Barcelona Mum

State schools - application process

Dates for pre-enrollment are usually around Easter/May time. Forms can be obtained from the Generalitat´s website (www.gencat/preinscipcio), from any of the state or concertada schools or from your local town hall. Parents need to list schools in order of preference and hand the form in to either the first choice school, a regional education office or Municipal Schooling Office. Along with the pre-enrollment forms, a number of documents (original and photocopies) need to be attached. 
Priority will go to pupils moving from a state funded primary school (CEIP) to an associated secondary school (ESO) and also for those pupils moving from a secondary school to Batxillerat at the same Instituto (it is obligatory to complete the forms even if the schools are connected).
A points system comes into force when there are not enough places available. This is based on where you live, work and whether your child has siblings at the school. Parents find out whether their child has a place normally a couple of months later.
For parents bringing children into the state system from abroad, you need to hand in original and photocopies of your passport, child´s birth certificate, parents and children’s city hall registration ('Volant d´empadronament i convivència'), parent’s job contract or company letter (if the school is close to the place of work) at the town hall.. The OIE will provide a list with different school vacancies (according to the town hall`s registration) and parents can choose the school they prefer.  After this, parents need to formalize the enrolment at the school, which may include handing in validated copies of your child´s school reports.