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Although, the majority of Brits buying in Bulgaria are looking for holiday homes/buy to let and investment opportunities, there are people relocating permanently. It is not just retired Brits who are planning to move to Bulgaria but also families with young children.

Despite the natural adaptability of children, the younger the better, any major change in their life will have some impact. One of the most influential factors which worry most parents is changing schools. In this case, it is not just a simple change in schools but a change to an educational system that is not yet European .

If you intend to live in Bulgaria permanently, you will want to look at the state education system. On the other hand, those who plan to spend a short period of time or are not yet convinced about their move may wish to consider private, international schooling.

State education in Bulgaria is free. Compulsory education is from the ages of 7 to 16 but many begin earlier attending kindergarten or preschool from the age of 5. Primary school begins for children aged 7 and continues for 4 years before pupils graduate to middle school where they remain for a further 3 years. Secondary school or high school is for between 3 and 5 years. Almost one third of students go onto further education.

In an attempt to move it away from communist rhetoric, the entire education structure has been undergoing major reforms which began back in 1989. Today the government spends around 3% of the country's GDP directly on education as it aligns itself for joining the EU in 2007. It should continue to improve as children will need to learn the skills and gain the knowledge to compete with their European counterparts in the future.

However, despite these attempts, according to Maria Antova's report 'Education for Human Rights, Peace, Stability, And Democracy status''..'(www.gewi.kfunigraz.ac.at/csbsc/country_reports/Education_Bulgaria.htm) there are still numerous problems with the system including inflexibility, centralisation and lack of guarantee of equal opportunities for young people.

If you want to educate your child through the medium of the English language in Bulgaria, most of the private schools tend to be located in the country's capital of Sofia as opposed to the coastal areas and ski resorts where people are buying. Nevertheless, as we have seen in the Costa del Sol, as more and more British families move in the demand for International Schools will increase and consequently so will the supply.

List of Private Schools in Bulgaria

Rovel 'The best private school in Bulgaria'
Address: 1393 Sofia,r.a. Bankia Ivaniane 66 Sv. Sv. Kiril i Metodii str.
Tel. 359 2 9977454
www.rovel.bg/e_index.html

First Private English Language School William Shakespeare 'Specialized high school with a foreign language training' Licenced Member of Bakeu Optima.
Address: 1000 Sofia, 13 Stara Planina str.
Tel. 359 2 9831520, 359 2 9835126
Fax. 359 2 9831520
www.fpels.ws/english.htm

Drita
'Private secondary comprehensive school and kindergarden with early foreign language teaching'
Address: 1434 Sofia, r.a. Simeonovo 13 Kamenitsa str.
Tel. 359 2 9613242, F
Fax. 359 2 9613242
www.dritaschool.com/about1.html

Veda
'Private school and kindergarden with studying of German language'
Address: 1233 Sofia, 5 Marin Dachev Hristov str.
Tel. 359 2 9311359, 359 2 9311467

Private business school
Address: 1303 Sofia, 148 Sv. Sv. Kiril i Metodii str.
Tel. 359 2 9310034,
Fax. 359 2 9863113

Ivan Vazov
'PPS Ivan Vazov and PK Malechko with early foreign languages education'
Address: 1619 Sofia, r.a. Kniazhevo 8 Studen kladenets str.
Tel. 359 88 8281122, 359 88 8436277, 359 2 9571800

PGSS Buzema
'Professional high school for agriculture'
Address: 1632 Sofia, h.c. Ovcha kupel 74 Maestro Kanev str.,
Tel. 359 2 8563458, 359 2 8563558

32 SES St. Kliment Ohridski 66
'School with intensive study of English and Russian language'
Address: 1303 Sofia, 63 Hristo Botev blv.
Tel. 359 2 803901, 359 2 9874361

Nikola Vaptsarov
'College of agriculture'
College with third rank of professional qualification.
Address: 2360 Breznik,
Tel. 359 7751 2466, 359 7751 2526

Professional high school for clothing and tourism
'Education in sewing and nutritive-gustatory industry'
Address: 2300 Pernik, 3 Radomir str.
Tel. 359 76 24438, 359 76 24518

7 SES Naiden Gerov
Secondary Education School.
Address: 9000 Varna, 1 Tsarevets str., above Chataldja market,
Tel. 359 52 302228, 359 52 302923

Dr Petar Beron
Mathematical Secondary school 125
Mathematics high school in Varna.
Address: 9000 Varna, r.a. Chaika,
Tel. 359 52 302106, 359 52 302106

Speech treating kindergarten
'Teaching and therapy of speech and linguistic problems'
Address: 1164 Sofia, h.c. Lozenets 22 Sveti Naum blv.
Tel. /Fax. 359 2 8662197

Woodworking and Building Professional High School
'Prepares specialists for furniture production'
Address: 6300 Haskovo, 38 Plovdivska str.
Tel.: 359 38 665006, 359 38 665134

