Morning care (aula matinal) and after-school clubs (extraescolares)

Terms used

• Aula matinal — Aula matinal is supervised care at school before classes start, sometimes with breakfast.
• Extraescolares — Extraescolares are optional paid activities or supervised care after the school day.
• AMPA — The AMPA is the school's parents' association, which often runs activities and knows current prices.
• Jornada continua — Jornada continua is a school day with classes in one block, ending around 14:00.
• Jornada partida — Jornada partida is a split school day with a midday break, ending around 16:00 to 17:00.
• Comedor — The comedor is the school canteen, where lunch is often supervised.

Key rules

• Morning care: Aula matinal is paid monthly, with a cheaper supervision-only tier and a dearer one with breakfast.
• Single days: Many schools let you use aula matinal on occasional days, at a higher daily rate than the monthly equivalent.
• Afternoons: Finish times depend on whether the school runs a continuous or split day, and on its provider.
• Cost saving: School-run extraescolares are usually cheaper than private clubs, and some AMPAs give member discounts.
• Discounts: Low-income and large-family discounts exist in some regions, so ask the AMPA, council or regional education department.

The short answer

Aula matinal covers the start of your day. Extraescolares cover the afternoon. Together they can close a working day, but only if the opening time of one and the closing time of the other match your own hours. Check both against your commute before you pick a school.

Aula matinal: early drop-off

Aula matinal is supervised care in the school building before classes start. Monitors look after the children with games or quiet activities. Many schools also offer breakfast for an extra charge. It is mainly for infant and primary pupils (ages 3-12) at public and concertado schools. Secondary schools rarely offer it.

Schools do not all use the same name. You may also see "madrugadores", "primeras horas" or "programa de acogida".

Hours. Aula matinal usually opens between 7:00 and 8:00 and runs until classes begin, usually 9:00. Opening at 7:30 or 7:45 is common. On a continuous-day schedule, classes may start closer to 8:30. Some regions, such as Madrid and Andalucía, run a regulated early-opening programme with set time bands. Demand can affect the exact opening time, so ask the school.

Price. You pay monthly. A basic tier covers supervision only, and a higher one includes breakfast. Many schools also let you use it on single days at a daily rate, which costs more than the monthly equivalent. The price depends on how early it opens, whether breakfast is included, and your region or council. In Andalucía and some other regions the rate is set by regional rules, with discounts for low income or large families. Ask the AMPA, the council or the regional education department for the current price.

Extraescolares: the afternoon

Extraescolares are paid activities after classes, such as sport, languages, music or robotics. Some schools also run supervised care in the same slot.

What time they run depends on the school schedule:

• Continuous day (jornada continua). Classes end about 14:00. Lunch (comedor) is often supervised until 15:00. Activities and care usually run from about 14:00-15:00 to 16:00. Many schools extend to 17:00 or 18:00.
• Split day (jornada partida). Classes end about 16:00-17:00. Extraescolares typically run from 16:00 to 17:00 or 18:00.
• Private schools. Some offer care until 18:00 or 19:00.

Price. You pay monthly per activity. Most activities are one to three sessions a week of about an hour. The cost depends on the activity, the number of sessions, group size and who runs it. School-run activities are usually cheaper than private clubs, and some AMPAs give member discounts. Ask the school or AMPA for current prices.

Do they cover your working day?

Do this sum with your own hours:

1. Take the time you must leave home for work. Add your travel time to school. Compare it with the aula matinal opening time.
2. Take the time you finish work, plus travel back. Compare it with the end of the last afternoon activity.
3. Note any gap that remains, such as a short activity that ends at 16:00 when you finish at 18:00.

Activities are often only one to three sessions a week. They may not cover every afternoon, so check the days as well as the hours. If you finish late, a school with care until 17:00 or 18:00 helps most. A split-day school may leave little gap in the afternoon but still need aula matinal in the morning.

The timeline and checklist below give the day in order and the questions to ask the school.

Timeline and deadlines

• Aula matinal opens and children are supervised: between 7:00 and 8:00, depending on the school

• Breakfast is served, where the school offers it: in the first part of the morning care slot

• Aula matinal ends and classes begin: usually 9:00, or about 8:30 to 9:00 on continuous-day schedules

• Classes end on a continuous-day schedule (jornada continua); lunch (comedor) is often supervised: about 14:00, with lunch supervised until 15:00

Checklist

• Ask the school if it runs early-morning care, and what it calls it (aula matinal, madrugadores, primeras horas or programa de acogida).

• Ask what time it opens and compare that with the time you must leave for work.

• Ask whether breakfast is offered and what it costs on top of the basic fee.

• Ask for the monthly price of supervision only and of supervision with breakfast, plus the daily rate if you need it only some days.

• List the extraescolares the school offers, with the weekly sessions and monthly price of each activity.

• Compare the end time of the last afternoon activity with the time you finish work, and note any gap you still need to cover.

Check current prices and discounts with the school, its AMPA (parents' association) or your town hall.

Frequently asked questions

Is breakfast included in aula matinal?

Not always: many schools offer breakfast as an optional extra with its own charge. Schools usually price a basic tier for supervision only and a higher tier with breakfast, so ask which one you are signing up for.

Can I use aula matinal only on some days?

Yes, many schools allow occasional per-day use of aula matinal, but the daily rate is higher than the monthly equivalent. If you need it most days, the monthly fee is usually the cheaper choice.

Are there discounts on aula matinal fees?

Yes, in some regions, such as Andalucía, the rate is set by regional regulation, with discounts for low-income or large families. Ask the school's AMPA, your council or the regional education department what applies to you.

Are school-run extraescolares cheaper than private clubs?

Yes, school-run activities are usually cheaper than private clubs, and some AMPAs give member discounts. You pay monthly per activity, based on one to three weekly sessions of about an hour.