Vienna neighborhoods and bilingual schools

Me again

Here is a link wit general information, I guess yo already know it? It is the offical Vienna page: http://www.wien.gv.at/english/

Here is a map of the Vienna districs to give you an idea of how far apart they are: http://www.wien-hotelzimmer.de/uploads/ … ezirke.png

As you can see, the 23rd is quite far away from.. well everything

Hi, Mimie -- Thank you again.
I have seen the maps; but distance isn't the only factor. For example, here in Phoenix I live 34 km from the city center (same as when I was in Toronto). Here, I can be downtown in 25 minutes. In Toronto, it took an hour and 15 minutes to cover the same distance. But in Phoenix, public transport is almost nonexistent, so I have to drive. In Toronto I traveled on a pleasant train where I could always get a seat, so I didn't mind it as much as I would otherwise -- though frankly, I'd prefer the shortest possible commute consistent with living near one of the bilingual schools in a pleasant neighborhood.
Of course, too, the outer districts of Vienna are quite large, so I know how long it takes to travel to the center depends a lot on where you live within a district.
That's why I'm asking people about the districts. Which one do you live in, and do you like it? Because of my son, I'm especially interested in hearing from anyone who has experience with the bilingual Mittelschules.
Thanks for the links; they are helpful.

Hi,

I live in the 16th and I like it, with children I might try to live in a more green neighbourhood (the part of the 16th that is further out, at Ottakring/Wilhelminenberg - I am actually looking for appartment too and there are very nice big appartments there with a balcony - I can give you a link if you want?) if I don't have the urge to live super central. Now I live central because I live at the border of the 7th district.

From the 16th to the 1th or the 4th (where I work) it takes 20-25 minutes by subway (depending on how many times I need to change the line) The public transportation is very good in Vienna and I would definitly skip the car in the city. The subway comes every 2-5 minutes, there are alot of busses and trams (just takes a while to get a hang of which lines are the best for you). It is very easy to check routes at wienerlinien.at, where you can type in your destination. Most of the time you can get any where in about 30-40 minutes depending on the route.

Sorry that I can't help you with the schools, here is a forum about is, a bit old though..
http://www.virtualvienna.net/main/modul … sc&start=0

All the forums:
http://www.virtualvienna.net/main/modul … ame=Forums

The districts: http://www.virtualvienna.net/main/modul … forum&f=52

Thanks, again, Mimie. Your comments and links are very helpful. The discussion on the bilingual schools on the site you sent me does have a lot of older postings, but there are also some recent ones, and for someone like me who is unfamiliar with the Austrian educational system it is highly informative.
Thanks!

Just happy to help! I am sure that you can get more help in that forum, seems to be active!

Not sure about bilingual but there are quite few international schools here but they are really expensive. If your son is only 11 he would be better off in some good Austrian school, he can pick up language very quickly since he is so young. There are good and not so good schools and then there are schools with IB porogrammes (if your son will go study abroad) but as said for such schools, you will pay tuition per year from 11.000 € on and every grade is more expensive. I believe last year for my daughter cost me 18000 Euro. International schools are Vienna International School in 22 District (my daughter was there), Danube International School, then you have some French schools like Sacre Coeur in 3 bezirk, Amerikan school.... But as said, good schools cost more money.... hm, not so sure that they are so good, they just cost a lot and rich people send their kids there but that is no standard for quality, is it!!

Hi,

I'm faced with the same issue with my son education in Vienna. I'm supposed to move with my family to Vienna from Canada. My kid (7 years old)is diognosed with mild autism and would occasionally need some support from school staff.

Bilingual schools wouldn't be an option, unfortunately, as this might just confuse him. I have contacted all the international english schools in Vienna and they forced me to pay a pricy application fees only to come back and say that they cannot offer a place for my son.

So, I'm really facing a serious situation here that will affect my career if I cannot find a suitable school for my son. I wonder if any of this forum members might direct me how to tackle this issue?

thanks.

Hi -- No idea if this is an option for you, but have you considered the possibility of home-schooling? There are several international home-schooling programs that offer teaching support, lots of online material, fully developed curricula, etc. My sister-in-law has an autistic son and has used the International K12 program for the last five years with great success.
You do, of course, have to pay for it; but at about $7,000 CAD it's going to be much less than it would be for a private school in Vienna. You can look it up at k12.com.
We used the program for a year when we were in rural Ecuador, and supplemented it with language instruction. It was terrifically good.
Good luck.

I have just joined this forum as am on a fact-find!  Roberto23 - did you get to Vienna?  Where is your son at school?  Just heard about the bilingual system from a friend and have 3 boys (8/10/12) to cater for.  Just putting feelers out at this point, nothing concrete yet.  Any useful gen very gratefully accepted.

