Barcelona Mum

When and why was Planet English founded?
When my son was born 12 years ago, I decided that I didn´t want to return to full time teaching so I started doing English classes for Spanish children after school. I have always tried to make the classes as fun and active as possible because the school day is so long and children should really be playing after school not having extra classes. 4 years ago the classes were going so well that I moved to my present premises and started Planet English Club . I believe that an hourly class of English is no good at all – children really need a more regular contact with a foreign language and to do a variety of activities in English so instead of being a regular language academy it became a kind of club with workshops, esplais (holiday clubs) and parties. After a while it wasn´t just Spanish children who were coming to the workshops and esplais but I found myself with more and more children from British, American,Dutch, and German families who had heard about me. The after school classes are still going very well and I have children from 3 – 18 years old, and the Holiday Clubs and parties have taken off in an unbelievable way – I often have a waiting list ! . We have also recently started Spanish classes after school for children who go to International schools and are looking for more Spanish. Teaching English to children after school is very challenging and I really enjoy it, but as a Primary trained teacher I missed the day to day contact that you have with your own class of children.I was also very disappointed with the unimaginative teaching that I saw in general in Cataluyna, so when a parent approached me and asked me to set up classes every morning for his four year old daughter it sparked off a new idea. With a close friend Sara- who is also a British trained primary teacher with similar experience to me – we decided to try and set up a “Morning Club” offering a basic curriculum in English for children between 3 and 6. We both felt really strongly that at this age school should be fun and stimulating and we wanted to make the educational experience as personal as possible for each child. We decided that our maximum would be 10 children and that this would allow us to offer a really quality , caring education with lots of emphasis on having fun and stimulating the children.

What are the main reasons that parents choose Planet English?
There are a variety of reasons why people choose Planet English. Some families are only here temporarily so a state school is not an option for them.Some families have tried schools both state and private and had a bad experience , and some people see it as a way to prepare their child for going on to an International School.It also combines quite well with people opting for Home Schooling.

What is the teacher/child ratio?
We started the project with only 2 pupils but currently have 8 children- some come every day and some have opted for a few mornings.

Is there flexibility in hours?
The school day is 9.30 -13.30 which leaves the afternoon free for family time or extra activities. When children start the hours are flexible until they feel comfortable with the whole morning

Are parents allowed to sit in on classes if they like?
We welcome parents to sit in for the first few classes until their child is settled.

Can children start at any time of the year?
Children can start at any time as long as there are places.

What are the fees?
The fees are currently
125€ yearly for materials and accident insurance ,
and 425 € per month if your child comes every day and 85 € per month for each morning