Do the parents live and work in Italy? The attendance of educational services (nursery and kindergarten) in Italy allows: - non-Italian-speaking children to arrive at primary school with a good level of knowledge of the Italian language; for these reasons, it is advisable not to send children in early childhood (0-6 years) back to their country of origin for long periods or to interrupt their schooling once started in Italy. It is also advisable for the child to attend compulsory school in Italy from the first year of primary (elementary) school and not from years after the first. This will allow the child to have fewer school learning problems due to poor knowledge of the Italian language, socialize more easily with other children and more easily find a place in the road school closest to home.
- to parents, a good reconciliation of working and family life times.
Pre-School (3months-3 years)
Pre-school is a service aimed at children aged between 3 months and 3 years.It is opened from 7:30 amtill 5:30 pm.
Registration for the nursery must be done by filling in the appropriate forms within the deadline set. Registrations to the nursery are open at the beginning of each year and are then possible at any other time of the year. The child enters the waiting list and is admitted as soon as a place becomes available.
Payment for pre-school services is calculated based on the Financial Status Indicator (ISEE), by taking into consideration income, assets and the number of family members. The Financial Status Indicator can be processed free of charge at a CAF office (Subsidised Services Centre).
Infant School (3-6 years)
Not mandatory
The kindergarten anticipates the first cycle of education. Open from 08.00 / 08.30 until 16.30 (with the pre and post school service the times can be 07.30 / 17.30).
In Prato there are municipal and state preschools. It is free, in the case of municipal or state. The canteen is subject to charges, with tariff concessions based on the economic situation of each family (ISEE).
Registrations are generally between January and February of each year.
In order to simplify the enrolment proceduresand to standardise the evaluation criteria, a unique enrolment system for both Council and State Infant Schools has been established.
Based on the applications and self-certifications received, a distinct classification for each public Infant School is drawn up. Children are admitted based on availability of places, taking into consideration the point system and the preferences expressed in the applications.
Admission into one school means the automatic cancellation from the classification of all the other infant schools that may have been indicated at application stage.
Families are notified by letter with regards to admission.
Children who arenot admittedremain on the waiting list and may be admitted to a school during the year, if a place becomes available.
Compulsory school (6-16 years)
From 6 to 16 years attending school is compulsory.
State compulsory schools are free and divided as follows:
- Primary school (elementary) - from 6 to 11 years, compulsory;
- Lower secondary school (middle school) - 11 to 14 years, compulsory;
- Secondary school (upper) from 14 to 19 years, compulsory up to 16 years.
In primary school, the canteen, if present, is subject to a fee with special rates based on the economic situation of each family (ISEE).
