Urgently in need of an experienced school guide

ozankoymum


Joined: 10/01/2009
Posts: 359

Message Posted:
11/01/2009 00:12

I have read pages and pages of forums and spent hours on the internet looking at school options and Im getting more confused. I will be spending a week in cyprus from 11th feb to look at different schools.



Can any 'experienced' parents give me help and information on the best options and or the worst options for my 8 year old girl and 7 years old boy.



I obviously want the best education available.



Ideally within reasonable reach of Ozankoy .

AlsancakJack



Joined: 14/08/2008
Posts: 5762

Message Posted:
11/01/2009 09:09

Back to the top.

negativenick


Joined: 10/11/2008
Posts: 6023

Message Posted:
11/01/2009 09:46

mess 1 - Best education is the UK....



If you bring kids here, what are they going to do for money when they leave school ??



The cost of private education is expensive too - can you honestly say that you can fork this out for a decade or more ?? - What if the 20% interest rates over here drop to 5% inline with the rest of Europe ?



If you have got such deep pockets that the cost of education isn't an issue - i can think of lots of better places to live than here...



The gov't don't want "foreign" workers, so a life of illegal working or working in a bar would on the horizon for your kids...



Sometimes parents don't think...





Nick

negativenick


Joined: 10/11/2008
Posts: 6023

Message Posted:
11/01/2009 10:36

Mess 3 - Top post Nick..





Nick

BillyB


Joined: 19/05/2008
Posts: 436

Message Posted:
11/01/2009 11:32

Negative Nick, Positive post.

negativenick


Joined: 10/11/2008
Posts: 6023

Message Posted:
11/01/2009 11:37

mess 5 - top post Billy (and top post Nick too).





Nick

ozankoymum


Joined: 10/01/2009
Posts: 359

Message Posted:
11/01/2009 12:56

Our finances are certainly not an issue here.. the bank interest rates are of no concern to me, If my memory serves me, I asked for EXPERIENCED PARENTS with children that are currently in the schooling system or have been through the system that can provide relevant feedback, but thank you for your generalist view.

Barabus



Joined: 04/01/2009
Posts: 163

Message Posted:
11/01/2009 14:15

Message 7, thanks for this.....If N-N has any kids, maybe he should condsider what the superior eductaion system is like back in the uk just now....clever kids will probably flourish anywhere. Kids always do better when there is a decent ratio of teachers to kids. With well over 30 kids in many classes just now back there, if you have the time you might be better teaching them yourself.

Then when it's time for them to move on they can go home to further education and decide what they want to do with their own lives.

negativenick


Joined: 10/11/2008
Posts: 6023

Message Posted:
11/01/2009 16:39

both my kids finished Uni in the UK - they now have a fighting chance...



Not sure what a TRNC education would do in comparison....



35 and "finances not an issue, nor are interest rates" - obviously no fool then....





Nick

ozankoymum


Joined: 10/01/2009
Posts: 359

Message Posted:
11/01/2009 16:42

Thank you Barabus, Yes I am considering educating my children at home on a more structured basis and in future entering them indepenently for their IGSC's. I still have to spend a week looking at all schooling options but am currently swaying towards one of the local schools that have a shorter school days and possibly running after school clubs of my own either just for my own children or possibly with a few other children.. I am keeping an open mind but all info is greatly appreciated. How have you educated your children if you dont mind me asking.

flightholiday


Joined: 19/07/2007
Posts: 3217

Message Posted:
11/01/2009 16:49

Speak to the guys at five fingers they have a daughter who has been educated locally and may be able to assist (even with the "after school club").

Barabus



Joined: 04/01/2009
Posts: 163

Message Posted:
11/01/2009 17:20

Ozankoymum.....mine are just about to arrive and obviously aren't at any of the schools yet. It would maybe be very handy if you and my wife got together when she arrives, which won't be long. We Have two boys (obviously) from my pic...8 and 11 and don't know what we are going to do yet. We did consider home teaching them in the uk, but it didn't suit finacially..We did do a lot with them when they were younger and it paid dividends. So when they finally went to school back there the bigger one could already read and write a fair bit and the younger one (the teacher said) was a natural mathematician...I'd love to that here. BUT it's up to the Mrs and ain't that often the case.....lol

ozankoymum


Joined: 10/01/2009
Posts: 359

Message Posted:
11/01/2009 17:40

Can you put me in touch with the guys at Five Fingers?... would that be alex and Libby (I've just googled it and have a phone number for them if these are the people you are referring to).

