Cyprus-Forum.com

[SA]

We have made the decision to move to Cyprus next year. How can I find out about schools for my 5 year old daughter near St Lazarus church in Larnaca? Do all children start at age 6? If she will be 6 in March 2005 then does that mean she would start in the first year from September 2005? What are the primary schools like? What is the curriculum like? Will it be hard for a 5 year old to integrate with the Cypriot children if she speaks just a tiny bit of Greek? Any advice/information appreciated.

[Aris]

Hello!

How can I find out about schools for my 5 year old daughter near St Lazarus church in Larnaca?

Here are the addresses and phone numbers of all schools, its in Greek but I guess you will manage to find out. (scroll down to Larnaca and you will see 2 St. Lazarous schools.)

http://www.moec.gov.cy/addresses.pdf

Do all children start at age 6? If she will be 6 in March 2005 then does that mean she would start in the first year from September 2005?

Yes, It used to be that 5 and a half, now they made it 5 and 8 months and soon it will be 6. So your doughter will need to start from next year.

For more information you can check here:
http://www.moec.gov.cy/dde/ekthesi.pdf
http://enostos.net/education/index_cy.htm

Here is a quote from the first link:

2.1.2 MULTICULTURAL EDUCATION
During the past few years, a growing number of pupils, coming mainly from the former
Soviet Union and other foreign countries, were enrolled in Primary Education. About
4,4% of the pupils attending public primary schools do not speak Greek as their
mother language. In response to these demands and the changing social environment,
both national and international, the Ministry of Education and Culture is promoting the
implementation of educational measures and policies that will facilitate the smooth
integration of groups from different cultural identities in a creative environment,
regardless of background. The Department of Primary Education makes provisions so
that bilingual pupils are distributed evenly in the various districts, schools and even
classrooms, so that teachers can support their linguistic and cultural needs more
effectively.
Multicultural education is currently being practised in Cyprus in the form of various
support measures. These measures can be categorised as measures for language
support, which refer to the learning of Greek as a second language and measures for
facilitating the smooth integration of groups with different cultural identities.

If you want there are also private schools that teach in English.

[SA]

Those web links were very useful, thank you.
So my daughter won't need to start till Sept 2005.

It's a shame they are changing a lot of the schools to all day. I thought the 1pm finish time was ideal. Is this happening in all schools?

I don't suppose there are any published league tables of schools, as we have here in UK, or reports on individual ones? I have found 3 schools local to St Lazaros but it will be hard to decide which one.

Sarah

[Aris]

I thought the 1pm finish time was ideal. Is this happening in all schools?

Yes, i think the kids would agree that 1pm was much better. I guess they change it because in most families both parents work. I don't know if/when this will happen to all schools. I think they are still in the trials.

I don't suppose there are any published league tables of schools, as we have here in UK, or reports on individual ones?

No schools are more or less all the same. The only thing that can make a difference is the location. If for example you live in a distant village then teachers there will be mostly young and not very experienced.