mrsm1

Hi, i have just recently moved to Formigine from uk and i am looking to enrol my daughter aged 3 into a nursery. Either state or private. i am unsure which is best. i would like her to learn italian but also would need some from of english speaking class when she first starts. What documentation is needed to enrol to state school? Any advice or help would be greatfully recieved, even just on general living in formigine with children. i also have a son, nearly 2.

Thnks in advance for any replies

Amanda x

Sherlock Holmes

Hi Amanda and welcome to B.E.

It's my pleasure to welcome you to the forum and give you a point of contact should you need any help with the site in general. You can contact me here.

A list of all the moderators and helpers with their relevant countries including Italy can be found here.

Any problems, dont hesitate to PM me.

I can't answer your question I'm afraid but wanted to make sure that someone said hello to you at least. I'm sure someone will be along at some point to help you out.

Alistair.

Lorna at Vicenza

Hello MrsM and welcome to the forum.
At age 3 your daghter is old enough to begin Scuola Materna (also called Scuola Dell'Infanzia). This is kind of like pre-school where children stay for 3 years. It is not obbligatory schooling by law but once children are enrolled it is like school in the sense that you cannot pick and choose days or hours.

Private or state will probably depend on which school is closer to you and which school you like best. Some schools have a little English programme even at this age but plenty of them don't.

I have found a complete list of both the private and state schools in your 'comune'. Perhaps you could start by asking if you can look round them.
Some state schools might be full. Some of the private shools might be Catholic ones but I can't tel from this list if any of them are.

There are many ladies on this forum who sent their kids straight into scuola materna with little or no Italian. They pick the language up very quickly. I think heonl thing you need or state school is to be officially registered as 'residente' in that 'comune' but it's been a few years since I enrolled mine.
I don't remember anything particular.

Both types of school need paying for. It's 110 euros per month where I live. Paper, paints, pencils etc. are all provided and the kids get a fab lunch every day.

Here is the list: I hope this helps a little. If you have any more questions about schools / Italy or the forum in general, don't hesitate to ask.

http://www.comuni-italiani.it/036/015/scuole/

Patty

Hi there and welcome
Just wanted to give you some support and say that when I came my son (youngest) was 5 and a half and had already done a year at school in England. He spoke no italian but we put him into the 'materna' school and within a couple of months he started chattering away. Children are much more adaptable than us and they absorb like a sponge. As long as you continue speaking English to your child outside the school you shouldnt have any problems regarding the english side of the language
Good luck with your choice - I'm off to have a much awaited cuppa as I've jsut finished work

K in Modena

Just wanted to say hi as until February of this year I lived in Formigine! We've not moved far though- we're now in central Modena. My little girl is a bit younger than yours- she'll be 4 months old on December 10!
Welcome to the area

LivingHere

All my children went to Italian nursery school. I made sure on their first day that they knew where the bathroom was and then left them to it. They were all two when they started and by the end of the first year the oldest ones where fluent. The youngest only started this September so he doesn't say much, but I know that he is playing with the other children. Today he has been wandering around saying "ecco la" and yesterday it was "aiuto"

I needed my codice fiscale to register them and I probably took their passport. Where we live you don't need residency. At our school we only pay for the meals.

The first time I worried about my daughter being lonely because she was really talkative but she never once said she didn't want to go.

mrsm1

Hello all. Thank you so much for your replies. My internet has not been working so i have only just seen replies. I am going to look into them asap. They have come a just the right time. Feeling abit cabin fever at the moment. Noone to really talk to and struggling to entertain kids all day.

Hope i get sorted and thanks again for all of your replies. Very much apprecited. Amanda x

mrsm1

Just thought i would add aswell, if anyone is looking to make a new friend, id be glad of the company
Amanda