Choosing your child's language path

This topic helps you weigh three options: a local-language school, a public bilingual programme and an international school. It looks at what each one does for your child's Spanish, regional language and English. It also covers children who arrive part-way through school, children who do not yet speak Spanish, and families who will stay only two or three years.

It is for anyone considering, planning or carrying out a move to Spain with a school-age child. You do not need to have picked a region or a school yet.

Start with "Local, bilingual or international school: which language path suits my child?". It compares the paths by your child's age, your region and how long you plan to stay. Then move to the pages on public bilingual programmes, international schools, joining a bilingual line, or a short stay, depending on your situation.

Admission and points, school costs, and changing schools are covered elsewhere.

Key rules

• Newcomer support: Spanish newcomer support classes run alongside the ordinary class for a maximum of about 6 months in Madrid, sometimes extended to a year.
• Time to learn Spanish: Children typically reach conversational Spanish in about 1 to 2 years of immersion and classroom-level academic Spanish in about 5 to 7 years.
• Spanish titles: Only schools following the Spanish curriculum, or authorised for it, award the ESO and Bachillerato titles.
• Foreign qualifications: Pupils with IB, A-levels or similar apply for university access through UNED, and some may skip the PAU.
• Cost: Public bilingual schools charge no tuition, and concertada schools may not charge for teaching.
• Partial English: Only some subjects are taught in English, and Spanish stays the main language.

Documents you may need

• The same certificate with an apostille — Which language path suits a stay of only two or three years?

• Official translation of the Spanish records and certificates — Which language path suits a stay of only two or three years?

• Certificate of studies — Which language path suits a stay of only two or three years?

Choosing your child's language path: questions that cross several articles

How long does a child take to learn Spanish at school?

Children typically reach conversational Spanish in about 1 to 2 years of immersion and classroom-level academic Spanish in about 5 to 7 years. Younger children pick up everyday speech faster, and strong reading and writing in the first language helps older ones. Read the article comparing local, bilingual and international schools, then "Should a child without Spanish also join the bilingual line?".

Does a child need an English test to join a public bilingual programme?

No, public bilingual programmes generally do not set language-level tests in infant and primary, because places follow the normal school-place points system. In secondary, some regions favour pupils who followed the programme in primary, and a few let late entrants in with a level check. Read the article on English-medium education in a Spanish public school, then the one on joining a bilingual programme partway through school.

Does a child's age make switching the language of schooling harder?

Yes, the switch gets harder with age: it is easiest in primary, harder in early secondary, and hardest in the last years of ESO and in Bachillerato, when grades and the university entrance exam are at stake. Language-support classes exist in many public schools, but provision varies by region. Read "Which language path suits a stay of only two or three years?" and the article comparing local, bilingual and international schools.

How much of the timetable is taught in English in a public bilingual school?

Each region sets by its own decree which subjects are taught in English and what share of the timetable they take. In primary these are usually Natural Science, Social Science, Arts and Crafts and Physical Education, while Spanish language and the co-official language stay in their own language. Read the article on English-medium education in a Spanish public school, then "Is a bilingual school good or bad for a native English speaker?".