We have recently arrived, and last week got our residents permits.
I understand that this means our 4yr old will be put on The List to start kindergarten next August.
How do I check that she is actually on the The List: who is the keeper of the list and where might I find them? We are in Basel-Stadt.

Thanks a million.

Try clicking where it says English PDF on this Schools Basel Stadt Site.

Acccording to the homepage you don't have to do anything but to wait for the form, fill it in and send it back. You will get it most probably within the next days but for sure till the end of the month.

You should check at your Gemeinde. This was where the formal applications for school were handled in our village when we arrived with our first child just 4 and due to start Kindergaraten that year.

If this is not the case where you live, they will certainly be able to direct you to the correct person (it could be a school who handles it - our Gemeinde used to hand out applications but now they seem to have subcontracted to the school although they are still valid as a first point of call).

Here in Canton VD, it works automatically once you are registered with your commune. Assume similar in BS. Basically the school authorities check with commune(s) around this time of year to have the list of children with birthdays from 1 July 2007 to 30 June 2008* and 1 July 2008 to 31 August 2008*, for planning purposes. Then in late winter/spring, a letter is sent to each family with information about the school and an open house meeting, asking you to register your child for school.

* Please note that this is Canton VD birthday cut off dates, which differ by Canton. Some Cantons will implement HarmoS, school harmonisation, next year in which birday cut off dates will like change to the HarmoS date of 1 August.

If your child is alredy 4 and meets your Cantons cut off date for birthday, he/she could already be in school this year.

If your child was 4 y.o. by April 30th 2011 she must go to Kindergarten. You'll most likely get a letter from the authorities. Otherwise you may want to contact the Erziehungsdepartement. You'll need to tell them if your daughter will attend a public or a private school.

Yeah normally you get a letter, they were sent last week, i got mine for my youngest and know many other mums who did too. So, to make 100% that your child is registered go ask the geminde,

This August children born between 1st May 2007 and 15th Mai 2008 enter kindergarden. (quoted from my son's letter).