Admission requirements and choice of ECEC setting

Ante-preschool education and care services (children aged under 3 years)

In accordance with the provisions of School Education Law 198/2023, as subsequently complemented and amended, ante-preschool education and care is for children aged between 3 months and 3 years. 

Children are enrolled in ECEC settings with ante-preschool groups within the limits of the enrolment plan, which is approved on an annual basis, and based on a Framework methodology for the enrolment of ante-preschoolers and preschoolers in school education establishments with a legal person status and groups at preschool and/or ante-preschool levels, and for enrolment in complementary ECEC services.

The procedures and criteria for establishing priority among children with regard to their enrolment are set out in the methodology above and are displayed at the offices of the County School Inspectorates and at the offices of ante-preschool education and care settings, including on their websites.

For establishing priority among children in case that the number of enrolment applications received from children’s parents/legal representatives is larger than the number of available places, the following general criteria are used:

• a child is at least 2 years old by the end of the running calendar year.
• a child’s domicile / the workplace of a parent / legal representative is situated nearby the setting to which their parent / legal representative makes the application.
• a child’s parents / single parent / legal representative work, or the parent submits a confirmation of their return to work within 30 days from the beginning of the school year, or the parent does not receive a child allowance; those situations when a parent / legal representative provides proof of an activity as a self-employed person or as a business are assimilated to the situation of working parents / legal representatives.
• at least one of the child’s parents / legal representatives is in a form of full-time education.
• the existence of a document proving that a child has been assigned a guardian or benefits from a special protection measure established under Law 272/2004, as subsequently complemented and amended.
• the existence of a document proving that a child is cared for by a single parent (a single-parent family).
• at least one of a child’s parents / single parent / legal representative is in one of the following situations: (i) is retired under the law, (ii) has a disability certificate, (iii) is unemployed and seeking for a job, with supporting documents from an Employment Agency.
• the child’s parent / legal representative has another minor child to provide for (up to grade 4 of primary education) and/or another child enrolled in the setting concerned in the school year of enrolment.

If the number of applications for enrolment received from parents is larger than the number of available places, children are distributed in the descending order of the number of general priority criteria accumulated by every child: children who meet three of the criteria above are distributed first, then the children who meet two criteria and, finally, the children who meet only one of the criteria above.

Specific criteria for establishing priority among children are determined by every educational establishment with ante-preschool groups and are approved by its board and endorsed by the legal counsel of the County/Bucharest School Inspectorate. Such criteria cannot be discriminatory and cannot include any pre-enrolment lists made before the calendar of the enrolment process.

Public or private school education establishments with a legal person status and with ante preschool groups cannot refuse to enrol children based on discriminatory criteria related to race, nationality, ethnicity, language, religion, socioeconomic status, belief, gender, disability or other social background. 

When enrolling children in ECEC settings with ante-preschool groups, parents need to submit an application letter, a copy of the child’s birth certificate, copies of the parents’ / legal representative’s identity cards and, if they request a long-hour programme (10 hours), their employee certificates. Other supporting documents may be requested in connection with general or specific enrolment criteria, which are analysed in the enrolment process. A copy of the child's medical file, including a record of mandatory vaccinations/immunisations and any possible medical conditions, is required by the medical staff when a child enters an educational institution. 

The framework methodology for enrolment stipulates that, within the limit of places set in the enrolment plan and based on the principle of continuity in the same setting – children in the senior ante preschool group from school education establishments with preschool and ante preschool groups may be re enrolled, at their parents’ / legal representatives request, in the junior preschool group of that setting. 

Preschool educational and care (children aged between 3-5/6 years) 

In accordance with the provisions of School Education Law 198/2023, as subsequently complemented and amended, preschool education and care is for children aged between 3 and 6 years. 

Children are enrolled in ECEC settings with preschool groups within the limits of the enrolment plan, which is approved on an annual basis, and based on a Framework methodology for the enrolment of ante preschoolers and preschoolers in school education establishments with a legal person status and groups at preschool and/or ante preschool level, and for enrolment in complementary ECEC services.

The procedures and criteria for establishing priority among children with regard to their enrolment are set out in the methodology above and are displayed at the offices of the County School Inspectorates and the offices of preschool education settings, including on their websites.

For establishing priority among children, in case that the number of enrolment applications received from children’s parents / legal representatives is larger than the number of available places, the following general criteria are used:

• a child is at least 4 or 5 years old at the beginning of the school year.
• a child’s domicile / residence / the workplace of a parent / legal representative is situated nearby the setting to which their parent / legal representative makes the application.
• at least one of the child’s parents / legal representatives is in a form of full-time education.
• the existence of a document proving that a child has been assigned a guardian or benefits from a special protection measure established under Law 272/2004, as subsequently complemented and amended.
• the existence of a document proving that the child is cared for by a single parent (a single-parent family).
• a child’s parents / single parent / legal representative works or at least one of them is in one of the following situations: (i) is retired under the law, (ii) has a disability certificate, (iii) is unemployed and seeking for a job, with supporting documents from an Employment Agency.
• the child has a medical disability certificate and/or an education and training guidance certificate issued by a County Resource and Educational Assistance Centre / Bucharest Resource and Educational Assistance Centre.
• there is an older brother or sister enrolled in that educational establishment in the school year of enrolment. 

