Colegio Rainha D Leonor//Q&A With Director

[@pama2892]

Josie, thank you again for doing this video. We had a meeting with Sandra and we plan to enrollment 2 kids there next year. You were a great advocate for the school and that was super helpful for us who are not familiar with the schools there.

[@justaperson7752]

well, i feel bad for them.

[@alvafaleiro]

I am Portuguese and live in Caldas da Rainha. Let me tell you that Portuguese schools are first world, the education system is very good and it is in everyone's interest to keep improving. The Portuguese in general only use private schools to be able to reduce the taxes they will eventually have to pay in April every year (IRS). The level of quality between private and public schools is the same, with the public paying nothing and saving money. I believe there is prejudice on the subject but I know many parents from other European countries who have their children in Portuguese public schools. For example, English is already taught to children aged 4 years old.

[@josieinportugal6454]

Thank you so much for clarifying that. My children have always been in public schools so I didn't quite understand why it wasn't as promoted there as it is here. We are hoping to enroll our children in the Portuguese public schools once they gain their fluency in the Portuguese language.

[@alvafaleiro]

@@josieinportugal6454 If you want you can make already contacts, go to a school there in Caldas and ask your doubts, you can also see the installations and now it is the matriculas time so don't lose your time, the administrative stafe speack english for sure. You can put your childrens in the public school since they complete 3 years old unill the end of the year (31 December). Take a look to this one kzbin.info/www/bejne/l2mrameNa615naM (it is in portuguese) but you can see the installations. This one is in Viseu, I didn't find any video about a Jardin Infantil in Caldas but the level is the same, they are public and follow the same rules.

[@m000Theevilcow]

@@alvafaleiro allow me to help out a little, just google public schools rating 2020 in Portugal ( expresso ranking escolas públicas 2020 ), couldn´t find the current rating for the private school on this vid.

[@thembonesahh]

Hi in your opinion, do you think a 10 year old native English speaker would do alright in a portugese speaking school? In this video she says there are some help/provisions in this particular school for english speakers, do you think this would be the same in public school?

[@alvafaleiro]

@@thembonesahh I just know that we have emigrants here from other countries, non portuguese countries and all the childrens learn portuguese in the public schools... So what's the problem, they learn the language and they be integrated in the society.

[@Hello_Pri]

This is such a helpful video! Thank you so much!

[@janacareylombardi8138]

This is so helpful, Josie! Thank you!

[@simmonkoch]

Hi Josie, I wanted to ask what the school calendar for this year is...specifically, when do they get out for winter break? Thanks, Simmon

[@josieinportugal6454]

Hi Simmon, if you’re referring to next school year 2023/2024, we won’t know the school calendar/holidays until September. This school year 2022-2023, the winter break was December 18-January 2nd. Hope this helps :)

[@andreiaavelar8700]

Thank you for the information.

[@luisvasconcelos1053]

For kids activities, there are Museums pedagogical activities, based on Museum thematic, in tiles Museum you can make your own tile. and learn all process. There's sports, theatre, music, arts... in the Summer or during the year, depending the school, and there are private groups that can organize any activity for kids and adults

[@rominabarata9047]

Great video Josie! Can you please provide some details as to the other main differences between public and private schools? Also, I am considering both options but I am struggling to find the name of a primary/secondary school in Caldas. I found Raul Proenca but this seems to be only secondary. Thanks!

[@seimas]

Great content! Love to see more. We’re planning to move to Portugal from Texas. Our boys are 3 and 6 graders and finding a good school is our top priority. Hope to see y’all when we get there :-)

[@josieinportugal6454]

Thanks so much. I will be posting more schools soon ❤️

[@domingogarcia3594]

We are from San Antonio, also looking there

[@justaperson7752]

well, don't take your kids there

[@seimas]

@@justaperson7752 and your reason? Or maybe you can show your experience?

[@justaperson7752]

@@seimas the children are very disrespectful and the teachers can’t control the noise in the classroom. i couldn’t learn anything there because of the noise. i knew someone who got bullied there too and overall the education, at least in my opinion, wasn’t good because i found the teachers way of teaching not helpful. but you can do what you want

[@ruisilva3099]

In my opinion the advantages that come from attending private schools do not justify the money you pay for them when compared to public schools. I have two daughters, one in 10th grade and one in 7th grade.

