Language and integration at school
Helps you help a child learn and settle in a new school language.
Help a child learn and settle in a new school language: which language the school uses, newcomer support, exemptions, the language path, parent-school communication and social integration at school.
- topics
- 7
- articles
- 48
- of reading
- 4.3 hours
Begin with
School language by region
You will know which language your child will be taught in where you plan to live, how settled that rule is, and how to confirm it for one school.
Which language will my child be taught in at school in Spain? · How does Catalan-language schooling work in Catalonia? · How does Valencia decide the language of teaching at each school?
More in language and integration at school
6 more topics in this section, about 4.3 hours of reading in all.
Newcomer support and exemptions
You will know what help your child can get on arrival, how exemptions work and what they cost, and how to push when support does not appear.
How does Spain support a child who lacks the school language? · Who gets newcomer language support, and for how long? · Can my child be exempted from the regional language?
How children adjust to the school language
You will know what progress to expect at your child's age and when to worry or ask for more.
How long does learning the school language take at each age? · What happens when a child aged 3 to 8 starts school? · How will a teenager cope in Spanish secondary school (ESO)?
Extra language help and home language
You will know what extra help exists, which is free, how to prepare before arrival and how to keep your family language alive.
What extra language help can my child get outside school? · Are there free reinforcement programmes (programa PROA) for my child? · How do I help with homework without speaking the language?
Choosing your child's language path
You will be able to weigh local, bilingual and international options by what each does to your child's Spanish, regional language and English.
Local, bilingual or international school: which language path suits my child? · Can I get English-medium education in a Spanish public school (colegio bilingüe)? · Is a bilingual school good or bad for a native English speaker?
Talking with your child's school
You will be able to follow school messages, handle meetings in a language you are still learning and take part in the school community.
How do Spanish schools communicate with parents? · How do parent-teacher meetings (tutorías) work in Spain? · How do I get an interpreter or mediator at school meetings?
Friends and fitting in at school
You will know how school social life works in Spain and how to help your child belong.
How can my child make friends at a Spanish school? · How does a teenager find their place in a Spanish instituto? · Which school customs will a newcomer family not know?
Other sections in Family, children, and education
School systems and enrollment
Helps you choose and enrol in the right school or study place.
Childcare and family logistics
Helps you arrange reliable childcare while settling and working.
Special needs and support
Helps you get a child with additional needs evaluated and supported.
Partner alignment and family adjustment
Helps you keep the family aligned and coping through the move.
School costs, meals, transport and financial support
Helps you budget for and reduce the cost of schooling.
University and higher education
Helps you choose, get into and pay for university or other higher study in Spain.
Need certainty before you act?
For important relocation decisions, speak with a qualified human specialist.
Always verify important information with the relevant official authority or a qualified adviser before acting. This website uses large language models together with various public data sources, official government documents and other established sources. Due to the amount of data on this website, some information might be wrong. Information may also be incomplete or outdated.