public primary school, help please!

Hi guys

I need some advise please.

Recently relocated to Roma. Need to put kid in public primary school. Inquired at one school and was told both public schools were full with 7 people waiting list. Lady suggested a private school. But she also said that we should register as something like (according to my understanding) 'foreigners with educational need with special circumstance' after she had learnt our situation. I am a working (will start to work when 2nd kid turns 6-M) mother of two, one 6-yr-old and one 3-M-old. Husband works full time in another country. She hinted that if the government felt sympathy for us they may push our case ahead.

Question 1 does any one know where we should go register for this 'foreigners with educational need?' I mean, why not if there is a slim chance and this would spare our kid of the pain of leaving school and friends one year later.

We could consider the private school for a year and get on the waiting list, but it is a religious school and has compulsive religious studies in curriculum. We have no religion ourselves except we believe in freedom and manpower.

Question 2 Is it possible to not take the religious studies? No offense, just it is of no interest to us.
Question 3 If we change to the public school after one year, can she start at year 2? I imagine she would have to pass some test.

Thanks in advance if someone could share some insight on these.

ciao

You have to register online by the first or second week of February (I forget which) for your child to start school in the following September so you have ovbiously missed that.

If you are permanently resident in Italy then from the age of six your child is required to attend school and the local education authority MUST provide a place. Of course at this late stage it may well not be local to you or where you want your child to go.

This is the office responsible for schools in Lazio so I would suggest your first place to ask about a place for your child. There is little point asking individual schools, you will need to assure your child's place first with them. Look up under 'contacts' on the link I provided, the address and opening times of the URP. This is the public counter where you can go and ask questions and get information. Do not waste any time as they will close at some point soon for the summer holidays.

I don't understand what you have been told about 'foreigners with educational need with special circumstance' as from what you have written you have no special need that would require favourable treatment. Usually special circumstances would involve some handicap on your part or the part of your child. In some areas, this may also refer to extra language help where the child does not speak Italian. This is usually arranged by the school though.

My daughter attended an asilo nido (day care nursery) that was a school up to the age of 18 too, run by the Catholic church and it wasn't honestly very different to any other. It was teachers rather than nuns that did the teaching. Yes there was religious education but it wasn't particularly emphasized any more than any other subject. In public schools you can get your child to opt out. Very few children do opt out. In our school here even the Muslim children do religious studies.

Yes, your child should be able to start at year 2 if you really can't find a public school to take them. All private schools tend to follow the public curriculum anyway so it shoudln't be a problem. I don't believe at year 1 (age 6) there is a test to pass at the end of the year.

Hope that helps!

Non-Catholic children have been attending Catholic schools for many years and this has never been a problem. Actually, the Church has made its position very clear through this circular from the Vatican http://www.vatican.va/roman_curia/congregations/ccatheduc/documents/rc_con_ccatheduc_doc_20090505_circ-insegn-relig_en.html
Also, religious education, even in Catholic schools, is different from catechesis, which is taught by thr relevant Parish. This point is also clarified in the circular. Catechesis is actually the proper religious education and preparation before receiving the sacraments.
I do not think that you will have any problems if you send your children to a Catholic school. Generally speaking, they have an excellent reputation.

Thanks to you both for quick and helpful responses. Much appreciated.

Will go register this week. And even if we end up in the catholic school for one year, I would not be too worried. At least they have good reputation and are strict, I heard.

Thanks again and with best regards.

To continue, if this may inform people who may be in the same situation in the future:

We went to the local education authority, but from this year on they do not deal with individual registration any more. What one needs to do is to contact each school and register before the deadline. If one misses the deadline, like us, they can still go in to the schools to talk to them and get on the waiting list. The schools make their own decision if they want to make more places to accommodate the people on this list. 

Our story has a happy ending, two weeks after we went in for the first time to talk to the school in July we got a phone call that we should bring our daughter in for registration. There was magically a place available for her. What a pleasant surprise!

Glad to hear that you were able to successfully enrolled your daughter.

Life in Italy is always full of surprises - usually pleasurable!