If the number of applications for enrolment received from parents is larger than the number of available places, the admission board of the educational establishment selects the children in the descending order of  their age and uses general and specific priority criteria, the children being distributed in the descending order of the number of general priority criteria accumulated by every child: children who meet three such criteria are distributed first, then the children who meet two criteria and, finally, the children who meet only one of such criteria.

Specific criteria for establishing priority among children are determined by every preschool education establishment or any educational establishment with preschool groups and are approved by its board and endorsed by the legal counsel of the County/Bucharest School Inspectorate. Such criteria cannot be discriminatory and cannot include any pre-enrolment lists made before the calendar of the preschool enrolment process.

Public or private school education establishments with a legal person status and with preschool groups cannot refuse to enroll children based on discriminatory criteria related to race, nationality, ethnicity, language, religion, socioeconomic status, belief, gender, disability or other social background.

When enrolling children in preschool settings, parents need to submit an application letter, a copy of the child’s birth certificate, copies of the parents’ / legal representative’s identity cards and, if they request a long hour programme (10 hours), their employee certificates. Other supporting documents may be requested in connection with general or specific enrolment criteria, which are analysed in the enrolment process. A copy of the child's medical file, including a record of mandatory vaccinations/immunisations and any possible medical conditions, is required by the medical staff when a child enters an educational institution.

The framework methodology for enrolment stipulates that, within the limit of places set in the enrolment plan and based on the principle of continuity in the same setting, children in the senior ante preschool group from school education establishments with preschool and ante preschool groups may be re enrolled, at their parents’ / legal representatives request, in the junior preschool group of that setting.

Complementary ECEC services

In accordance with Government Decision No 1604/2022 for the approval of the Methodology for the organisation and functioning of complementary early childhood education and care services, these complementary ECEC services are established as from the 2021/2022 school year.

Complementary ECEC services are established as settings of school education establishments with a legal person status and a preschool and/or ante preschool level in those localities where there are not enough crèches and kindergartens, namely:

• remote/disadvantaged localities where there is no crèche or kindergarten nearby children’s home.
• localities where the school population, including children aged under 6 years, is low and there is no preschool/ante preschool setting with a legal person status.
• localities where, due to a high number of children in crèches and kindergartens, there is a significant number of at least 20 applications which are not admitted and where the standard service may provide additional complementary ECEC services. 

Types of complementary ECEC services:

• community kindergarten,
• toy library and/or play group.

Community kindergarten services offer an educational programme for children aged between 4 and 6 years taking into account the needs and resources identified in the community concerned.

Toy library and/or play group services offer an educational programme for ante preschoolers and preschoolers, with play and recreational activities which are specific to each age group. 

For establishing priority among children, in case that the number of enrolment applications received from children’s parents / legal representatives is larger than the number of available places, the following general criteria are used:

• a child’s domicile / residence / the workplace of a parent / legal representative is situated nearby the educational establishment to which their parent / legal representative makes the application.
• a child’s parent / legal representative has another minor child to care for (up to grade 4 of primary education) and could not enrol their child aged between 3 and 6 years in any school education establishment with preschool groups nearby their home, for a community kindergarten service.
• a proof of an application to a school education establishment with a legal person status and preschool and/or ante preschool groups and its rejection due to a lack of places, both for a community kindergarten service and a toy library / play group service.
• the child is aged under 1 year or between 3 and 4 years and their parents / legal representative took no action for enrolment in a school education establishment with a legal person status and with preschool and/or ante preschool groups, for a toy library / play group service.

Children can be enrolled in school education establishments with a legal person status and preschool and ante preschool groups which have a setting for complementary ECEC services after the adjustment phase of the enrolment process at ante preschool and preschool levels, according to the calendar for the enrolment of children in school education establishments with a legal person status and preschool and/or ante preschool groups and in complementary ECEC services, and based on the priority criteria mentioned above.
 

Group size and child-staff ratios

Types of groups

In ECEC (crèches and kindergartens), children are usually organised based on age groups: junior, middle and senior groups.

Therefore, children aged under 3 years in crèches are organised as follows:

• junior group (for children aged between 3 months and 1 year)
• middle group (for children aged between 1 and 2 years)
• senior group (for children aged between 2 and 3 years).

In kindergartens, preschoolers are organised as follows:

• junior group (for children aged between 3 and 4 years)
• middle group (for children aged between 4 and 5 years)
• senior group (for children aged between 5 and 6 years).