I love it when people give you real help, hopefully I will be in the same position to help others soon.

I have registered in the UK for help to parents who want to home teach abroad, and I think it would be great to give my children the diversity being educated in the local school system so they easily integrate and learn a second language (and can then teach me!!) and also benefit from parental teaching time.

I educate my children at a private school in the uk which costs a bomb but in cyprus I am thinking your caught between a rock and a hard place. I think I will need to play a much more active roll in my childrens education either way, but local schooling means I would be able to spend more time at home with them and have much more money available for educational trips and home tutoring.

ozankoymum


Joined: 10/01/2009
Posts: 359

Message Posted:
11/01/2009 17:44

Oh yes barabus, i would love to meet anyone in my position, my mobile is 07869149956, tell her to call me and we can chat, meet and help each other out.



Im sure my husband would love to pick your brains on your sports betting expertice!! lol

negativenick


Joined: 10/11/2008
Posts: 6023

Message Posted:
11/01/2009 17:45

bonkers ! - "yow'll learn" as my old Grandad used to say....



Nick

ozankoymum


Joined: 10/01/2009
Posts: 359

Message Posted:
11/01/2009 17:50

beat it, nick



who threw you a nut??

Barabus



Joined: 04/01/2009
Posts: 163

Message Posted:
11/01/2009 17:51

LOL.....yeah ! I like they can teach you bit. Well everybody does say they pick it up quicker than us. One of mine already chats to me on msn and a lot of what he comes out with is turkish....but I think he's cheating. I do think it would be good if a few children involved in the same sort of thing....but what do I know ? i'm only a man and do what i'm told.

negativenick


Joined: 10/11/2008
Posts: 6023

Message Posted:
11/01/2009 17:52

i've met women who teach their kids at home before - combats and wolly jumpers springs to mind...



Nick

ozankoymum


Joined: 10/01/2009
Posts: 359

Message Posted:
11/01/2009 17:56

How very dare you!! my wardbrobe contains no such items.

Barabus



Joined: 04/01/2009
Posts: 163

Message Posted:
11/01/2009 17:57

I'll copy your number and give it to her, but it's a UK mobile. Probably be 2 weeks before you here from her...

ozankoymum


Joined: 10/01/2009
Posts: 359

Message Posted:
11/01/2009 18:01

thats fine, Apart from my week out there in Feb Im in the uk until April, tell her to call anytime.

Barabus



Joined: 04/01/2009
Posts: 163

Message Posted:
11/01/2009 18:02

Say that to my Mrs nick and your teas oot......lol



And ıf you didn't have the odd wolly jumper here you'd freeze.

negativenick


Joined: 10/11/2008
Posts: 6023

Message Posted:
11/01/2009 18:16

Greenham common also comes to mind....





Nick

Barabus



Joined: 04/01/2009
Posts: 163

Message Posted:
11/01/2009 18:36

I will mum and just laugh at all the rest.......tell Nick you will exchange knitting patterns for jumpers.

SaorAlba


Joined: 05/01/2009
Posts: 53

Message Posted:
11/01/2009 21:00

Despite the slagging off it gets I'd say home teaching is worth thinking about for those who want their kids to do well, have good literacy and to reach UK university standard. Sad to say but I think more than a few people come over to live their own dreams, uprooting kids at a vulnerable time in their lives and putting their futures at risk.



PP

negativenick


Joined: 10/11/2008
Posts: 6023

Message Posted:
11/01/2009 21:11

mess 25 - that's all and well, but what about the lifelong friendships you bild with your fellow school mates...



Teach 'em at home and their best friends will be Tiddles the cat and the tortoise !



Me and Garry Monger have been mates since junior school and appart from the 8 months he didn't speak to me whe i burnt his house down, we have been best mates ever since...





