Tvoi Concierge
Moving to Tuscany with school-age children rarely begins with the villa; it begins with the school. The right choice shapes where you live, the rhythm of family life, and how smoothly your child settles into a new country and language. Around Florence you will find genuinely strong options: International Baccalaureate schools, British and American curricula, and bilingual programmes for families who want their children to grow into Italian gradually. Understanding the differences, the admissions calendar, the waiting lists and the real cost is hard to do from a distance. This guide explains how schooling works in the region, what to look for when you compare options, and how a relocation concierge takes you calmly from a shortlist to a signed enrolment.
International, Italian state or private: how to decide
The first decision is strategic. An international school offers curriculum continuity (your child can move back into a British or American system later), teaching in English, and a gentle transition, but it costs more and often sits outside the city centre. An Italian state school (scuola statale) is free, immerses children fully in the language and local life, yet demands quick Italian and familiarity with the local grading and exam culture. Private Italian and bilingual schools sit in between. The right answer depends on how long you plan to stay, the ages of your children, and whether alignment with a future university abroad matters to you.
The main international programmes around Florence
The Florence and wider Tuscany area covers the principal international routes. The International Baccalaureate (IB), whose diploma is recognised by universities worldwide, is prized for its rigour and breadth. The British pathway (IGCSE followed by A-levels) suits families oriented towards the UK. An American curriculum with a High School Diploma and optional Advanced Placement fits those looking towards the United States. There are also bilingual Italian-English programmes that pair an Italian qualification with strengthened English. We help you choose not a brand name but the specific programme that fits your child's actual trajectory and long-term plans.
Admissions timing, waiting lists and what to prepare
The best places are taken early, so plan several months ahead, and for competitive entry points (starting primary, entering the senior years) sometimes a full year ahead. A typical application pack includes school reports and references from the past two or three years, a reference from the current school, the birth certificate, passports and health records. Many schools run an assessment or interview to gauge English and mathematics and to place the child in the right year. Popular year groups carry waiting lists, so it is wise to keep two or three options live and apply in parallel rather than one after another.
Language support for non-Italian speakers
If your child does not yet speak Italian, that is not a barrier, but it is a factor to plan for. International schools teach in English and offer Italian as a subject, often with separate beginner groups. Many run English as an Additional Language (EAL) provision or intensive support for children who arrive with little English. If you lean towards an Italian or bilingual school, plan a tutor and an immersion period in advance. We always check how language support actually works at the relevant stage, because what a prospectus promises and what happens day to day in the classroom are not always the same thing.
A sense of fees and the extra costs
Fees vary widely by programme, stage and school. International schools are typically the most expensive; private Italian and bilingual schools are usually more affordable; state schools are free apart from contributions, meals and materials. Beyond the annual tuition, budget for registration and enrolment fees, uniform, lunches, transport, trips, examination fees and extracurricular activities. It is more honest to think in terms of a range and a full picture of the year rather than a single figure. We help you build a transparent budget in advance so there are no surprises after enrolment, and so you can compare options on equal terms.
Helping children settle and how we manage enrolment
Even the perfect school needs time to feel like home; the first weeks matter most for friendships, routine and confidence. It helps to arrive before term starts, tour the campus, join summer or induction programmes, and use the buddy systems many schools offer. As a relocation concierge we carry the whole process: we build a shortlist around your priorities, arrange visits and meetings with admissions, manage correspondence and the paperwork, prepare your child for assessments, and see the enrolment agreement through to signature. You make the decisions; we hold the logistics and the conversations with the schools, quietly and with local care.
What to check before you apply
- Define your relocation horizon and whether the curriculum fits a future university
- Compare IB, British, American and bilingual routes against your child's age
- Confirm application deadlines and any waiting list at the year group you need
- Gather reports, references and school records from the past two or three years
- Ask in advance about the assessment or interview format
- Verify the real language support (EAL) for non-Italian speakers
- Budget the full year: tuition, fees, uniform, meals and transport
- Plan an early arrival and induction to help settling in
Let us shortlist and enrol for you
Tell us about your children and priorities and we will shortlist schools across Tuscany, arrange the visits and handle the whole enrolment turnkey. Reach us via the request form, WhatsApp or Telegram.