School Registration

Schooling is obligatory from the age of 6. The school year is not like the UK and runs from january to december, so you may find your child in a higher or lower class than would be in the UK.

Before 6 there is provision at nursery but its really hard to get a place. There are spanish Guadarias, which are basically private nurseries and children have structured lessons to prepare them for proper school. No idea on the cost now, my 2 went 15 years ago!

School dates vary in differing regions and usually start on a thursday or friday, sort of induction days with term proper starting the monday. Bear in mid as well (although this may well have changed) that you get a list of materials (school books now given by the school, in the old days we had to buy them) in the first few days of starting school and then it can be a mad rush to get everything. El Corte Ingles or the local papeleria should have a list of what you need and you just go there for everything.

Hi,

Rixxy, I think things have changed a lot since your children were in school here. My son, who was born here, is 4 and is in state school in Andalucia and started aged 3 last September. As Maria pointed out, this is classed as the second cycle of nursery or infant education - the first cycle is up till 3 years old and takes place in nursery (known as guardarias).  There are state and private nurseries but state are more difficult to get into, depending on the area.

Although he is now in the second cycle of nursery education this takes place within the primary school, although in his school they have a separate entrance for those under 6. I believe this year the school year will start earlier, September 7. I understand that is not obligatory to send your child to school at the age of 3 and that the state is not legally obliged to educate a child before the age of 6. I am sure this is the case in all regions of Spain. I think perhaps Maria meant that at the age of 3 state education takes place in a school rather than a nursery. However, in the more populated areas here, it is wise to try to get a place in school aged 3, rather than 6, as it can be the case that the school you would like your child to go to is over subscribed and there may not be places in that particular school when he or she is aged 6. Think this is more common on the Costa Del Sol.

In Andalucian state schools there are schemes where you can get free school books from aged 6, but before age 6, you have to pay for them and also other class materials. In our school I understand for the free books, you have to apply for a cheque from the School Secretary but the system maybe diffferent elsewhere.

Hope this helps.

Yes Rixxy. You are correct: schooling is obligatory just from the age of 6 ( Educacion primaria). It is such a worry among young mothers to get kids into nursery school at 3 that I was driven to think that obligatory schooling started at 3!

I checked with the Education Act and , yes.. it starts at 6.

I am thinking  now of sending my kids ( who  being 3 and 1 are  already in class) to the countryside to lear nature now.... ( well... just kidding!.... or not?)

Best regards,

Maria

It is hard to get them in at an early age, which is why the guadarias are so useful as they teach the curriculum. I didnt know any of this when we arrived, it was pure chance and luck!!

I find the educations system excellent, certainly up until secondary school level when I found my daughter going from a 1 class school to 7 in her age group! I moved her to a private spanish school for the last 2 years and she thrived well, her standards so high she qualified as an honorary student into Seville University where she studies Biology (nearly finished her 1st year - where DOES the time go?)

Son is looking to further his education and the teaching is very much on the encouraging system, not nagging or harsh.

Not sure I could have put mine in from such an early age though (they end up staying there for a long time anyway!!!!! - til their mid twenties!!!)

Well, that is very good news about the education system, Rixxy. And well done your kids. I had heard that primary schools were generally supposed to be good, but  have heard mixed reports about secondaries. But I suppose it also depends on the individual school.

I had to put my son in at that age because the public nursery he was in only take them till 3, I couldnt afford private, and like I said, where I am, it seems to be more difficult to put them in at a later age. He seems to enjoy the classes with children his own age. I have some worries at the moment about what is happening with him and some of the bigger kids, but up till now he was quite happy there.