Family & settling in
Enrolling your child in school after relocation
School planning belongs in your housing decision because the residential address usually shapes the local school arrangements. Contact the municipality or school authority once you have a likely destination. Explain your child's age, current year, languages and expected arrival date.
Editorial review: 16 October 2026
Prepare a useful handover
Collect recent reports, a description of subjects studied and any existing support plans. Ask which documents require translation and how placement is assessed. Zurich's official guidance states that newly arriving compulsory-school-age children have the right and duty to attend school from arrival, irrespective of residence status. Other cantons provide their own enrolment procedures. Establish the responsible contact and first attendance date before the move where possible.
Choose with the child's transition in mind
Ask the local public school about its teaching language, language-learning support and how it evaluates previous learning. Zurich explicitly lists German as a second language among its support services. Discuss any forthcoming secondary-school transition or examinations. If considering a private or international school, compare curriculum continuity, admission, fees and transport. A familiar teaching language is one factor alongside long-term integration and the family's expected length of stay.
Plan the whole school day
Request the weekly timetable, school calendar, meal arrangements and after-school options. In Zurich, supplementary care and activities have their own arrangements and may carry charges. Walk the school route together and agree who receives messages from teachers. After the first weeks, arrange a conversation about learning, friendships and workload. Keep the child's existing strengths and home language visible during the transition.