We plan to move to Taoyuan before school starts in Sept for our 11 years old. She speaks and writes in English and Mandarin.
Any suggestions where to live and a decent local school?
Thank you.
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Hi! No advice, but I’m one step ahead in the planning… I’m moving to Taoyuan this summer also, with my 11 and 8 year olds. They’ll be attending Happy Elementary School – which I heard was bilingual but I can’t really tell you much more about it at this point. Hopefully someone else can chime in!
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If your children can speak and write Mandarin I’d avoid bilingual schools. High school will be a killer.
Thank you folks for your time.
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This sounds like a really scary cram school in worn down building in a back alley. It could be a very legitimate school, but the name scares me. I have never heard of it, though, so I will add that this is only my opinion of the name.
I will chime in about bilingual schools, since I always rant about them on this forum: Taiwan’s definition of “bilingual” school is “a school with some English instruction in PE, art, and music”. It usually involves throwing a white person in the room who may or may not have any idea how to teach, while calling the local teachers who may or may know any English but do all the teaching “assistants”. If it is a public school (I’ve been to about 11 “bilingual” schools around Taiwan and 2 in Kinmen), no academic classes are taught at bilingual schools and the students are barely at level in their English ability (compared to what the government-issued textbooks expect of them).
So be very careful about the use of the word “bilingual”. Find out what the classrooms look like. Look at the textbooks, especially the English ones. Make sure any supplementary English text makes sense and isn’t teaching crap like “x” is for “x-mas”.
Ask to speak to the principal in English. If they can’t speak English, walk away. You can’t run a bilingual school if you can’t speak one of the target languages. If the principal’s English sucks, there’s a good chance that focus is on the $$$$$ and not the English proficiency.
If you can, go in person and sit in on a class. Decide for yourself if you think the environment is good for your kids.
But if your kid already speaks both languages fluently, I’d send them to a local school. They’re more likely to get to know local friends and learn Chinese naturally. Plus, if you want to stick around for a few more years, they’re going to need the intense, mind-numbing academic environment that is the Taiwanese school system.
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just on this part. It is a municipal school (快樂國小) with English Village program.
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Interesting. I’d never have thought they’d name an elementary school that.
To add on to that: English Villages are horrid disasters. Any school claiming to be “bilingual” because they have an English Village is a liar. They probably have one more than the standard (one) English class per week and a full time “English immersion” program where different schools in the area come for two or three days at a time.
Thank you very much for your advice Tando. We will go for the local school.
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Thank you for sharing.
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There seems to be a public school in Taoyuan called Happy Elementary School:
Is that the same school as the one that has been mentioned in this thread?
So far on the board I don’t think I’ve found a lot of information about Taoyuan that would be directly helpful to newly-arrived persons, but that doesn’t necessarily mean that the information isn’t in there somewhere. I’m pasting these links in case they can be of help (I can’t guarantee the accuracy of their contents):
From 2017:
From 2011:
(The bracketed words and link were added by me.)
From 2011:
From 2009:
From 2009:
(The bracketed words and link were added by me.)
From 2002:
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I’m going to add this here, because if you’re unfamiliar with the English Villages in Taiwan, my above post sounds like a blanket statement of negativity. It is, but it’s not unfounded (scroll down to post 14 and down):
That’s the school that I worked at. Years ago it certainly wasn’t a bilingual school. I can’t say of it is now or not. It’s a nice school in a nice area of Taiyuan. Good luck 
Thank you for your time.
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@OH94 @thegirl
Since both of you have stayed since summer, what area would you recommend for family with children under 8?
Thank you. Considering Taoyuan.
No offense but 快樂國小 sounds like some place in a scary movie…
Is their mascot a clown 
?
Btw I’m from pingchen and I lived near 中央大學
The place is nice
Good air
Quiet
Not too faraway from downtown (ten minutes ride to Chung Li)
Near airport
Subway to Taipei and taoyuan and chungli and the airport
HSR
And there’s a bicycle route beside a stream where I used to jog
Also you can take the kids to play on the campus of 中央大學 every weekend like my cousin does
Plus Hakka food is the best
Oh but if you’re taking kids to a public pool then I’d suggest you getting a lifeguard license yourself and ALWAYS keep an eye on your kids
Not just kids but like everyone you take to the pool
Basically just be the lifeguard yourself
Don’t ask me why the truth is waaayyyyy too scary
What’s the problem with clowns? Our resident one, @rooftopclown, isn’t scary in the least!
Too late. Now you HAVE to tell us!
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Well it’s simple
During my days when I worked at a pool
I found that sometimes there’s no lifeguard
And even there was
They might be sleeping at their lounge
Or just staring at their phones
Not all pools are like that
Private ones are usually better
Especially the fancy ones in a community
Just remember that lifeguards might not be present at an understaffed pool
Although the law does require one to be there
Make sure that there’s at least one lifeguard before you go to a pool
How to delete?
We are in Taoyuan city, happy here. Not too crowded and everything is within walking distance. My daughter is bilingual, attending the local elementary school (Tong De) cause we emphasize more on the Chinese language. Plan is she will attend senior high overseas and English will not be an issue.
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