I was not successful in getting my son into one of the four international schools in Vienna. I was offered instead to register my son in German integration schools/Bilingual schools with the condition that the kid has to go back to grade 1 and losing one year in the process..... I don't know what kind of logic is this.

With that I had to turn down the job offer and forget about the whole thing.

Unfortunately, Vienna is attempting to be looked at as an international city and as hub for international business. Yet it does not have the infrastructure and services required to do so. Schooling is the biggest proof.

If I'm an expat working for a company and my work requires me to be based in Vienna for two years or so, why should I take my kids to German schools on temporary basis for two years. Once we move out from Vienna they will be struggling with their education because of the interruption they had with the introduction of new language.

Nice city but definitely not open to international business.

Hello,
Can anyone help me to find a good bilingual scool with very good reputation in Vienna?
We lived in Vienna for 3 years. My son who is 11, went to international school for the first two years here and he changed into one of the bilingual schools (Theodor Kramer) since last September. He is finishing 1st year in Middle school (5th year in school system). I am extremely not happy about the education there. They have nature speaker for English and the teacher is all right. German teacher is actually pretty good. But that is just about it. They have a horrible math teacher, no feedback at all, no homework. He never checks classroom assignments, never checks homeworks, just says do this and that, but never checks back. Obviously, does not keep a journal where each student performed how in each assignment. (He actually told me that he walks through the class and see who is good or bad, nothing more than that) The class had very sloppy students who are not able to finish class assignments. So the teacher always says to finish what they did at class as homework. Geography, history, science no homework for the whole year!  (Science might have one or two)I am quite fed up with the way the teachers teach and wish to send my son to somewhere he could learn a bit more! The international school was a bit better, but not exceptionally better! So, I am basically looking for another bilingual school which has good teachers and good students.

Can anyone help me by telling what you know about these bilingual schools? Which ones are bad and which ones are good? I know that we bilingual schools have to have a vacancy to accept new kids. Regardless, I should know beforehand which school I should apply. Thanks

Hi
I'm just about to enrol my son (11 years) to an international school in Vienna so I'm really interested in what you've written. Can you say why you decided to remove your son from the International school wasn't it good enough, or there other contributing factors?
I didn't even consider local school as I didn't realise that they taught in English too, did you manage to find a good one, and if so in which district?

It'd be really useful for me to hear how you found a good school (hopefully you have now) and any other advice would be really appreciated.
thanks
Lisa

Dear perdanasiswa
Please contact Integrative Lernwerkstatt ILB Vorgartenstrasse,
it is hard to get into the school,but it will be a wonderful place for your son.
lernwerkstatt.or.at
best of luck,Gabriele

Hi,Ifrenzy,
I am also looking for Bi lingual schools in Vienna.
My children 7,9 and 11 were in Intenational school in Kuala Lumpur.
It is hard to get into,yesterday I looked at one,but they were full.
Let us support each other.I will keep you posted.
If you have to pay for school fees yourself,I would consider to
choose the option of a states school.they are very good.
best of luck,
Gabriele

Hi all of you
You should consider European School for your kids
"http://www.ves.at/index.php?id=6"
Fees in between 7000 Euros and 10000/year

Alternatively the Lycée Français if you intend to move also in other parts of the world.
You can find these French Schools all around the world and that's the reason Diplomatic people UNO staff... chose them because they know that doing so there kids can have the same cursus in most countries.
"https://www.lyceefrancais.at/inscriptions/procedures-calendriers/procedures-dinscription/"
Fees in between 5000 Euros and 8000/year

Mike

Hi
did you find the VBS?
i need your information please
inform me so i can register my daughter as well
we want to move to vienna and need same information like you
thanks

Hi.

We'll be moving with our children to Vienna this August. We are homeschoolers. We'd love to connect with other homeschoolers for an occasional museum visit or concert or anything fun and interesting. Our children are 8 and 12.

We are very interested in music, art, books and nature.

Peace.

Alastair
xxx

Alastair Douglas wrote:

Hi.

We'll be moving with our children to Vienna this August. We are homeschoolers. We'd love to connect with other homeschoolers for an occasional museum visit or concert or anything fun and interesting. Our children are 8 and 12.

We are very interested in music, art, books and nature.

Peace.

Alastair
xxx

Hey Alastair,

You might get a better response if you create a New Post titled "Home Schooling"

Regards

Simon

Good idea, thanks.

Hi Roberto,

I wonder if you ever did move to Vienna and how've you found it. We are very likely going to move there in the summer and I'd like to know more about the districts/bilingual schools there. Any suggestions? recommendations?