[@nelsonricardo3729]

Most Portuguese people of Sandra's age cohort speak English well, with an accent. Sandra has managed to nearly eliminate her accent.

[@ricardocanguru7729]

@Nelson Ricardo, Sandra speaks perfect English! Don't know why some people get fixated with accents. Her English is amazing. I wish most people in English speaking countries, such as England, Ireland, Scotland, USA, Canada, Australia and South Africa could speak as well as Sandra does. Nelson, understand that what matters most in any language is the message. Accents mean nothing, since every English speaking country has a different one. Can't say enough times that Sandra's English is perfect!

[@nelsonricardo3729]

@@ricardocanguru7729 /whoosh

[@luisvasconcelos1053]

Portugal is 7th fluency in English in Europe, Netherlands is the 1st

[@luisvasconcelos1053]

It looks like a perfect school

[@justaperson7752]

its not, trust me. 2 years of hell there

[@Valentina-if1bk]

Thanks for the video- love your content! We are Canadian ( From Toronto) and just purchased a new ( still under construction condo) in Caldas da Reinha which will be ready this year. Our son will be 3 years old at the end of the year. The public Portuguese school Raoul Proenca is very highly rated from rankings and from what I’ve heard. I’m torn; there are no international schools in Caldas da Reinha. I worry about his English education since he’s so young and doesn’t have a base. Do you think having a Portuguese school with an English tutor later on for reading/writing assignments will be sufficient. I just worry if ever he wants to go and study in Canada/US/UK his English skills won’t be comparable to other students. Any guidance would help! We chose Caldas based on low cost of living in comparison to Lisbon/Algarve and proximity to areas around us! Are you happy with the private Portuguese school, would they offer additional English courses? Sorry for the novel - I just worry about his education :-( Thanks again! Valentina

[@josieinportugal6454]

Hi Valentina! One of my children is 3 years old as well and I had the same thoughts and concerns. The good thing about that age is the fact that they are like sponges. They will become fluent in both languages faster and easier than you and I. First thing first, take a step back and remember that he's 3. We can play the what if game all day long, but we really won't know what he will do for schooling in 15 years. I would instead focus on what you would like him to achieve and where your family will be in 3-5 years. Is moving to Portugal a permanent thing or are you seeing it as a place to call home for a couple of years? If Portugal is a place you will ultimately be in for years to come, I would look into public or private Portuguese. We chose to enroll our kids in private mainly because we wanted our kids to be surrounded with as much extra assistance as possible. I also wanted to be able to talk to the teachers and the staff when needed. There are definitely benefits to go down the private route, but the public schools in Caldas are good too. As for my 3 year old, I do pay extra for her to have an English class once a week, although, they are teaching very basic things (colors, numbers etc). Even though she knows her colors and numbers, I wanted her to feel comfortable continuing with her English education even if it's only 45 minutes a week. On top of that, it's a rather reasonable cost of 12 euros a month. For my two older kids (ages 6 and 7), I continue to read to them at home and will plan on hiring a tutor when the time comes to increase their English level, but to be honest, the Portuguese are excellent in speaking and writing in English. They are very humble when it comes to speaking English, but their English is impeccable. So I really wouldn't be too concerned later on. Hope this helps! Best of luck with your move :)

[@Valentina-if1bk]

Thank you Josie! I’m in Nazare till the end of January; so I will look into the possibility of that extra English course for him with the director of the school and see if that’s something I can continue yearly at the school perhaps. Thanks for the information:-)

[@gncl7599]

Here is my advice as a Portuguese: enroll your kid in public school, you kid will learn English at home with the family. Later you can enroll him in a extra English Course (on top of the public school) e.g. Cambridge School, British Council, International House.

[@pedromiguel9202]

@@gncl7599 kids easy learn new languages at young ages. Better start soon than later

[@foxpc1233]

quem é que daqui anda na escola, eu ando