In accordance with the legislation in force, children who are 2 years old and are enrolled in a kindergarten may be organised as follows:

• in a junior group only for 2-year-olds if there are enough children to make up a group for this age,
• in a junior group together with 3-year-olds if it is not possible to establish a group only for 2-year-olds.
   

The possibility to establish heterogenous groups in ECEC is not excluded, especially where it is not possible to form full groups in terms of numbers, where the school population is low, where there are siblings who cannot be separated, etc. 

Adult/ child ratios in ECEC

Provisions on the maximum number of children in a group and the assignment of teachers for each established group according to its working hours (regular hours, long hours and/or weekly programme) are found in School Education Law 198/2023, as subsequently complemented and amended. 

One teacher is usually assigned to a group of children, irrespective of children’s age. For a group with long hours (10 hours a day), an additional teacher is assigned to each group of children, and the two teachers work in shifts of 5 hours a day.

In accordance with School Education Law 198/2023, as subsequently complemented and amended, ECEC carers, who assist teachers, will also play an important role in the education and care process taking place in ECEC settings, including in crèches. 

In private education, the maximum number of children per practitioner may be lower, given that there may be also a teacher assistant or two teachers for a group simultaneously.

Other staff without any education and childcare responsibilities (for example, for cleaning and preparing meals) in ante-preschool education and care settings in the public sector is assigned in accordance with regulations that are the responsibility of County School Inspectorates.  

Annual, weekly and daily organisation

The working hours of establishments/settings/sections that provide ECEC services (at ante preschool or preschool level) are flexible, aim to meet both children’s and parents needs and to pursue educational goals.

In this context, there is:
 

• Regular-hour programme (up to 5 hours a day). This programme provides educational activities preparing children, as appropriate, for the next stage (kindergarten or school) and for social life.
• Long-hours programme (10 hours a day). This programme provides educational activities preparing children, as appropriate, for the next stage (kindergarten or school) and for social life, and provides, additionally, social protection for children (meals, supervision and rest).
• a specific complementary ECEC service programme. 

These types of programme may be delivered either in different buildings of the same education establishment with a legal person status and preschool groups, or in the same building of such a setting. 

In (ante preschool and preschool) ECEC there is no schedule such as the one used in primary education, particularly because there is no syllabus with school subjects (the specificity of learning in ECEC being a holistic approach to content).

However, the organisation of children’s daily programme may be summarised as follows:
.

Ante-preschool education and care (children under the age of 3)

Organisation of a typical weekday: regular-hours programme

Organisation of a typical weekday: long-hours programme

NB: Extracurricular activities, such as visits, trips, watching theatre performances, cultural/artistic and social events in the community etc., are scheduled as agreed with parents, taking into account the local/national/international events throughout the year and the themes of the specific curriculum designed to be conducted with the children, and also considering children’s and parents’ wishes. No days or periods for such activities are predetermined in any official documents.

Preschool education and care (children between 3 and 5/6 years)

Organisation of a typical weekday: regular-hours programme

Organisation of a typical weekday: long-hours programme

NB: Extracurricular activities, such as visits, trips, watching theatre performances, cultural/artistic and social events in the community etc., are scheduled as agreed with parents, taking into account the local/national/international events throughout the year and the themes of the specific curriculum designed to be conducted with the children, and also considering children’s and parents’ wishes. No days or periods for such activities are predetermined in any official documents.

Organisation of complementary ECEC services

The working hours of complementary ECEC services are approved by the board of the educational establishment with a legal person status and preschool and/or ante preschool groups that established them and aim to meet both children’s and parents’ needs. The hours may be flexible but no longer than 5 hours a day.

For the type of complementary service called community kindergarten, children should attend the service at least 5 hours a day for 3 days a week. 

For the type of complementary service called toy library and/or play group, children should attend the service at least 2 hours a day for at least 100 days in a school year.

The categories/types of learning activities in a community kindergarten complementary ECEC service are the same as those in the syllabus for ante preschool and/or preschool education and care and are set out in the ECEC curriculum approved by the Ministry of Education. 

The categories/types of learning activities in a toy library and/or play group complementary ECEC are: 

• movement activities and games, either individual or in a group,
• socialising games,
• sensory games, either individual or in a group,
• imitative games, either individual or in a group,
• musical games and games with text and song, in a group,
• educational games and practice games, either individual or in a group,
• individual games with a favourite toy,
• plastic-artistic and practical activities, either individual or in a group,
• activities related to books, for example, stories, image reading, memorising and alike, conducted in a group,
• routines and transitions.

Additionally, in the framework of complementary ECEC services, there are also counselling activities for parents with regard to child development in early childhood, the types of games and toys used to stimulate children’s development depending on age, and the importance of adults for the social and emotional development of young children.

The duration of activities may vary depending on children’s particularities and, implicitly, a child’s/group’s interest in them, their content and how they are conducted.