“Primavera” Sections

Law No. 296 of December 27, 2006 (so-called 2007 Finance Law), in paragraph 630 of Article 1, provides for the possibility of launching, starting from the 2007/08 school year, the experimental implementation of a new service. The law envisages its organization in different types but prioritizes the model known as “aggregated sections” within preschool education, aiming to promote an effective continuity of the educational path along the chronological axis from 0 to 6 years of age. The law refers to a specific Agreement to be reached within the Unified State–Regions–Local Authorities Conference to define the reference terms for the implementation of the projects. This Agreement, reached on June 14, 2007, marked the beginning of the experimental phase. Key points include:

• The initiatives, aimed at children aged 24 to 36 months, are characterized as socio-educational services that complement the educational offerings already provided by legally recognized structures (nursery schools and preschools).

• The projects are carried out by public and private entities authorized to provide educational services for the 0–6 age range (state schools, municipal administrations, managers of accredited preschools, and private nurseries contracted with municipalities) and must comply with regional and national regulations. The management of the supplementary service, called “Primavera sections,” is therefore entrusted to the institutional pluralism characterizing the sector, highlighting the principle of subsidiarity and reserving public responsibility for regulating and monitoring its quality.

• These initiatives, in accordance with the principle of educational continuity and building on positive experiences already implemented in various areas, must adhere to appropriate “pedagogical quality criteria,” based on indicators and operational standards established by regional regulations or, if absent, identified in the Agreement. These criteria include: suitable facilities, flexible schedules, qualified teaching and auxiliary staff, limited class size, and a child-to-teacher/educator ratio not exceeding 10:1. Certain flexibility is allowed in special contexts (e.g., small municipalities), provided that the project’s structure is fully described, justified, and demonstrably necessary.

Existing regulations remain the point of reference, with the municipality playing a central role: according to regional legislation, as the regulatory authority for educational offerings for children under three years of age, the authorization to operate a “Primavera” experimental section lies with the Mayor.
The state provides a financial contribution proportional to the service delivered through the experimental sections. Eligibility for participation in the 2007/08 experimental program is verified through an inter-institutional panel composed of representatives from the Regional School Office and the Region. The Minister, through note prot. No. 235 of June 21, 2007, provides the necessary operational guidance.

In the current year, the “Piccole Orme” Preschool and Playroom has again been selected to host a Primavera Section for children aged 24–36 months for the 2007/08 and 2008/09 school years. The school intends to continue its educational activities with 15 children in the Primavera Section, enriched by experiences gained in previous years, and to proceed with even stronger motivation. This is the third consecutive year that the school carries forward the Primavera Project, achieving excellent results and widespread approval.

“Piccole Orme” operates as a socio-educational service in Salerno, within a socially developed context, where the processes of learning, teaching, sharing, and discovery by all participants (children aged 24–36 months, preschool children, teachers, educators, facilitators, consultants, and parents) take place in a multifunctional environment.