Finding and visiting a private nursery you can trust

Terms used

• Código de centro — The código de centro is the unique code that identifies an education centre in the regional register.
• Periodo de adaptación — The periodo de adaptación is a gradual settling-in period when your child starts, with short stays that grow longer.
• Cocina propia — Cocina propia means the nursery cooks meals in its own on-site kitchen.
• Madrugadores — Madrugadores is an early-arrival service, usually from 7:30, for parents who start work early.
• Escuela de verano — The escuela de verano is a summer programme some nurseries run in July or August, priced separately.

Key rules

• Authorisation: Only shortlist centres you can find in the regional register as a first-cycle infant school.
• Group size: Count children per room on your visit and compare with the legal limits for their age.
• Extras: Hours, summer opening and meals often cost extra, so get every charge in writing.
• Red flags: Evasive answers on staff or authorisation are a reason to drop a centre.

Start with authorisation, staff and group size

Shortlist only centres that are officially authorised, then compare the rest on a visit. A friendly tour means little if the centre is not registered.

Check the register first

Each region keeps a register of education centres, and most publish a searchable directory on the regional education department's website. Search by name, municipality or code. Check that the centre is listed as an escuela infantil for the first cycle (0 to 3), and see whether it is shown as public or private.

Then ask the centre for three things:

• its authorisation resolution
• its código de centro
• how many units and places it is authorised for

A good centre hands these over easily and often displays its authorisation. If you cannot find it in the register, ask the regional education delegation or inspection service. Do not enrol until you have an answer. Portal names differ by region.

Staff and group size

A unit is one group of children with its own educator. The national minimum allows at most 8 children per unit under 1 year, 13 for 1 to 2 years and 20 for 2 to 3 years, and some regions set lower limits. Count the children in each room on your visit and compare.

Educators should hold a degree in infant education, or the vocational Técnico Superior en Educación Infantil. The director should be a qualified teacher. Regions differ on how many posts must be filled by graduates, so ask the centre how its team is qualified. Also ask how long staff stay, and whether your child would keep the same educator. Evasive answers on staff or authorisation are a warning sign.

What to look for on the visit

Use the checklist below to note what you see. The signs that matter most:

• Educators are warm, at child level, and quick to respond when a child cries.
• The routine is calm and predictable, with varied activity, free play and outdoor time.
• Rooms are clean, safe and well kept, with age-appropriate materials.
• Nappy changes and meals follow clear hygiene practice.

Warning signs are screens used to keep children busy, crowded rooms and many children left crying.

Also ask about the periodo de adaptación, a gradual settling-in period. Good centres offer one. Ask how they talk to families each day (an app or a notebook) and whether you can visit again without notice.

Compare hours

Private nurseries typically open between 7:30 and 9:00 and close between 17:00 and 18:00 on weekdays. The core day runs about 9:00 to 16:00 or 17:00. Many offer early arrival (madrugadores, from 7:30), late pick-up until 18:00 or 19:00, and half-day or part-time options.

The calendar usually runs September to July, with the main fee paid over 11 or 12 months. Many centres open in July and some in August, often as a separate summer school (escuela de verano) with its own price. Extras are charged as a monthly supplement or per use, and extended hours usually cost more. Get hours and extra charges in writing.

Compare food

Ask which model the centre uses. Many larger centres have cocina propia, an on-site kitchen with a cook. Others use an outside catering company that delivers and reheats meals, and some small centres serve no meals. Ask who prepares or checks the menu, whether it is published monthly and split by age (purées, then solids), and whether you can see what your child ate each day.

Compare language

The supplied information does not cover language of instruction or bilingual programmes. Ask each centre which language the educators use with the children, whether that is every day or in set sessions, and who delivers it. Compare the answers across centres.

Choose

The decision block below helps you match the schedule and meal set-up to your family. The FAQ answers common questions on summer opening, kitchens, qualifications and extended-hours charges.

Choosing between options

Which kind of nursery schedule and meal set-up suits your family?

• Core day with own kitchen: Choose this if you work standard hours of about 9:00 to 16:00 or 17:00 and want meals cooked on site by a cook.

• Extended hours with catering: Choose this if you need early arrival from 7:30 or pick-up until 18:00 or 19:00 and are happy with meals delivered and reheated.

• Part-time or half-day without meals: Choose this if you only need a few hours, or the centre has no meal service and you prefer to handle food yourself.

Pick the schedule your working hours need first, then favour the centre whose menu is checked by a dietician and whose educators stay with the group.

Nursery visit checklist

• Search for the nursery by name, municipality or code in your region's directory of education centres, and check it is listed as a first-cycle escuela infantil and as authorised.

• Ask the centre for its authorisation resolution, its centre code (código de centro) and the number of units and places it is authorised for.

• Count the children in each room and compare them with the limits for their age. The limits are set out in the article on nursery or daycare labels.

• Check that each classroom looks big enough for its children, and that there is a nappy-changing area or toilet room for each unit and a playground or outdoor space.

• Look for a rest area in the rooms for under-1s, and for good light, ventilation and clear fire safety.

• Watch how educators behave: whether they are warm, at child level, and quick to respond when a child cries.

• Check that the rooms are clean, safe and well kept, with materials suited to the children's ages and clear hygiene practice for nappy changes and meals.

• Ask how long the staff have worked there and whether the same educator stays with the group.

• Ask about the gradual adaptation period (periodo de adaptación), daily communication with families, and whether you can drop in during the day.

• Walk away or ask more questions if screens are used to occupy children, rooms are crowded, many children are crying, or answers about staff or authorisation are evasive.

• Ask for the opening and closing times, and whether early arrival (madrugadores from 7:30) or late pick-up until 18:00 or 19:00 is offered.

• Ask about half-day or part-time schedules, July and August opening (often a summer school with separate pricing), and how many months the main fee is paid.

• Ask whether extras are charged as a monthly supplement or per use, and get the hours and extra charges in writing.

• Ask to see the monthly menu for each age group and the daily record of what each child ate.

• Ask how many hours a day are in the second language. Real immersion is usually 3 or more hours, not a weekly 30-minute class.

• Ask whether the language is used by the lead classroom teacher or only a visiting specialist, and whether the ratio stays the same in the language session.

• Ask whether teachers are native speakers or hold a C1/C2 level or a recognised teaching qualification, and ask to see staff CVs and the weekly timetable.

• Ask whether the programme is accredited by a recognised body or has regional bilingual authorisation and a written curriculum.

• Visit during the day, watch a language session, and ask for references from current parents.

Frequently asked questions

Does a private nursery stay open in July and August?

Yes, many private nurseries open in July and some in August, often as a summer school with its own separate pricing. The regular calendar usually runs September to July. Ask the centre which months it opens and what the summer price is.

Do private nurseries cook meals on site?

Some do and some do not: many larger nurseries have their own kitchen (cocina propia), while others use an outside catering company that delivers and reheats meals. A few small centres have no meal service at all. Ask which model the centre uses and who checks the menu, which is usually a dietician.

What qualifications should nursery educators have?

Teaching staff should hold a degree in infant education or the vocational Técnico Superior en Educación Infantil, and the director must hold a degree in infant education. Usually at least one graduate teacher is required per unit or per centre, and the rest of the staff may hold the vocational title. Each region sets the exact proportions, so ask the centre how its team is made up.

Are extended hours charged on top of the monthly fee?

Yes, early arrival from 7:30 and late pick-up until 18:00 or 19:00 are usually charged extra, either as a monthly supplement or per use. Part-time schedules and meals are often add-ons too. Get the extras confirmed in writing before you enrol.