state schools

[nikkit72]

Just been reading a site about schools , and found the following interesting and also found out things i didnt know ....

would love some advise on the following things i have just found out and also what they mean by empadronamiento' document and proof of 'convalidation

this is what i have just read my concerns are the last section of below,

To apply for a Spanish school, you need to:

# Apply for an 'empadronamiento' document - for which you have to register at your local town hall. Ask here too about when to apply for specific schools, as it varies. It's usually around May for that September's intake.

# Take originals and photocopies of your passport (possible with an official Spanish translation), proof of address and details of your Spanish bank account. You may also need an official Spanish translation of your passport.

# Take your child's birth certificate or passport, immunisation records, proof of residence and two passport photographs.

# Obtain proof of 'convalidation' - the official record of your child's education. It is best to do this before you move to Spain, having obtained the appropriate forms from the Department of Education (Tel: (00 34) 91 701 8000). Your child cannot be accepted at any school until you have the stamped forms from the Dept. of Education and this can take up to six months.

we are loooking at moving to majorca towards end of year ,, but after reading this i don't think it will happen by then as i can not apply for a place till may for the following september ,, which means if we went towards end of this year my kids will be without schooling till sept 09 is this true ?

thanks in advance ,

[nikkit72]

noone had the above problems with schooling ?

[chris(madrid)]

The certificate of empadronamiento is a commonly solicited document for SPANIARDS as well.

Basically it's a certificate (it has a limited duration) that says that on the date issued you were legally resident where it says. It is issued by the town hall governing where you live. You will need to be legally resident to get it.

YES there's normally a hefty wait. May for Sept sounds right. The convalidation document - sorry I cant help - I don't have kids and everybody I work with is Spanish. I'm not surprised though.

[rjnpenang]

I´m not sure but if you arrive before the Sept. start (about the 15th?) the local council HAS a legal obligation to provide a place, I think if you register with the town hall & inform them you have a child they will find a place somewhere & not keep you waiting.

[nikkit72]

Originally Posted by rjnpenang

I´m not sure but if you arrive before the Sept. start (about the 15th?) the local council HAS a legal obligation to provide a place, I think if you register with the town hall & inform them you have a child they will find a place somewhere & not keep you waiting.

thats good , i wonder if they do that before any new term i.e the january term

[rjnpenang]

Originally Posted by nikkit72

thats good , i wonder if they do that before any new term i.e the january term

Sorry, I don´t know but they still have that legal obligation.

[Eva33]

Originally Posted by nikkit72

noone had the above problems with schooling ?

I did move to Spain (coming from Switzerland in 1997) with three children, 6,10,11 years old. If my memory is correct it was in the middle of the schoolyear. I do not remember any of the problems mentioned above....
As a Spanish gestor once told me: " In Spain regulations are mostly made for being written on paper. Inside the real world things can be very different. This is valid for all countries but much more for Spain and other ex Spanish colonies.
This is one aspect of "tolerance"

[chris(madrid)]

Originally Posted by rjnpenang

I think if you register with the town hall & inform them you have a child they will find a place somewhere & not keep you waiting.

CHILD EDUCATION is a legal obligation from BOTH SIDES. But there have been folk on TV complaining they cannot get a school place CLOSE to home. A real PITA if both parents work and have no family backup.

The Spanish for years have left their kids with Grandparents during the day. My niece was near enough raised by my mum in law. She took her to school, fed her etc until my sister in law could get home (they lived close).

[dizzy]

Would this department of education document be needed if emigrating from australia? I would assume so. I have been told that the spanish government departments love their stamps, meaning that everything must be stamped by multiple organisations and departments to prove authenticity - is this correct?