Picking a school in Italy can feel like the toughest part of relocating with children. Websites rarely show what daily life is really like, and every family’s priorities differ. This guide focuses on practical questions and a straightforward decision process — especially for families planning a move to Florence.
First: Clarify What Counts as “Good” for Your Family
Before weighing options, determine your non-negotiables. Most missteps come from evaluating too many factors at once without a clear priority order.
- Commute: how long you drive each day matters more than you might expect.
- Curriculum: British / American / IB / local curricula.
- Language environment: the languages your child is exposed to throughout the day.
- Support: learning assistance, ESL support, and pastoral care.
- Culture fit: the school's structure, discipline, and communication style.
How to Decide Without Getting Overwhelmed
A practical method that suits expat families well:
A straightforward process
- Narrow by location first. In Florence, commuting congestion can transform a decent school into a daily hassle.
- Verify availability and the admissions timeline. Waiting lists are common.
- Ask about the real classroom situation. Class sizes, turnover of teachers, communication style.
- Inquire about support. ESL, learning support, and transition assistance for new students.
- Conduct a single visit (or virtual tour) for each finalist. Give more weight to what you observe than glossy brochures.
Pro tip: Create a one-page checklist and rate each school after visiting. It helps avoid the sense that all options are the same.
Questions to ask schools
These questions tend to uncover more than generic “tell us about your program” discussions:
- What is the usual class size for this age group?
- How do you accommodate students who join mid-year?
- In what ways do teachers update parents (weekly reports, apps, email)?
- What does a typical day entail (start and end times, breaks, homework expectations)?
- How do you assist children who are anxious or adapting to a new country?
- What’s your policy on language support (ESL) if required?
- How is heat managed and allocation of indoor/outdoor time during hot months?
Costs and Logistics (The Part Nobody Loves)
Choosing a school isn't only about tuition. Consider the complete ongoing expenses of daily life:
Common Pitfalls (And How to Prevent Them)
- Choosing by reputation alone: the day-to-day routine matters more.
- Overlooking commute time: it impacts sleep, mood, and family dynamics.
- Assuming “international” means uniform everywhere: it doesn't.
- Failing to ask about support: transitions are real for children.
- Delaying too long: admission timelines may be tighter than expected.
The Bottom Line
The bottom line is that the ideal school is typically the one that aligns with your family’s actual schedule: its location, the support provided, and the everyday ease for your child — not the school with the flashiest advertising.
If you’d like help sorting your priorities for Florence (commute, routines, questions to ask), contact us — or call +39 055 123 4567.