WELCOME TO THE ITALIAN SCHOOL

First Icon MAGNIFIER:Permette di cercare la scuola It allows to identify a school by using its name, the city where you are looking, and the level needed.

Second Icon: LOCATION

For this type of research first you must insert an address, then establish a radius 1KM, 2KM, etc., and the level of education needed: Kindergarten, Primary School, etc.    You can also insert whether  you choose a Public or State recognized private-school, or both. To get a list of schools that meet the criteria selected, you must click on the map or visualize the list.

Third Icon: Advanced Research that allows to search for schools based on the Region, province, municipality, type of instruction, etc..

ITALIAN SCHOOL SYSTEM

• Nursery school up to 3 years old
• Kindergarten from 3 to 6 years old
• Elementary school from 6 – 11
• Lower secondary school 11 – 14
• Upper Secondary School over 14 years old

ID NECESSARY FOR ENROLLMENT

To enroll your children in school, you must fill out the form that the school’s administrative office will give you.

If the following ID are already in your possession, take them to the administrative office:

• Birth Certificate
• Vaccine Certificate
• Proof of school enrollment in the country of origin

In the absence of these documents, the parent will self-certify the child’s date of birth, the grade the child attended in the country of origin and all other requested information.

At the time of enrollment, the following forms must be filled out:

• The type of school chosen
• Consent form, or not, to attend Catholicism lessons

You can enroll your children in school at any time of the year even if school has already started. In Italy every child has the right to go to school even if they illegal migrants and are not vaccinated.

Given that nursery school and kindergarten are not mandatory, prophylactic vaccinations are necessary.

THE ITALIAN SCHOOL SYSTEM – SCHEDULE – ATTANDANCE

School lasts about 9 months. It starts at about the middle of September and ends approximately in the middle of June. 

All schools have two vacation breaks: a two-week one at Christmas time and one week at Easter (this school year it falls from April 14 – 19.)

All other days off are distributed throughout the year, and it is up to the individual school to decide when. Each school will provide you with its calendar. Classes are usually held in the morning, and in some instances, they continue in the afternoon. The schedule when classes will begin and end is determined by level and model chosen by a parent and by each school’s curriculum.

Ask the school for your child’s curriculum and schedule. All absences must be accompanied by a written justification from a parent or guardian.

CATHOLICISM LESSONS OR ALTERNATIVE CHOICE

Depending on the grade that your child is enrolled in, Catholicism lessons will take place one or twice a week. At the time of enrollment, the parents will have to chose among the following: 

• Participate in the lessons
• Do not participate

LUNCH AND TRANSPORTATION

When classes continue to the afternoon, the school provides a meal service. Parents pay for a child’s meal according to their income. Parents can request special diets in accordance with their religious beliefs or due to a medical condition.

In most instances to be able to participate in the meal service, you have to apply via the school to the appropriate municipal office of the town/city where you reside.

*For further information or to receive assistance for any problem please turn to the principal’s office.

YOUR CHILD DOES NOT SPEAK

ITALIAN

If your child does not speak Italian, the school is responsible for teaching him/her the language. This will take place  on an individual level or as part of a group. To meet this need schools will rely on their teachers and make use of all the resources available in the school district.

PARENTS–TEACHERS MEETINGS

The teachers will periodically meet with the parents to discuss the curriculum, their children and how they are faring.

These meetings are very important to foster a collaborative approach between school and family to promote a positive outcome to the integration and inclusion process.

Each teacher will inform parents of the date and time of these meetings. Parents as well can request to meet with a teacher.

EVALUTION

Each school year is divided into trimesters or quarters. At the end of a trimester or a quarter the teacher will do an evaluation of each pupil’s progress and will redact an evaluation report that will be given to the parents.

At the Primary School level, the evaluation is descriptive. In

Secondary Schools the students are evaluated on a basis of 1/10 vote.

NURSERY AND KINDERGARTEN

In Italy children are not obliged to attend nursery or kindergarten. Yet we recommend that you apply for a slot and send your child to them. In some cases, it is best that the child be inserted gradually via a reduced schedule. Given that they are exempted from compulsory education, there is no binding schedule. It’s possible to start with only morning attendance to gradually arrive at 40hr/week. Given that each child is different, it’s best to discuss with the teachers how to best integrate him/her in the school.

ELEMENTARY SCHOOL

In many schools the parents can choose between different schedules and curricula:

• Full time program: 40-hour week (usually Monday – Friday, from 8am to 4pm with the possibility of a school meal
• Part Time Program: 24, 27 or 30 hours/week. In this case the afternoons are variable and determined by the school.

The subjects required are: Italian, Math, Sciences, History, Geography, Technology and Computer Science, English, Art and Design, Physical Education, Music, Religion (or an alternative subject)

*Ask the teachers for the list of books and other materials needed for the year.

LOWER SECONDARY SCHOOL

The lower secondary school’s curriculum is based on a 30hr/week attendance. In some schools this is extended to 36/40hr a week that will include some afternoons.

The subjects that will be covered are: Italian, History, Math and Sciences, Technology, English and second European Union language, Art and Design, Physical Education and Sports, Music, Catholic Religion, or an alternative option.

For those foreign pupils who have recently arrived, the two hours usually devoted to teaching a second EU language will be used to teach Italian.

After the completion of lower secondary school, it is mandatory to enroll either in a professional school or upper secondary school for at least another two years.

* Ask the teachers for the list of books and other materials needed for the year.

UPPER SECONDARY SCHOOL

Upper Secondary Schools are divided into Professional Schools, Technical Schools, and High Schools. The curriculum of these schools foresees that a student can chose a specialization that meets his/her interest.

Professional schools are closely tied to the labor market and its curriculum emphasize practical subjects while technical and high schools’ curriculum is oriented towards a more theoretical approach. In technical schools there is an emphasis on laboratory work. 

* Ask the teachers for the list of books and other materials needed for the year.

Except for national holidays, each Region sets the beginning and the end of the school year, and all other festivities.

Known Regional Calendars: