What happens when a child aged 3 to 8 starts school?

Key rules

• Infantil: Infantil is not compulsory, but almost all children attend from age 3.
• Classes: Newcomers join an ordinary class for their age, with extra language support where the region offers it.
• Regions: The language of teaching depends on the region, so ask the school for its language plan.
• Silent period: Staying quiet for a while is normal; seek assessment if it passes 6 months with no growth in understanding.

The short answer

Your child joins an ordinary class with children of the same age. For most children aged 3 to 8, immersion works. You only need to add modest support at home: stories, play with local children and keeping your own language going.

Is infantil worth it at age 3?

Infantil is the first stage of school, for ages 3 to 6. It is not compulsory. Compulsory school starts at 6. Still, almost all children attend, and the 3 to 6 stage is free in public and publicly funded schools.

For a child who does not speak the school language, it is generally worth starting at 3. Young children pick up the language through play, songs and routines, usually within months. It works best if your child attends regularly and hears some of the language outside class.

Which language will they be taught in?

In most of Spain it is Spanish. In regions with a second official language, each region sets its own model:

• Catalonia: Catalan is the main language of teaching, and Spanish comes in later.
• Balearic Islands: Catalan is the main language in infantil.
• Basque Country: three models. A is Spanish with Basque as a subject, B is bilingual, and D is taught in Basque. D is the most chosen. Navarre has similar models, plus a fourth, G.
• Galicia: a minimum share of teaching must be in Galician.
• Valencian Community: schools choose their mix of Valencian and Spanish.

In infantil the work is mostly spoken, through play and routines. Rules on language proportions change, so ask the school for its language plan and your regional education department for the current rules.

What happens in primary

The usual approach is an ordinary class for your child's age. If there is a big gap in schooling, they may go one year lower. The school assesses their level and plans support.

Many regions add part-time language classes, such as aules d'acollida in Catalonia or ATAL in Andalusia. These are temporary, and your child stays in the ordinary class for most of the day. Availability is often limited in primary, so ask the school what exists.

What to expect and what to do at home

Many children listen and say little at first. This silent period usually lasts from a few weeks to about 6 months. Don't pressure your child to speak. Tell the teacher, and ask how your child shows understanding.

Children usually become fluent in everyday talk within about 6 to 12 months. Schoolwork language takes several years.

Things that help:

• Read and tell stories together.
• Arrange low-pressure play with local children.
• Keep using and building your home language.

Children in infantil often need little formal help. Consider tutoring from primary, or earlier if the school flags a gap. Local council and NGO courses are also an option.

Seek an assessment if the silence goes past 6 months with no growth in understanding. Do the same if your child is also silent at home, if you have hearing concerns, or if you see distress, withdrawal or regression.

The timeline below shows the stages, and the questions below answer common worries.

Timeline and deadlines

• Child listens and says little in the new language: from the first days, for a few weeks up to 6 months

• Consider formal tutoring if the school flags a gap, mainly from primary: after the first months at school, when needed

• Child builds academic language for lessons: over several years

What if my child stays silent in class while learning Spanish?

Silence in the first months is normal. Your child is most likely listening and taking in the language, and will speak when they feel ready.

A silent period usually lasts from a few weeks to about 6 months. Shy or younger children can take a little longer.

What to do now

• Don't pressure them. Don't ask them to perform, repeat words or speak in front of others. Pressure usually makes the silence last longer.
• Keep using your home language. It does not slow Spanish down, and it keeps your child talking and feeling like themselves.
• Let them join in without words. Pointing, drawing, nodding, acting things out and helping with classroom jobs all count.
• Read together. Picture books in both languages work well.
• Set up easy play with one or two classmates. Small, relaxed settings are less scary than a busy playground.
• Tell the teacher. Ask how your child shows understanding in class, for example by following instructions or copying what others do.

When to seek help

Ask for an assessment if either of these applies:

• The silence goes beyond 6 months and your child's understanding is not growing.
• Your child is also silent in the home language, or with people they know well. This can point to selective mutism or anxiety.

Also act if you notice any of these:

• Worries about hearing.
• Sudden withdrawal or silence everywhere, including at home.
• Refusing to go to school.
• Stomach aches or headaches before school.
• Changes in sleep.
• Going back to earlier habits, such as bedwetting.
• Frequent crying or aggression.
• Losing interest in play.

If these signs last more than a few weeks, or are intense, don't wait for the 6 months. Start with your child's tutor (class teacher). Then speak to the school counsellor (the orientador or psychologist) and your paediatrician. Your child's health centre can refer you to child mental health services.

Frequently asked questions

Is infantil compulsory for a 3-year-old in Spain?

No, infantil is not compulsory in Spain, but the 3 to 6 cycle is free in public and publicly funded schools. Almost all children attend: enrolment for ages 3 to 5 is about 95 to 98 percent.

Is it worth starting infantil at age 3 to learn the school language?

Yes, starting at 3 is generally worthwhile, as long as your child attends regularly and hears the language a little outside class. Young children usually absorb the classroom language through play, songs and routines within months. Young starters tend to reach everyday fluency faster and with less stress than older arrivals.

Which language will my child be taught in during infantil in a co-official region?

It depends on your region, because each co-official region sets its own model. Catalonia and the Balearic Islands use Catalan as the main language, while the Basque Country and Navarre offer models from Spanish-medium to Basque-medium. Ask the school for its linguistic project; in infantil the focus is oral, through play and songs.

Will my child get extra language classes in primary?

Often yes, as part-time support, but names and hours vary by region. Examples are aules d'acollida in Catalonia and ATAL in Andalusia. Your child stays in the ordinary class most of the day, and the school assesses their level and plans support.

Does my child need tutoring outside school?

Usually not in infantil, where children often need little formal help. From primary onward, or if the school flags a gap, tutoring or local council and NGO courses can help. Reading together, playing with local children and keeping up the home language also help.