Finding the correct school for children will make your time in Spain a much more rewarding experience. Here's a guide to what to look out for. The main choice to make is whether you want your child to go to a Spanish school or an international school. Most of us send our children to state schools, an experience that allows the child to integrate fully into local life and be speaking the language fluently within a year.

Infant and Primary School
In order to register with any school in Spain you will need to register with the local 'Ayuntamiento', (Town Hall) first.
You will need to provide:

. Originals and photocopies of passports
. NIE numbers
. At least two recent photographs (for each child)
. Medical certificate
. Birth certificates
. Marriage certificate

Try to be well organized and take photocopies of everything before you go; even if establishments have photocopy machines, they will not always offer and you may be turned away. If you do not speak any Spanish it is highly advisable to take an interpreter, so you know what is going on.
When your paper work is in order the Town Hall will then issue you with a empadronamiento.


It is compulsory in Spain to send your children to school when they reach five years old and for most state schools there is a means test entry system. There is no guarantee of getting in the school of your choice with admission being based on classroom availability and your means tested points. However, once offered a place, be prepared to pay for all school books on a yearly basis.
School times vary, so you will need to check. Some are 9:00 - 2:00pm, others 8:00 - 3:00 with a lunch break, or 8.30 - 1.00, for example.

The school year for Andalucia is approx:
. Infants 4/9/06-22/6/07
. Primary 4/9/06-22/6/07
. Secondary 11/9/06-22/6/07

The age of your child should be taken into consideration, the younger they are, the easier they find it to adapt. Most state schools are only taught in the local dialect eg: Castilian or Valencian depending on your location.

Secondary School (14 to 18 years)
This is known as the Instituto and you will need the same paper work as above and proof of convalidation, a leaving certificate from their relevant school in Spain or copies of any exam certificates and a report from their head teacher, translated into Spanish.
It is best to do this before you move to Spain, having obtained the appropriate forms from the Department of Education at the following address:
Ministerio de Educacion y Ciencia
C/Alcala,34
28014 Madrid
Tel. 917 01 80 00

Alternatively you could register your child with an International school. Entry requirements vary, as do the fees, but most follow the English curriculum and offer entry to GCSE's and A levels, whereas Spanish schools offer the two year 'bachillerato' academic course.

The National Association of British Schools in Spain is a useful resource for finding schools with well qualified staff and up to date teaching methods. There are over 40 schools listed, generally in areas where there is a high population of English, for example, along the coast. These are also popular with Spanish parents, and speak English and Spanish.