Nick

Barabus



Joined: 04/01/2009
Posts: 163

Message Posted:
11/01/2009 21:15

I'd agree with these sentiments completely Alba, but it's a value judgement...maybe NOT as good a life back in the UK where the teachers can't spend much time on my kids because they do well and their time is spent on the kids not doing so well....OR here were they will have a better standard of life, be happier and will reach the same levels as they would have at home or better.

Coming here is far from being only for me and the wife and I think my kids will flourish in a way here they could never have done in Scotland....Plus I suppose there is always the fact that there is no worry about ever getting a phone call here telling me one of them has been attacked or stabbed several times.

Barabus



Joined: 04/01/2009
Posts: 163

Message Posted:
11/01/2009 21:25

Nick, no sarcasm or cheek this time...have you ever saw any of the research done into kids taught at home ?



For some unknown reason. kids taught in state run run schools in later life have an average of 4 close friends (in the UK). Our society is changing mate.



Kids taught at home however have a higher average of close friends and make new friends easier.



Would seem strange hey ? but kids taught at home instead of having stunted socialisation capabilities are more adept social creatures.



Awaiting the pot shots

negativenick


Joined: 10/11/2008
Posts: 6023

Message Posted:
11/01/2009 21:51

mess 28 - who in their right minds would want to educate their kids at home ?



It's bad enough having them around AFTER school, let alone during the day too !



You might as well right yourself off for the next 10 years...



Nick

Barabus



Joined: 04/01/2009
Posts: 163

Message Posted:
11/01/2009 21:56

hahahahaha.......it's Ok for you Nick, you might be retired , but i'll be at work anyway. Can you think of a better way of savinga few quid ?

ozankoymum


Joined: 10/01/2009
Posts: 359

Message Posted:
11/01/2009 21:57

What I am hoping to achieve here is balance.. My original question was which school?? Do I intergrate my children into a local school or is there a private school that is worth paying for ie: sunny lane or GAU. I believe that no matter how well educated your child is, the most important influence on how your children turn out is who they spend their time with... Spend their time with chavs and bullies and eventually they will try and fit in... spend thier time with respectful, studios children and they will try and fit in.



Saying I will home teach does not mean that I woud consider it full time, I am saying whatever my children are not getting from their school, I will provide. Too many parents send their children to school and expect them to take total responsibilty for their education.



How anybody can complains that their child re-enters english schools to find they are 2 years behind after being taught here... How did they not notice their children were not progressing???

negativenick


Joined: 10/11/2008
Posts: 6023

Message Posted:
11/01/2009 22:02

i think it would be pretty unfair to bung your kids into a local school, then again sending them to private school is going to cost you 100 quid a week, so that's pretty unfair to...



Never though it was going to be this much fun having kids, did you ?



Nick

ozankoymum


Joined: 10/01/2009
Posts: 359

Message Posted:
11/01/2009 22:20

Would I be on here if I was going to 'Bung' my kids anywhere??



At home I pay twice as much and am happy to do so because it is the best option in our area, but I also put a lot of effort into their progress myself..

I am not thinking of the money when considering a local school..



What I want help with is, what is the 'best' option for schooling in Cyprus?



Does anyone on here have any experience of Catalkoy or Essentepe school?? or GAU and sunny lane??

Barabus



Joined: 04/01/2009
Posts: 163

Message Posted:
11/01/2009 22:37

mum.....speak to Charlie and Agnes in the coffee shop when you come in Febuary. They have experience of both schools.



I've aksed quite a few people and been given mixed reports of both. Probably about 65/35 in the Favour of GAU.



I WILL get my wife to call you. I'd hate for my kids to be disadvantaged by coming here and if I thought they would lose the start they have had. I wouldn't bother bringing them, so please believe me. Our concerns are the same.

ozankoymum


Joined: 10/01/2009
Posts: 359

Message Posted:
11/01/2009 22:56

Wheres the coffee shop? i will pop in while Im there, thank you for that info

SaorAlba


Joined: 05/01/2009
Posts: 53

Message Posted:
11/01/2009 23:10

NegNick,



I had a good chuckle at your response as it's exactly what my brother would say. He thinks I'm a tree-hugger because I like green tea. But the kids wouldn't need to spend all their time in the house befriending Tiddles and getting rickets. They could do much of their learning outside or in the company of other kids in the same position. The socialisation aspect is a bit of a red herring. What about only children? Some of those I've known have been the most outgoing types around. Horses for courses, maybe.

