Almeria Schools

Schools in Almeria fall under the jurisdiction of the region of Andalucia which is an Autonomous Community and laws and decisions about educational provision are, therefore, regulated by the Junta de Andalucia. The local Government for each region within Andalucia, including Almeria, then has responsibility for the administration of education within its own borders, with the Town Halls generally responsible for local administration. Some Town Halls have special departments set up to assist foreign families in applying to local schools – though this is more likely in areas with a large expat community.

In common with the rest of Spain, children must start school in the September of the year when they are 6. There are some pre-school facilities available for 3 and 4 year olds but in Andalucia these tend to be part-time and priority is usually given to working parents. Each school has its own catchment area and it is customary to be resident in that area in order to apply to a school – you will need proof of address. In addition you need to be registered on the electoral roll at the local Town Hall. Other requirements vary within Almeria, and some schools are less demanding about what they ask for, but it’s wise to have passports, birth certificates and vaccination records available. For older children, you will need to have your child's education record verified through a process known as Convalidation. This can be a costly and time-consuming process depending on how many years the child has been in school in the UK. If possible, Convalidation should be completed before arriving in Spain.

As elsewhere in Spain there are various options available to you as to how you choose to have you child educated – as well as the free Spanish state school system, there are private Spanish schools and fee-paying International schools where children are taught in English and follow the UK National Curriculum. The option you choose will depend on your own circumstances, though more and more parents are choosing state schools for their children as a way to fully integrate into the society they have chosen to make home.

Try not to make your application any later than April, if you wish your child to start school at the beginning of the academic year in September. Remember, the younger the child, the easier they will find it to fit in – but whatever the age of your children you can help make the transition to education in Spain far easier by ensuring they speak some Spanish before they start.

For more information look at our education in spain page

Another site you may find useful is this one, with a detailed section on schools in Andalucia
http://pineappletravel.netfirms.com/schoolsandaluc.html

Below is a list of most of the public schools in Almeria: