the ESF first star level, and the older one is nearly at 2nd star level. Neither of them enjoys ski school—they prefer to just all go as a family—but we aren’t sure if their skill level is good enough to just completely stop ski lessons.

At what level would you be comfortable stopping lessons and begin just letting them naturally progress through lots of skiing as a family? Would second star level be enough for you, or would you want them to get all the way through to a higher level? My instinct is to make them stick with lessons (even if it’s just a few private ones at the start of each season) until they’re able to ski completely parallel and control their speed on difficult reds. I think that’s ESF third star level, right?

Can't recall when ours stopped lessons, they've been skiing since they were 4 and now 22 & 19. Probably when they left primary school. We love skiing together as a family. They are beautiful skiers, we have been told more than once that we all have the same ski style, so I guess it comes from skiing together so much. Depends on what you want most between family memories & technique. We have skied for years ourselves so quite competent but memories are very important to us.

At a certain level you can stop ski school but then if you move to 1:1 or 1:2 lessons, the progresses are amazing and you can tell the difference in form and confidence.
Even as older teens, when we go to a new resort, the kids like to go in a 1:3 (I have 3 DC) as a way of discovering the slopes, shortcut , refreshing proper form and they come down the blacks at full speed following the instructor.

Don't assume that ski lessons are for beginners only, advanced skiers can benefit from 2 - 3 lessons as well. My kids ask for it, they have fun with the instructor who can show them a hidden jump or how to go through the woods to access a nearby slope.

It depends when you want your DC to stop learning, a bit like swimming. DC has been skiing since 6, it is just me now since DH died and for a good few years I have not been able to ski because of a spinal injury. So I always booked her into ski school so she did not ski alone. On top of then 'proper' ski holiday we have been to Bansko every Easter except covid since she was 13 and been very lucky with snow. Yes it is cheap and cheerful but we stay 5* and it is our happy place. DC now 17 and knows it well but always has some lessons. They can confidently parallel ski and turn, carving etc.

That’s an interesting question, one I’m not sure on. My eldest has two star, the youngest one star and they are keen to not be in a ski school group all week. Maybe a couple of private lessons is the way forward, or just not ESF which they’ve done every year previously. The eldest is now 11 and keen not to be in lessons just skiing.

Ours continued until aged about 13/14. After that DS went with the school, for Dd Covid hit. They both ski very well ( better than me) having said that Dd 17 is taking snowboard lessons this year.

Mine learned in Switzerland and stopped ski school lessons at Red Prince/ss level (could ski black runs, do simple tricks etc) which was enough to ski the whole region with their DDad (I'm a bit of a crap skier) and their technique is better than his.

If they'd been disinclined to do groups, I'd have booked them private lessons until such time the instructor said they were good to go on black runs

Where do you go? We like Evolution 2 as it offers smaller groups. Private lessons are also a good shout.

We were talking to ours (10 and 12) about ski school yesterday as we've booked a short trip over Christmas and aren't putting them into ski school. They both said that they like going as they get to go to places we don't take them (in the case of DS1: tricky blacks, moguls and off-piste).

Somewhat controversially - we've never really bothered with ski lessons. Kids had three private lessons first year; three the second; third year we all did dry slope/ ski treadmill before we went (not really helpful) - this year we have a single private booked.

We can all ski red and are happy just to pootle about the mountains and spend time together. I agree if they want to get actually good, ski difficult terrain then keep up lessons.

We did ESF ski school for the first few years and then moved to private lessons with ESF. Mine have loved the private lessons - yes they are obviously more expensive, but we did 1 instructor for both children and they would have maybe 3 or 4, two hour private lessons over the week. This worked out a similar price to a week of ski school for 2 children. I think they progressed quicker with the private lessons, but most importantly they have always really enjoyed them.

Our 12 yr old has the gold award and is now a much better skier than me, but she’ll still have the odd lesson in future for fun stuff and to learn some more advanced technique.

That said, skiing lessons are so expensive, I personally feel that if a child is 10+ and can safely stop on a range of pistes (maybe 3 star level?) you can probably get away without any more lessons.

Weve decided that 12yo won't be returning to ski school next season... she didn't learn anything this year as she got too anxious in that setting. She did a lot better with her dad. 10yo, who is technically better, will likely return as she enjoys it.

Private lesson wouldn't work for DD1 either I don't think. It would have to be exactly the right instructor.

However DH is perfectly happy skiing with her now... he'll just take a morning to do check a few things then he knows where to take her.

Going against the grain here, but mine have never had lessons. Both ski very well, and for us, ski holidays are about skiing together as a family. One has perfect technique, one has reasonable technique. Both can ski reds with ease and blacks with concentration.
Both now split their time between skiing and snowboarding. Which ever they choose for that day then we all do together as a family. Couldn't bear to pack them off to ski school and not spend time enjoying the slopes together.

Mine stopped at around 10/11. Been skiing a couple of times a year since they were 3/4. DS is a superb skiier and is now off doing a season. DD's technique not quite as good but she's still a great skiier, in control and can get down anything with zero fear. We always went in groups though so they were in ski school with mates. And DH and I are happy to go down blacks etc with them so they never lacked for excitement!