Does the label matter, nursery (escuela infantil) or daycare (guardería)?

Terms used

• Guardería — Guardería is an everyday word for a nursery or daycare. It has no legal status in education law.
• Escuela infantil — An escuela infantil is an authorised centre that teaches the first cycle of infant education, ages 0 to 3.
• Centro de educación infantil — A centro de educación infantil is an authorised centre that teaches both infant cycles, ages 0 to 6.
• Técnico Superior en Educación Infantil — The Técnico Superior en Educación Infantil is a vocational qualification that allows its holder to work in first-cycle centres.

Key rules

• Guardería: The word has no legal standing, so authorisation matters more than the name on the sign.
• Authorisation: A centre teaching children under 3 needs authorisation from the regional education department.
• Regional rules: Ratios, space, staff proportions and naming rules are set by each region, so check your own.

Does the label matter?

The word on the sign matters less than the centre's legal status. "Guardería" is an everyday word with no legal standing in education law. What counts is whether the centre is authorised to teach the first cycle of infant education (ages 0 to 3), with the required staff and space.

What the legal labels mean

Infant education has two cycles: 0 to 3 and 3 to 6. The first cycle is voluntary. Centres that teach it have one of two legal names:

• Escuela infantil: teaches the first cycle only.
• Centro de educación infantil: teaches both cycles.

Either one needs authorisation from the regional education department. A place that looks after children under 3 without that authorisation is operating irregularly. Many regions also bar unauthorised places from calling themselves an escuela infantil or an educational centre. Whether a particular name is allowed depends on your region's rules.

Some regions have lighter rules for occasional care, such as ludotecas or play spaces. These are not nurseries, so do not assume they meet nursery standards.

What an authorised centre must have

National minimums cover ratios, space and staff qualifications. Each region then sets its own detailed rules in a regional decree, including its register of centres. These rules differ between regions and change often, so look up the one for your region.

On staff:

• Teachers need a Maestro degree specialising in infant education, or a Grado in Educación Infantil.
• Other staff may hold the Técnico Superior en Educación Infantil, a vocational qualification, or an equivalent title.
• The director must be a Maestro or a Grado holder in infant education, or hold an equivalent degree.
• Usually at least one teacher or graduate is required per unit or per centre. Your region sets the exact proportions.

How to compare centres

Don't rely on the name. Look the centre up in your region's education register. Most regions publish a searchable directory, and there is also a national register of non-university centres. Then ask the centre for its paperwork and compare it with what you see. The checklist below gives the steps in order.

If you can't find the centre in the register, contact the regional education delegation or inspection service. The FAQ below covers that and the question of unauthorised names.

Checklist

• Search your region's education department directory for the centre by name, municipality or code.

• Check that the register lists it as an escuela infantil or centro de educación infantil offering the first cycle (0 to 3 years).

• Check whether the register shows it as public or private and as authorised.

• Ask the centre for its authorisation resolution and its centre code (código de centro).

• Ask how many units and places are authorised, and compare that with the number of children you see.

• Ask which staff hold a Maestro or Grado in infant education and which hold the Técnico Superior en Educación Infantil, and who the director is.

Frequently asked questions

Can a centre call itself a guardería without being authorised?

The word guardería has no legal status, so using it does not make a centre authorised or unauthorised. What matters is whether the centre is registered as an escuela infantil or centro de educación infantil. A place that looks after children under 3 without authorisation is operating irregularly, although some regions allow lighter setups for occasional care, such as ludotecas.

Does the nursery director need a teaching degree?

Yes, the director must be a Maestro or hold a Grado in infant education, or an equivalent degree such as a Licenciado. The other staff may hold the Técnico Superior en Educación Infantil, a vocational qualification. Your region sets how many posts must be filled by graduates.

What can I do if I cannot find the nursery in the regional register?

Ask the regional education delegation or inspection service whether the centre is authorised. Ask the centre too for its authorisation resolution and centre code. You can also search the national register of non-university centres.