Preparing children before leaving with goodbyes and realistic expectations

Terms used

• Jornada continua — The jornada continua is a school day with classes in one block, usually about 9:00 to 14:00, with lunch afterwards.
• Jornada partida — The jornada partida is a split school day, with a long lunch break and afternoon classes.
• Comedor — The comedor is the school lunch service, usually paid monthly.
• Concertada — A concertada school is privately run but publicly funded.
• ESO — ESO is compulsory secondary education in Spain, for ages about 12 to 16.

Key rules

• Goodbyes: Spread goodbyes over the last several weeks instead of leaving them to the final days.
• Language: Keep Spanish preparation light and free of pressure or testing.
• School hours: Hours vary by region and school, so ask each school which day pattern it uses.
• Contact: Agree a call schedule and a first visit date before you leave.

Start with the truth about Spain

Tell your children that Spain is a place to live, not a holiday. School has a fixed timetable, homework and exams. Lessons are mostly in Spanish, or in a regional language in some regions. The first months can be tiring and confusing because they will not understand everything. Friends take time to make, and hard days are normal.

Most children pick up everyday Spanish within months. Academic language takes longer, and schools often offer some extra support.

Plan goodbyes over several weeks

Do not leave goodbyes to the last days. Spread them over the final weeks, with a farewell gathering or playdates with close friends. The checklist below has the full list of ideas. Allow tears, and do not push children to feel positive. Keep the final days calm.

Keepsakes and a contact plan

Keep a favourite soft toy or blanket in hand luggage. A box of treasures, a photo album, a map marking where friends and family live, or a small gift from each close friend all help.

Agree a contact plan before you go. Set weekly video calls with grandparents and friends. Spain is on Central European Time, so it is one hour ahead of the UK and about six hours ahead of the US East Coast. Pick slots that work for both sides. Older children may want messaging apps or shared online games. Younger ones enjoy letters and postcards. Fix a date for a first visit. Predictable contact eases grief, but leave room in the new routine for new friends.

A light language preview

Keep it gentle. No testing, no pressure, and no promises of quick fluency.

• Toddlers: Spanish songs, simple picture books and cartoons. No formal teaching.
• Primary-age children: short games, apps, Spanish cartoons with subtitles, and a few useful phrases: greetings, please, thank you, the word for toilet, and "no entiendo", which means they do not understand.
• Teenagers: an app or tutor if they are willing. Let them choose the method.

In Catalonia, Valencia, the Balearics, the Basque Country and Galicia, tell them school may also use the regional language.

What the school day looks like

Hours are set by each region and school, not nationally. Infantil and primaria usually have about 25 hours of teaching a week.

• Jornada continua (continuous day): classes about 9:00 to 14:00, with lunch afterwards. Common in primaria in many regions.
• Jornada partida (split day): classes until about 12:30 or 13:00, a lunch break of about two hours, then afternoon classes until about 16:00 or 17:00.
• Secondary (ESO): about 8:00 or 8:30 to 14:30 or 15:00, usually continuous.

Lunch at school (comedor) usually costs a monthly fee. Many schools also offer early-morning care and afternoon activities. Ask each school which jornada it uses.

Daily life that will feel different

Meals and bedtimes are later than in northern Europe or the UK. Many families eat dinner around 21:00. Summers are very hot in much of the country, and winters can be cold and damp in the north and interior. The beach is not an everyday event for most families.

Summer heat can shorten or break sleep for a few weeks. Keep a fixed bedtime and wake times, use blackout blinds and fans, stay indoors in the hottest hours, and save outdoor play for the evening. Allow younger children a quiet time or siesta. In many regions schools run a shorter day in June.

Contacting a school before you arrive

Contact is usually possible, but visits depend on the school. Public schools are assigned through the regional education authority and often cannot receive families before registration, though many answer an email or call. Private, concertada and international schools usually offer virtual tours, calls or visits, and often accept applications from abroad.

Email or phone the admissions office. Give your children's ages and current school, and ask for a video call or visit and the documents required. Prepare school records, a translation if needed, and proof of address, as the documents list below shows.

Choices and promises

Offer children choices about things they control, such as what goes in their own box. Keep the move itself out of any vote, and do not promise things you cannot keep, such as a guaranteed return.

Documents you need

• School records from your child's current school, which the new school may ask for when you apply.

• A translation of the school records, where the school asks for one.

• Proof of address in the school's area, since enrolment normally needs an address there.

Pre-departure checklist for your children

• Give your children bounded choices about things they control, such as what goes in their own box of belongings, how to decorate their new room, or which Spanish-themed activity to try first.

• Keep the move itself out of any vote, and avoid promises you cannot keep, such as a guaranteed return if they dislike Spain.

• Let each child pick a few favourite places to visit one last time, and photograph them.

• Make a goodbye book or video, with friends writing messages or drawing in it, and swap addresses and contact details.

• Say goodbye to family in person where you can, and agree a clear plan for the first visit or call.

• Pack the children's bedroom and familiar routines last, keep the final days calm, and allow tears without rushing them to be positive.

• Keep a favourite soft toy or blanket in hand luggage, and prepare a box of personal treasures, a photo album or framed photo of friends, and a small keepsake from each close friend.

• Set up weekly video calls with grandparents and friends at a time that works across time zones, and add messaging apps, shared online games, letters or postcards for older children.

• Agree a date for a first visit so children have something to look forward to.

• Start light Spanish preview: songs, picture books and cartoons for toddlers; short games, apps and a few phrases like greetings, please, thank you and toilet for primary-age children; an app or tutor of their choice for teenagers.

• Gather school records, translations where needed and proof of address, since enrolment normally needs an address in the area.

• Check the school's jornada (continuous or split day), hours and comedor (school lunch) fees, and tell your children what a typical school day will look like.

Frequently asked questions

Can I contact a Spanish school before we arrive?

Yes, you can usually email or phone a school before you arrive, but whether you can visit depends on the school type. Private, concertada and international schools often offer video calls, virtual tours or visits and accept applications from abroad. Public schools often cannot receive families until the child is registered, though many will answer an email.

What does a normal Spanish school day look like?

Hours are set by each region and school, but a common day runs about 9:00 to 14:00 in jornada continua (one continuous block of classes). In jornada partida (split day), classes stop for a lunch break of about two hours and finish around 16:00 or 17:00. Secondary school usually runs about 8:00 or 8:30 to 14:30 or 15:00. School lunch (comedor) is usually paid monthly.

How will Spanish summer heat and late evenings affect my children's sleep?

In the first year, heat and late dinners (21:00 or later) can make children tired, irritable and short of sleep for a few weeks. Keep a fixed bedtime, use blackout blinds and fans, and stay indoors from about 14:00 to 18:00.

What if my children will go to school in a region with another official language?

In Catalonia, Valencia, the Balearics, the Basque Country and Galicia, lessons may also be in the regional language, such as Catalan, Valencian, Basque or Galician. Tell your children before you leave so it is not a surprise. Keep any Spanish preview light and free of pressure.