How long to give it when your child's adjustment is not improving

Terms used

• Tutor — The tutor is the teacher in charge of your child's class and your first contact at school.
• Pediatra — The pediatra is the children's doctor you see for health concerns, including a child's low mood or distress.
• Reunión de padres — The reunión de padres is a parents' meeting at school, usually held early in the school year.
• Boletín de notas — The boletín de notas is the school report issued at the end of each term.
• Orientador/a — The orientador/a is the school counsellor who supports pupils with learning, language and emotional needs.
• Semana Santa — Semana Santa is Easter week, a school holiday of about one week to ten days with moving dates.

Key rules

• Review point: Give settling one full term, then review using the first report and your own observations.
• Act early: Severe signs, such as talk of self-harm, need action at once, without waiting for a review.
• Summer: The summer break is a pause, not progress, so review again in the autumn.
• Longer settling: Teenagers and children who moved against their wishes can take 12 months or longer.

The short answer

Give settling one full school term, then review. Act sooner if you see red flags. If the second term starts and little has changed, change something concrete rather than waiting longer.

The school year has three terms (trimestres). It runs from early-to-mid September to late June, and the exact dates are set by each region. Use the terms as your clock, because reports and parents' meetings fall at natural review points.

Weeks 1 to 8: let it run, but watch

Expect a settling period of roughly 4 to 8 weeks. Tiredness, clinginess and grumpiness are normal in this stretch.

A mood dip often appears around weeks 4 to 12, once the novelty fades. A dip on its own is not a sign that the move failed.

Two timings matter early:

• After 2 to 3 weeks of persistent difficulty, raise it with the tutor (the teacher in charge of your child's class).
• If there is no improvement by 6 to 8 weeks, or things are getting worse, see the pediatra.

Severe signs, such as talk of self-harm, need action at once. Do not wait for a review point.

Go to the first reunión de padres (parents' meeting), usually in September or October. It is a good moment to ask how your child is doing. You can also ask for a tutoría (a meeting with the tutor) at any time.

The first term: give language and friendships a full term

Language and friendships take longer than mood. Allow up to a full term, about 3 months, for both.

The first boletín de notas (report) arrives at the end of the first term, before Christmas. Read it for more than grades. Look at what it says about participation, effort and how your child gets on with classmates.

After the Christmas break

The Christmas holidays last about two weeks. Check in again in January. The break can reset things in either direction: some children come back more confident, and some find restarting hard.

Review the second-term report around March, before Semana Santa (Easter). By then, most children have made real progress. Looking further ahead, most children settle emotionally within 3 to 6 months of the move, and a full sense of belonging often takes 6 to 12 months.

Teenagers, children who moved against their wishes, and children who have had several moves can take 12 months or longer.

Summer does not reset the clock

Summer break is about 11 to 12 weeks, from late June to early September. Treat it as a pause, not progress. Friendships can cool and Spanish can fade. Keep up some Spanish and some contact with classmates over the summer, for example with a summer camp. Then review again in the autumn.

What to change if settling stalls

Try these in roughly this order. You can do several at once.

1. Meet the tutor and the orientador/a (the school counsellor). Ask for language support, a buddy and a gentler start.
2. Keep routines for sleep, meals and play.
3. Support Spanish with games, a private tutor or extra classes.
4. Arrange one-to-one playdates. They often work better than groups.
5. Sign up for after-school activities such as sports, music or scouts, where friendships form more easily.
6. Make time to talk without pressure.
7. Keep some familiar home rituals.
8. Cut back on overload and on withdrawing into screens.
9. Seek help from the pediatra or a child psychologist if there is no improvement.

If the school is a poor fit, consider a change of class or school. A transfer is only possible at set times and depends on places being available. Ask the school and your regional education department how it works where you live.

Where this page stops

Each child's pace differs. These ranges are typical patterns, not guarantees. Temperament, age and the language gap all matter. Trust what you see at home, and ask for help early.

Timeline and deadlines

• Let the first weeks run: expect a settling period: The first 4 to 8 weeks after starting school

• Attend the first parents' meeting: September or October

• See the pediatra if nothing improves or things get worse: By about 6 to 8 weeks

• Review progress and read the first report: End of the first trimester, before Christmas

• Give language and friendships a full term: Up to about 3 months

• Check in again after the Christmas break and review the second-term report: January, then around March before Semana Santa

• Hold a final review at the June evaluation and plan the summer break: Late June, before about 11 to 12 weeks off

• Expect a full sense of belonging: Often 6 to 12 months after the move

Frequently asked questions

Does the summer break count toward the settling window?

Yes, but the summer break of about 11 to 12 weeks is a long gap in school routine, so friendships may need rebuilding in September. Classes usually restart in the first half of September. Keep up Spanish and one-to-one playdates over the summer, and camps can help.

Can a teenager take longer than 12 months to settle?

Yes, teenagers, children who moved against their wishes and children who have had several moves can take 12 months or longer. Mood dips often appear around weeks 4 to 12, once the novelty fades. A dip alone is not a reason to panic, but keep checking in.

When in the school year should I review how my child is doing?

Good review points are the first parents' meeting in September or October, the first report before Christmas, January after the break, and the second report around March.

Can I move my child to another class or school if settling stalls?

Yes, if the school is a poor fit you can consider a class or school change, but a transfer is only possible at set times and subject to places. Talk to the tutor and the orientador/a first, as language support or a buddy may solve it without moving.