In Spain, your children must attend a Spanish state school, either
primary or secondary, within a certain distance of your own home. So if
you have a preference for a particular school, it's important that you
buy or rent a home within the catchment area of that school.
The Spanish Ministry of Education requires certain documents in order
to enrol your child in a Spanish state school. We advise you to do this
before leaving the UK.
If you would like details about buying your home in
Spain please contact
us using this form. (a new window will open) Or you can
email us here.
If you would like your children to attend your local Spanish state
school, you must first register on the Padron (the "Empadronamiento").
Read more here about how to register on the Padron...
If you have found a Spanish state school which you would prefer your
child to attend, it is very important that you buy or rent your
home within the catchment area of that school. This is because Spanish
law states that your child must attend a school within a certain
distance of his or her home.
Your local town
halls and provincial Ministry of Education offices can give you a list
of local schools at all levels. In some rural areas you may have little
or no choice of schools, whilst in Madrid and the other major cities
there is usually a range of options.
Spanish state schools have an annual quota for pupils and places are
allocated on a first-come, first-served basis. The enrolment period
usually lasts for two months early in the year, for example from
February to March or April to May, although this varies from region to
region. Individual schools will provide you with exact dates.
To enrol your child in a Spanish school you must provide the following documents:
| 1 | Your child's birth certificate or passport (original and photocopy), with an official Spanish translation (if necessary) |
| 2 | Both parent's passports (originals and photocopies) |
| 3 | Proof of immunisation |
| 4 | Proof of residence |
| 5 | Proof of verification, if applicable |
| 6 | Two passport-size photographs (for a student identity card and school records) |
If your child is about 14 years old and starting a
Spanish secondary school in the third year, you must also present proof
that your child's education record has been verified by the Spanish
Ministry of Education. The process is known as homologación or
convalidación. You must complete an official form provided by the
Ministry, which are available from Spanish consulates and embassies
abroad, from regional Departments of Education or directly from the
Ministerio de Educación y Ciencia.
You should also submit your child's school record
book and/or exam qualifications, plus their birth certificate.
If possible, you should complete this process
before leaving the UK, because your child may not be accepted at a
school until the official papers confirming the verification have been
received and stamped by this country's Department of Education. The process
takes around three months, although if you show a school proof of the
Ministry's receipt of the verification documents, your child should have
no problems being accepted.
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Rest Assured Property Services
c/Maestro no 5-B
D. Patrocinio Gonzalez Carrillo,
Abanilla, Murcia 30640, Spain
Tel: (0034) 96 868 0551
Mobile (0034) 677138312
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