Education in Spain

Secondary education

From age 12 (or nearly 12) children move on to Secondary school (El Instituto). Until about ten years ago, secondary school started at 14 and in some areas the first two years of secondary are still accommodated in the Primary building if the local Instituto is not physically big enough to hold them. The new secondary system is modelled loosely on the British comprehensive system, moving away from a two level system (similar to Grammar and Secondary Modern) to complete mixed ability schooling. The first four years are called “la E.S.O." (Educación Secundaria Obligatoria). Children can leave school at the end of this section or at the age of 16 if they reach this sooner. The E.S.O. is divided into two cycles with the same system of repeated years at the end of each cycle as occurs in Primary education.

A wide range of secondary subjects are taught, including a language choice between French and English. Until recent years secondary education in Spain was very conventional with a lot of rote learning and constant tests and examinations. There have been marked improvements with the introduction of project work, continuous assessment and more up-to-date and relevant syllabuses. However, much still depends on the approach of individual teachers, and there has been a general lack of investment in retraining and resources to make a total success of the scheme.

One of the main criticisms of the new Secondary system centres on the discipline problems involved in teenage children who are repeating courses being placed in the same classes as younger more academically inclined children. There is still much debate about the success of reforms in secondary education, and improvements are being introduced.

At the end of the four year E.S.O. students may leave school, go on to the two-year "Bachillerato" academic course, or enrol on practical training courses called "modulos". There are four types of Bachillerato - Arts, Humanities, Natural and Health Sciences and Technology. Modulos include office and administrative skills, mechanics, catering, and hairdressing. After two years in Bachillerato students have intensive examinations during the month of May and their final mark is based on a combination of examination results and continuous assessment. A month later, in June, students who wish to go to University take a general University entrance examination (P.A.U.) and the University course they are able to follow depends on the result of this examination along with their Bachillerato results.

A far higher percentage of students attend University in Spain than in Britain. There are very few University grants in Spain so sending a child to University is a major investment. Students may take as long as necessary to complete a University course, repeating courses and spreading out examinations over years. There is a general tendency to attend the University nearest to your home, and many students stay at home or live with relatives in the city to save money.

School calendar and timetable

The school year starts in mid-September and ends in the third week of June. There is usually a break of two weeks or so at Christmas and about a week and a half for Easter. There are no half-term holidays as such, but there are short breaks throughout the year which are organised around national, regional and local saints’ days and festivals. There are two kinds of timetables, a divided day which allows at least two hours for lunch, or the innovation of the "jornada continua", a blocked day which finishes in the early afternoon. Most secondary schools have now adopted this blocked day timetable, so your teenager will be free from about 2 p.m. every day.

Homework

In Primary school, homework is at the discretion of individual class teachers, but may be given from the first year of Primary onward. It is sometimes assumed that parents will be involved in helping children with their homework, and parents who are unable to do this for any reason sometimes pay for tutors to help their children for an hour or so every evening. At Secondary school there is usually a fairly heavy load of homework and exam studying which require considerable sacrifice and self-discipline on the part of students who wish to do well at school.