SaorAlba


Joined: 05/01/2009
Posts: 53

Message Posted:
11/01/2009 23:22

Barabas,



What you said about the teachers being tied down with the disrupive kids concerned us too, so we put our two into Gaelic-medium education where the pupil-staff ratio of 7/1 is much better than the mainstream (they also get free taxis to and from school as well as having their education protected by statute, but we don't want to shout about that).



Research also shows the Gaelic unit kids can go on to outperform their English-medium counterparts in maths and science, while learning an extra language that's rooted in their own culture. This aspect interested us for the short time we were living in Cyprus with the prospect of the kids learning Turkish and Greek, but in the end there were too many negatives for us personally. But good luck to those who go for it with both eyes open.



PP

semtcm


Joined: 13/01/2009
Posts: 249

Message Posted:
13/01/2009 13:16

hello, i'm the libby of the 5 fıngers wıth kıds at local schoolş my emaıl ıs libbymain90@gmail.com please emaıl me wıth any questıons. ı'm happy wıth the educatıon my kıds are gettıng, luckıly they have adapted to the language. ı'd be happy to help off board. come and meet me when you're over ıt's lovely to hear of more kıds comımg to ozanköy, most of the young people live on the ' other sıde' of the round about.

Barabus



Joined: 04/01/2009
Posts: 163

Message Posted:
13/01/2009 13:45

I'll get my wife to email you Elizabeth. When she comes over. Thanks

semtcm


Joined: 13/01/2009
Posts: 249

Message Posted:
13/01/2009 14:59

my kıds are sacha 9 and tomas 7 , your 2 look lıke good play mates!!!

Chicken Run


Joined: 11/10/2008
Posts: 252

Message Posted:
13/01/2009 16:01

Sunny Lane School in Alsancak is the only school that will give your kids the standard of Education that you would get in the UK. I'm not against the local schools, some of them are very good and it is probably the best way to integrate your kids into the local community and learn the local language, but the Turkish curriculum isn't as well recognised as IGCSE in the rest of the world. If your kids, which they probably will, wish to return to the UK (or somewhere else in the world) when they have finished their schooling, then they will bennefit from a IGCSE standard of education over a Turkish one.



Anyway, good luck with what you decide.

Barabus



Joined: 04/01/2009
Posts: 163

Message Posted:
13/01/2009 16:12

Matthew and owen...11 and 8......Very, very. Well behaved due to a strict mother and very lax father. Matthew is VERY serious and Owen is anything but !

ozankoymum


Joined: 10/01/2009
Posts: 359

Message Posted:
13/01/2009 21:28

Thank you everybody, I really appreciate all the help and advice.



I'll buy you all a drink when I arrive..

semtcm


Joined: 13/01/2009
Posts: 249

Message Posted:
14/01/2009 09:25

İ know local people who have gone through the local school system and who are studyıng at englısh unıversitıes... the standard of my kıds educatıon ıs excellent compared to what ı was taught at theır age. ıf you are consıderıng prıvate educatıon ı always thought the near east ıs the best place to go...

ozankoymum


Joined: 10/01/2009
Posts: 359

Message Posted:
14/01/2009 10:25

Ive heard other good reports about near east, thank you for that feedback semtcm. do you know by any chance which local school is good?

Mrs P


Joined: 30/09/2008
Posts: 22

Message Posted:
15/01/2009 00:55

Laugh, tears ran down my legs.... when I read NN's msg 18



' i've met women who teach their kids at home before - combats and wolly jumpers springs to mind'



Ozankoymum is Gorgeous and I can tell you she WOULD look fab in combats and a wolly (whatever that is) jumper.



Mrs P xx

semtcm


Joined: 13/01/2009
Posts: 249

Message Posted:
15/01/2009 11:15

why don't you email me ozankoy mum? libbymain90@gmail.com

çatalköy first school is where my kids go, my daughter is doing brilliantly and tomas is doing fine! boys are different to girls he isn,t so bothered to please as sacha is!

ozankoymum


Joined: 10/01/2009
Posts: 359

Message Posted:
15/01/2009 21:24

Thank you 'semtcm' sent you an email,