Schools
As at home you have two choices, private or public. Most schools in the Spanish public system (Colegio Publico) will happily take in foreign children. You just visit the nearest one to where you are living (most kids walk to school on their own, it's very safe and the local police man all the zebra crossings there and back) and speak with the head teacher (In Spanish naturally, take a translator if necessary) and that's it. There is a more correct and formal procedure, using embassies etc, but frankly this is not really necessary.
However, in Spain children study for a Baccalareat not GCSE's and then A/S levels. This is attained after a series of appraisals on all aspects of going to school. Children are appraised termly against attendance (When not attending a parental note is required explaining the childs absence, they are very strict on this) attention in class, classwork, homework and verbal contribution in class and social behaviour in the playground.
The Spanish learning system is concentrated on learning the basics in written format. At 16 children may leave but with no baccalareat. For this they have to stay until 18 but they may do their last 2 years at the Instituto in a nearby larger town, which offer a wider range of subjects.
Children up to 8 can adapt very quickly
especially girls, they will be speaking spanish fluently in as little
as 6 months. However older children find it very difficult from learning
chemistry in English to chemistry in Spanish. All children must learn
Spanish History and Literature to the same standard as Spanish children
in order to pass Baccalareat. Boys, especially if they are a bit on
the small side or a bit timid are aften picked on by the gipsy boys
in the school especially if there are no other foreign children in the
school, so try and choose a location where there are a lot of foreign
children. Most of the coastal regions of Spain are used to accomodating
foreign children, especially here on the Costa del Sol. Children with
Baccalareat are accepted into English Universities.
There are many international schools, that carry on teaching the UK
curriculum in English but with a much stronger emphahsis on Spanish
learning. NOSPA (they are on the web) can help you find these. The International
school in Almuñecar (Provincia de Granada) is particularly friendly.
However, most of these schools are not very academic, they concentrate
on giving a solid and practical education in a loving environment, and
on developing bilingual written and oral skills. Having said that the
A level passes are getting better every year.