One of the first things you should think about when moving to Spain is whether to enrol your
child into the Spanish education system or into a private English speaking school which generally follows the British curriculum such as King’s college in Murcia www.kingsgroup.org.
The Spanish education system is excellent. Children do not by law have to start school until the age of 6 but most attend ‘Infantil’ or Infants School between the ages of 3-6 years. At age 6 they enrol in ‘Primaria’ or Primary School until the age of 12 when they move up to I.E.S. (Instituto Education Secundaria) or Secondary School where they have to complete a compulsory 4 years of education. They can then leave, do a two year ‘Bachillerato’ course which leads on to University or alternatively complete a two year vocational course leading to a profession such
as nursing, plumbing etc.
The main difference between the public and private system is the language barrier. Small children adjust more easily to speaking Spanish all day in school than teenagers and will therefore settle into the Spanish state schools a lot easier.
Private school fees in Spain vary greatly depending on the quality, reputation and location of the school. Some schools will award scholarships or offer grants; however this is dependent on your financial circumstances. Fees at subsidised Spanish schools are around €700 a year.
The local Town Hall will have all the information you need to enrol your child into a local school.
If you are enrolling your child into Primary School you will need their birth certificate or passport, the parent’s passports, proof of immunisation and proof of residency. If your child is transferring from a UK secondary school, their existing education will have to be verified. Your child will not be able to take up a place in a Spanish school until verification papers stamped by the Department of Education have been received.