Secondary schools

The school system here is really good. Since she doesn't know greek yet, she will be put in this program that it's made for foreigners. And also in the first year or maybe two or even three she won't have any grades. Until she will learn greek and the school will be sure she knows it, she won't get any grades. This is the way it is in Paphos but Im sure it is the same in the other cities. And here the school goes like this 1-6 grade it's the primary school(dimotiko), 7-9 grade is gymnasium(gymnasia) and 10-12 is high school(likio). So now it depends on what grade she finished in the UK. I hope I helped you and feel free to ask if you need more informations.

Thanks so much for that information. Sounds really good and logical.

I wonder do you have to pay for schools (fees, uniform etc) or is it free education.
And are schools all the same quality or is there a different levels like private and local schools?

I lived in Greece so I remember dimotiko, gymnasio and lykeio    so its more the Greek school system not the English one as we have here in Ireland which is the same as in the UK.

Well the uniform has to be black, grey, dark blue or white shirt. And for girls either skirt or pants that are grey. You can find the exact pants/skirt you need for school at some stores. The other things are free. Just of course you have to buy notebooks, pens and stuff like this. And to be honest I'm not sure how good the private school are but I know they are more strict than the public ones. But the public schools are good. And normally they all should be the same quality, even if they are in different cities. Because the system is the same as well as the subjects and everything you have to learn. 

That sounds all really promising... now I only need a job... I am applying in the moment for... thanks so much

Hello again I just try to get info again from you :-)

I am planning my trip to Larnaca and tried to find online names of public schools in Larnaca my daughter and me will visit.
But somehow I was a bit lost.
Can you tell me which ones are the public schools? Secondary I guess as she finished elementary school here in Ireland now (class 6) and would join here the secondary part now.
And I heard/read that kids are assigned to the school nearest to their place of residence so they do not have a choice? Like catchmond area?
May I ask do you have kids in school?

Thanks again

...and yesterday somebody replied that this program for foreign kids applies only to small kids and that they would totally advise me against putting my daughter into a secondary school with no greek that this would traumatise her, do you have any ideas about that?

Hi Kerry, schooling in Cyprus seems to be quite different in that indeed, there are different levels as to what's considered prestigious etc. The problem with public schools is that you'd need to find a good one. There was a lot of negative press about bullying in public schools and teachers turning a blind eye, however, I have many friends who send their kids to public schools and are very happy with the system. If you're looking into the Larnaca area, I've heard great things about Aradippou and their schools. I personally came to Cyprus from having had an irish system schooling and went to a private English school and didn't find it horrifying in any way, but of course, needed more lessons to catch up on their system, for example, accounting. I went to Med High in Larnaca and was quite happy and integrated quickly. As the cost of private schooling is higher, the level of care is also more personal than in a public school. I think whichever type of schooling you choose you can always change your mind later on depending on how happy your teen is.