Far from being the solely a retirement destination for older people, Competa is attracting more and more young people and families. Fantastic news for all concerned but it means that there are now many non-Spanish parents who need to know about a range of services and facilities relevant to them and their families.

You can find information about many of these on Sunset Properties' web page at www.sunsetproperties-spain.com but we are also bringing some of that information to you through the Grapevine. Firstly a series of articles giving an insight into education in the area, especially through the eyes of those who have first hand experience. This month we're starting by looking at nursery education which caters for 0-2 year olds before they start school at three.

Since pre-school education is not mandatory, whether or not you can find a place for your child will depend on the availability of places locally. The nursery (or guardería in Spanish) in Competa is usually fully subscribed but you can put in your application and they will contact you when there's a vacancy – there's not usually a very long wait. To do this you need to fill in a form at the Ayuntamiento and provide a copy of the child's passport, passport size photos, copy NIE number and child health records eg immunisation records.

The nursery caters from small babies up to three year olds, dividing them into three classes by age. It is open for most of the year and has shorter holidays than the schools, especially over the summer. Compared to most UK nurseries, the hours are flexible, allowing you to make your own decisions (with certain boundaries) about what is best for your child. They are open from 9am to 2pm five days a week but the core hours when your child is expected to be there are from 10am to 1pm. You can of course choose how many days they attend.

The price of care is always a pleasant surprise for parents accustomed to UK prices. Currently the costs are based on a means test so expect to have to provide information about your income. You may well only have to pay around 30 euros per month. There are currently plans to provide an optional hot meal every day and if you choose to take advantage of this it will cost an additional 20 euros each month.

Before your child starts nursery you will be given a list of all the things you need to provide – and it's a long one, including things like kitchen roll, a cushion, bib, spare set of clothes, wash bag, pinafore and a favourite toy – all of which need to be labelled. Good Spanish language practice working out what it all means!

Those are some of the practical details, but what do parents and children think about the experience of nursery Spanish style? I've heard nothing but good reports about the facilities and the care. The staff are very caring and as one Mum told me “ My son always comes home happy, even on the odd occasion he's spent a couple of minutes on the naughty chair!!" And although she would sometimes like to spend more time with him at home, nursery is where he wants to be!

Of course having a child in nursery means that they have the opportunity to integrate into village life from an early age and to grow up bilingual. At this age children don't even seem to notice differences in nationality and language and hopefully this is how it will continue as they grow up in their adopted community. It's good for parents too because inevitably they come into contact with staff and local parents through a shared involvement in their children's care and education.