NOT RECOMMENDED FOR FAMILIES OR ANY ADDITIONAL SERVICES BEYOND ADULT SPANISH CLASSES…read moreCdV was not a good match for our needs. We enrolled on the family program and stayed with a host family for one week.
PROS:
VALENCIA is a wonderful city. We completely fell in love with it. The school has a good location between the center and the beach with outstanding public transit options.
The FACILITY is clean, and the MATERIALS professional.
The ADULT CLASSES were well run. My TEACHER was hilarious and engaging. He had a good curriculum for the class.
CONS:
My primary motivation for coming to the school was for my 6-year old to learn Spanish, not for myself. I communicated this repeatedly to the administration when we set up our enrollment. Yet, the CHILDREN'S CLASS appeared to lack an appropriate curriculum. For example, one day the teacher watched a movie with my child IN ENGLISH. I had to pay extra (20 euros per hour - more than I have ever paid for a babysitter) for the class because my child was the only student. Yet this very expensive class time was not used to teach my daughter Spanish. I have now had time to review all the materials she brought home from class, and it appears that they don't have knowledge, training or a curriculum appropriate for teaching a child who doesn't read yet.
The school had a lot of EXTRA CHARGES like this one. For example, we were required to pay for 8 nights with the host family even though we only stayed 6 nights. Our host family rents out 3 student bedrooms (so not really a "family" type of experience), and during this time, only two were occupied. So, it is unclear how our non-standard arrival and departure days lost the host family any money. They also quoted me 60 euros for an airport pick up, but fortunately I realized in time that an airport taxi only costs about 20 euros.
Our bedroom was beautiful enough to keep us, but the beds were literally the most uncomfortable I have ever slept in (very saggy) and the sheets were threadbare. The food was mediocre on a good day - one "bad" day we were literally served lettuce leaves that were all visibly moldy with sliced tomato on top. The enrollment said "don't forget your towels" which I assumed meant beach towels (which is common). Only after we arrived did the welcome materials indicate that the host family doesn't provide a bath towel.
COMMUNICATION was a challenge throughout, not just with us (which might be understandable given different languages) but also between the school administration and our host family (who presumably have worked together before and should have a system for communicating with each other). Our host was no aware that we had signed up for half board nor did they know our correct departure date. I am so glad I confirmed our arrival with the host directly, but the administration heard about this and sent me a rude email saying that I should only communicate through them (even though I had received no confirmation that the host was expecting us). Similarly, I had to ask twice before we left home for the host's name and address - which seems like something the administration should be able to send without being asked at all.
The price kept changing; so, I asked for a revised invoice. It's a good thing for them that I did because the price was 100+ euros more than I had expected based on the previous quotes and description of costs. I asked for the invoice on Tuesday, the day the funds are due, but they didn't deliver the revised costs to me until Wednesday afternoon. During which time, they publically posted my name on the wall as a student who had neglected the pay. (My classmate saw it first.)
In the many many photos on the walls, I did not see a single photo of a child despite their claim that they have a program for families.
I brought up some of these concerns with the administration. They dismissed my concerns with "These are our ways." This school has potential given the facility, teachers and location, but with the current administration focused on collecting as extra fees from students as much as possible without any real customer service, and constant struggles with communications (including among themselves), I can't recommend it.
