We are moving to Quito for a year with kids aged 10 and 8. Our desire it to have a fairly immersive experience that both opens their eyes to other cultures as well as gives them a love of the world and a desire to explore more nations later in life (ie not too overwhelming or intense as the life long love is really what we are striving for).
With this in mind, my thoughts are that a bilingual is the right answer so they get both language exposure as well as some confidence in being understood in English and not being too overwhelmed and defeated in not being able to communicate properly in any subject. (Their Spanish will still be at a very basic level when they arrive).
I know that the British School Colegio offers a strong bilingual program, but they seem hard to get into and not very responsive to someone just looking at a year's education. Academia Cotopaxi has been very responsive but seems much more expensive and not necessarily the bilingual experience we are looking for, even if it is very globally international which has its merits too.
Please let me know if you can recommend bilingual schools in the Quito area. We will base where we live around which area the school is so we can develop a local community more easily.
Private elementary schools in Quito
The international school is going to be the best education $ can buy. We sent our 8 year old son, Joseph, to a local school in N Quito that offered english and french classes but was not a "bilingual" school. It was cool in that they had llamas. It was not so great in that it really wasn't worth the $350 per month price tag.
Thank you for replying.
From what I have been told, Cotopaxi is about $16,000 per year per kid and the British one at $7,500 per year per kid. While willing to pay more than a few hundred per month per kid, the $16k price tag seems extremely high given the lower cost of living.
I clearly need to do more research but am thankful for any advice/experience folks can offer. Ecuadorian friends have told me to not even consider local schools.
Dear Cara
I have the same problem. Am note yet I. Ecuador , but planing to move this year with my 9y. Daughter.
I will try searching and searching and when I have any updat I will share it.
But I have a Important question.
Did home schooli g in Ecuador is accredit and approved.? And as a last chance , did u see during your search any link or info regarding home schooling or private schools provid this type of education.
Thank you
Sam
I don't know for sure, but I suspect that it's more about results from testing after homeschooling in Ecuador than recognition of home schooling. Ultimately, education in Ecuador is all about the $.
There are two more schools, which offer two languages in the class. One is Pacha Mama in Tumbaco on the mountain Ilalo. There are elective languages as well: German (for sure) and French(?). The other is Montessori school Colegio Sauce; theaches kids English on a daily base. Location: Tumbaco, near Swiss Corner bakery.
One more school just came to my mind: Colegio Maria Clarac in Tumbaco near Santa Maria Mall. This school is run by the canadian(?) nuns.
So far I remeber, all those schools are far below $1000/month, around $300-600 range.
An expensive one is Colegio Menor in Cumbaya.
Also a new private school in Puembo (near Tumbaco) called Highlands School.
Hi, we're moving to Quito next year and we've been trying to get more info or some sort of overview of the elementary schools in Quito. But it doesn't seem to exist...
I understand that there are private schools and local schools and that if you apply for a local school the government assigns the school according to where you live. I'm not sure if I understood this correct, maybe someone here can enlighten me?
And the private schools are all quite expensive (coming from a country where education is free 
but work with application forms and an admission procedure, correct?
Apart from a school we're also looking for a nice neighbourhood to live (not knowing Quito very well still). Maybe anyone has tips on where to live and how to look for a (furnished) house to rent?
Thanks so much in advance,
Esther
Sent my kids to Cotopaxi for two years. Not elementary, but middle school. The best bang for the buck besides the great IB system was meeting the parents of the kids friends. Got to know embassy folks, ambassadors and nicely positioned Ecuadorians who ran their businesses. Skipping the line to jump into this segment of society has a value.
My kids still correspond with their friends they met in Ecuador and I still remain friends with a lot of the parents I met.
Regards,
Kit
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