Moving to Spain with children

Start with the school year, not the removal van

The single biggest factor shaping the timeline for a family with children is the school year. Terms determine when children can naturally join a class, when any distance learning starts, and when there is space in the groups. Many families therefore work from their desired school start date and count backwards: housing and practical matters are made to fit the term, not the other way round.

That said, the move doesn't have to wait for a new term. At our school, applications are accepted on a rolling basis and it's fine to start midway through a term when there's a place available. For families relocating for work reasons in the middle of the year, that's often the crucial difference – children can settle into a secure school routine straight away instead of waiting months.

An approximate timeline

• 6–12 months before: research areas and schools, make visits if you can, talk the move through with the children, and map out your work and housing situation.
• 3–6 months before: contact the school, ask questions about year group, language level and any need for extra support, and submit an application.
• 1–3 months before: arrange housing, review insurance and banking, and look into registration (empadronamiento) and identity numbers in Spain.
• After the move: register locally, sort out healthcare affiliation, and set up routines for school transport, leisure activities and everyday logistics.

The timeline is a guideline, not a rule. Families who have already spent time in the area or have a job in place often manage with far less lead time.

Choosing a school – the three common routes

Swedish families on the Costa del Sol usually weigh up three options. A Spanish school gives fast language learning and local roots, but means teaching happens entirely in Spanish and follows the Spanish curriculum. An international school usually teaches in English and suits families who expect to move on to another country. A Swedish school follows the Swedish curriculum, which makes returning to Sweden straightforward and lets children keep their Swedish language and subject knowledge.

Many families don't know how long they'll stay. That uncertainty alone is often reason enough to choose schooling that works whether you stay or move home: a Swedish curriculum as the foundation, with Spanish and English every day so the children still become part of local life.

Language is a process, not an obstacle

Children pick up languages at different speeds. Expect it to take time before Spanish feels natural in everyday situations, and for the first six months to be more about settling in than results. One tip is to separate everyday language from academic language: children can sound fluent on the playground long before they can cope with subject teaching in the same language. That's why it's valuable for academic development to happen in a language the child already masters, while Spanish is built up alongside it.

Housing and everyday logistics

The area between Estepona and Marbella is spread out, and most things are done by car. Before settling on housing, it's wise to time the commute to school at rush hour, not just on a map. Many families rent for six to twelve months first to get to know the area before buying or committing longer term.

Think about the afternoons too. Leisure activities, training and clubs affect the shape of the day more than people expect, especially if both adults work. We offer a leisure club until 4.30pm and the option to combine school with a sports pathway in football, padel and tennis.

Questions worth asking every school you look at

• Which curriculum is followed, and what does that mean if we move back to Sweden?
• How big are the groups, and how many adults are around the children?
• How much language teaching do pupils get, and at what level?
• How does the school work with pupils who need extra support?
• Is it possible to start mid-term?
• What's included in the fees, and what's extra?

Next step

If you'd like to know how Swedish schooling works abroad in formal terms, read on in our guide to Swedish school in Spain. If you're already on your way, the easiest step is to submit an application – it's not binding, and we'll get back to you with news on availability and the fees that apply.