How to Enroll your Children in Public School During Summer

Last week, we published an article that simplified the school registration process into eight simple steps (link here). As we push into the second half of June, many people are planning for summer holidays–except, of course, families relocating to Madrid at this time. With many public administrations in Spain closing for July and August, this puts an extra obstacle in the road for families sending children to public school in the autumn.

Registering your children for public school over the summer means turning paperwork in after the regional application deadlines. As per our last article about public school matriculation, most Spanish families apply directly at the school of their choice throughout April and the first week of May. Families in special circumstances that don’t allow them to sign up for school by the deadline can apply instead at their local Comision de Escolarizacion.

After the first few days of June, however, the Comision is busy placing Madrid’s children into various schools across the metropolitan area–and closing down for the summer. So what can your family do, when when the Administration’s on holiday but you’re preparing for Fall?

In this case, families have two options. Luckily, they are both relatively easy. Families can either register their children for school the first few days of July, or families can simply wait until 1st to September to do so.

The first things families should do–in either case–is call their local Comision de Escolarizacion during the last few days of June, and ask which public schools in their area have remaining spots open. Once your family has a tentative list of schools at which to apply, you will need:
your empadronamiento
your child’s birth certificate and passport.
We recommend keeping three photocopies of each document

–and having the originals on hand just in case.

If your family decides to register for schools in July, you must do so directly at the school. The school year ends in June, but schools should be open throughout the first half of July as administrative staff finalize registration for the fall. Since schools may be open with limitted hours, families should telephone their chosen school before going personally to turn in paperwork. Once you arrive, spots on a first come, first served basis. Schools may also ask for the child’s immunization record and parents’ proof of custody. Once the application is filled out and handed to the administration, the school will notify your family by phone or email that your children have been officially matriculated.

Families who are unable to personally register their kids at the school of their choice can simply wait until 1 September to do so. The school year starts mid-month, but schools are open starting the 1st. At this point, the registration process is exactly the same as that in July.

Regardless of whether you register your children in July or September, your children will all start school at the same time and make fast friends with their new classmates.

Posted on 17 June, 2014 by Pierre-Alban Waters in Sin categoría - Rent, New? Start Here