What it means when a preschool is listed in the register of schools

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When you start looking at private preschools you meet several labels: preschool, children’s group, mini-preschool, language centre. For a parent one question matters most: is the place listed in the register of schools and school facilities? Here is what that means in practice.

The register of schools and school facilities

The register is kept by the Czech Ministry of Education, Youth and Sports. A preschool listed in it is part of the education system in the same way a state preschool is, even when a private founder runs it and you pay tuition. What that means for your child:

• An education programme. The preschool works to the national framework programme for pre-school education and has its own school programme built on it.
• Inspection. The school is inspected by the Czech School Inspectorate. Inspection reports are public and you can find them in the register on the Inspectorate’s website.
• The compulsory pre-school year. A child can complete compulsory pre-school education at a preschool listed in the register.
• Qualifications. Teachers fall under the requirements of the law on teaching staff.

A children’s group is a different kind of place

A children’s group operates under its own law on childcare services. It is a care service, not a school. It has different rules for staff, group size and programme, and it is not inspected by the Czech School Inspectorate. A children’s group can be an excellent choice. It is simply worth knowing that it is a different kind of place from a preschool.

How to check a preschool yourself

1. The register of schools. On the public administration portal, search for the preschool by name or company number. You will see whether it is listed, who founded it, which addresses it teaches at and what capacity it has.
2. The inspection report. The register of inspection reports on the Czech School Inspectorate website holds the most recent inspection. Read the conclusions and recommendations first.
3. Just ask. A preschool with nothing to hide will happily show you its entry in the register and its inspection report.

What to watch out for

• The word “preschool” in a name does not mean the place is a registered preschool.
• One company can run several locations, listed in the register as separate places of education.
• Inspections happen every few years, so look at the date of the last report as well as its content.