Group or private lessons for 2 beginners aged 11 and 5

A snowHead

we are taking our two boys to Les Gets on 28th March for a week. They are aged 11 and 5 and are beginners. I would like them to have lessons (mornings) for a few days ( 3 x 2hrs) so we can spend time with them (both adults can ski). I would like advice on lessons.
I don't want them in big groups of beginners where they spend ages 'waiting there turn'. My 11 yr old skied aged 4 and did this a lot!
If I get private lessons for them together this will be more expensive? Should I opt for small group lessons and if so what ski schools can people recommend. They must be English speaking.

Thanks

A snowHead

Cholyoa, Try someone like BASS http://www.britishskischool.com/ or some of the other British schools to see if they have enough kids for a group. I think a small group would be more fun for them. They may also make some friends which will add to their enjoyment of the holiday.

Another idea would be to get them started on a dryslope or snow dome. They are ideal for learning and I think the lessons work out cheaper. You can also spread them out over the next couple of months and build up the excitement. Then when they get on the snow they'll be a bit further along the learning curve and won't spent all week stood on a nursery slope.

And welcome to snowHeads.

Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?

Our two were very nervous about big groups and English speaking instructors (they had a dreadful experience with ESF years ago) and originally it was "we're only having private lessons" - but we persuaded them to go with Freedom2Ski up in Avoriaz who were absolutely brilliant. They had two years with them (lucky enough to get the same instructor, but they all seemed great) and came on leaps and bounds.

They then had an unutterably dreadful time with New Gen in Vallandry (who have an equally good reputation, but they had the perfect storm of two of them and a large group of pretty dreadful sounding kids who all knew each other, and an instructor who "didn't notice" signs like six of the group all crowding round one table in the cafe and leaving two of them on their own) - so after the first day that was the end of that! Moral of the tale is that reputation is usually a good guide, but there can be things the ski school can't do anything about.

As beginners the best advice I'd give is get them to a fridge beforehand - we did the basic 'learn to ski' sessions and then a couple of two hour practices so they were able to get decent mileage in from day 1, then they were very happily skiing red and easy black runs by the end of their first week.

Help!!

Group or private lessons for 2 beginners aged 11 and 5

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