It is extremely important to find a school for your children that meets your expectations. When you are considering the different options, there are many questions that need to be answered. You may have concerns about the curriculum, what type of school to choose, classroom languages and the distance between home and school. After finding some interesting options, you will also have to find out if there is space for your child, what the enrolment process consists of, whether there are fees, and so on.
We offer assistance with finding a suitable school for your child, taking into account your family’s situation and needs. First, we orientate you and help you make a selection of interesting options. Then we contact schools and inquire on available places. If there is space, we inform you about Doors Open Days, and can arrange an appointment with the headmaster. We also assist you throughout the application process.
Before starting the search, it is good to know that in Spain there are public, subsidized (concertados) and private schools.
In public schools the education is free of charge, but depending on the school, there might be for example a material or a canteen fee. Normally you also pay for the extracurricular activities. It is good to know that if you opt for a public school, your child has a guaranteed place, but not necessarily in the school which is your first choice. As for languages, in many schools there are two lines – Spanish-speaking and Valencian-speaking. Lately, Valencian is gaining more and more importance in public schools. Even in Spanish groups part of the teaching is given in Valencian. Non-native immigrant children normally receive extra assistance in order to develop sufficient language skills for following teaching in Spanish and Valencian.
Subsidized schools are financed partly by parents, partly by the State. The fees vary a lot, so it is important to request this information from each school. Some subsidized schools are very inexpensive. While public schools are secular, many subsidized schools are Catholic. Some are stricter while others have a more liberal approach, and it is important to be well informed in advance about the viewpoint the school has.
To enroll your child in a public or a subsidized school, the family is required to have an address in Spain; the child must be registered with the municipality (empadronamiento). However, it is not necessary for the child to have NIE or resident status. It is sufficient to present a valid passport to complete the enrolment. The general enrolment starts in May. It is possible to enroll your child outside this period, but the options might be limited, and you are likely to have less choice. Regarding the subsidized schools in Valencia, currently it is very difficult to get a place as most schools are full. However, if you are interested in this option, we help you find out whether there is space in a particular school.
Private schools are exclusively financed by the families, and all charge monthly fees. The cost can be rather high. Lots of them have a bus that picks children up and takes them home after the school day. There are many bilingual schools where both English and Spanish are used. The enrolment process is flexible and they accept new students all year round. As for Valencian language, if you are not planning to stay long term in Valencia (maximum of two years), in private schools they have the option of studying less Valencian.
There is a number of British Schools around Valencia (such as Caxton College, British College La Cañada, Los Olivos, The Cambridge House, The British School of Valencia). Most of them are located within 20-30 kilometers outside Valencia, and they all provide a school bus service. These schools follow British curriculum and the subjects are taught in English. There are other international private schools, too, such as the American School of Valencia, Lycée Français and Deutsche Schule, where the curriculum of that country is followed. Despite the international nature of these schools, the majority of the students come from Spanish families, so it is common that they socialize in Spanish.
Apart from the above-mentioned schools, there are private schools applying alternative teaching methodologies and approaches to education.