SES Emilian Stanev
Secondary educational school.
Address: 5000 Veliko Tarnovo, 1 Maria Gabrovska str.,
Tel. 359 62 646940, 359 88 7225454

Prof. Ivan Apostolov High School 457
'Specialised in Law, Management and Computer Studies'
Address: 1113 Sofia, h.c. Iztok 46 Raiko Aleksiev str.
Tel. 359 2 8720582, tel./fax: 359 2 9713081

Solid - K Agency
English school and computer literacy.
Address. 1113 Sofia, 6 Prelom str.
Tel. 359 2 8707698

Child's Art Studio Nik
Club occasions, child's celebrations
Address: 1606 Sofia, r.a. Lozenets 14 Vezhen str.
Tel. 359 2 9635494

Urii Gagarin
Professional technical high school
Vocational High School for preparation of Technicians
Address: 2300 Pernik, 10 Tarnovo str.
Tel./Fax. 359 76 600910

PKG Rai
'One of the First Private Kindergarten'
Address: 1756 Sofia, 47 Bistrishko shose str.,
Tel. 359 2 9611333

St Patriarh Euthimius Primary School
Address: 1000 Sofia, 24 Tsar Samuil str.,
Tel.: 359 2 9895127

Erich Kestner
Private German School
Private School.
Address: 1336 Sofia, h.c. Liulin 6 , 47 ODZ,
Tel. 359 2 267280,
Fax. 359 2 9250838

Druzhba
Private Profile High School .
Address. 1320 Bankia, 65 Varna str.,
Tel./Fax. 359 2 9977234

Britanica
Language school.
Address: 1000 Sofia, 23 Vitosha blv. ent.1 apt. 8,
Tel. /Fax: 359 2 9874078

PPS Riorih
Language school.
Address: 1434 Sofia, r.a. Simeonovo 9 Krairechna str.,
Tel. 359 2 9613030, Fax. 359 2 9532995

Vassil Zlatarski Private School
Address: 1756 Sofia, h.c. Darvenitsa 49 Sv. Kliment Ohridski blv., Tel./Fax. 359 2 9743666

Educo Bulgaria - International Adventure School
'Experiential education outdoors'
Address: 1784 Sofia, h.c. Mladost 2 fl.1, 19 ODZ,
Tel. 359 2 9753037

Espa Private High Language School.
Address: 1784 Sofia, h.c. Mladost 1 , next to block 67,
Tel. 359 2 9743027, Fax: 359 2 9753367

Daga
Private Junior school and Kindergarten
'Private Education'
Address: 1720 Bankia, 5 Tsaribrodska str.,
Tel. 359 48 954625, 359 88 8536576

The Little Prince
Private Primary School and Kindergarten.
Address: 9000 Varna, h.c. Chaika, in front of block 19,
Tel. 359 52 300514, 359 52 302924

Sveta
Private Primary School
Private Education.
Address: 1619 Sofia, 7 Moreni str.,
Tel./Fax. 359 2 8570119

Child's Friend Association
Kindergarden and pre-school education in foreign languages.
Address: 1504 Sofia, h.c. Iztok 19 Krakra str.,
Tel. 359 2 721771, 359 2 9442918

Friedrich Schiller Stiftung
Language education for preschool and school age children.
Address: 1756 Sofia, 3 Dabnitsa str.,
Tel./Fax: 359 2 777752

Mecho Puh
Daily kindergarten.
Address: 6100 Kazanlak, 6 Starozagorska str.,
Tel. 359 431 62369

PHSEA Academician Dechko Uzunov
Professional high-school of enclosure arts.
Address: 6100 Kazanlak, 80 General Radetski str.,
Tel. 359 431 63430, 359 431 63575

Rainball of Dreams
Private kindergarden.
Address: 4000 Plovdiv, 24 Vesela str.,
Tel. 359 32 620733, 359 89 8459225

Nikolai Liliev
Primary School.
Address: 1421 Sofia, r.a. Lozenets 2 Prezviter Kozma str.,
Tel. 359 2 8664995

American - English Academy
Address: 1582 Sofia, h.c. Druzhba 2 10 Prof. Tsvetan Lazarov blv., Tel. 359 2 9780136, fax: 359 2 9780153

CVPK at Ministry of Economics
Language school.
address: 1797 Sofia, h.c. Izgrev 3A 165 str., tel.: 359 2 717042, fax: 359 2 722461

Art High School Prof. V. Stoianov
Special School.
Address: 7000 Ruse, 12 Pirotska str.,
Tel./fax: 359 82 227609

Sveti Naum High scholl
Address: 1616 Sofia, r.a. Boiana 23 Kumata str.,
Tel.: 359 88 8515095, 359 2 9590141

Vasil Levski High School
'All for us and something more'
Address: 9700 Shumen, r.a. Trakia 24 Dedeagach str.,
Tel. 359 54 63186

Ilia R. Blaskov Elementary school
Address: 9700 Shumen, 9 Hristo Smirnenski str.,
Tel: 359 54 61308