The education system in Spain

"A school is a building with four walls, and inside is tomorrow"

The structure of education in Spain

Questions about children's education are very important when preparing to move to Spain. Primary and secondary education is compulsory from the age of 6 to 16.

From 0 to 3 years - guarderia infantil

Some parents send their children to nursery (guarderia infantil) from 6 months to three years of age. This is according to the parents' wish and possibilities. They pay about 200-500 euros per month for the child to be in nursery (there are social assistance and programmes that allow parents to cover some of the costs).

From 3 to 6 years old - escuela infantil

From 3 to 6 years of age, the second cycle begins - preschool education. Although this stage is optional, almost all children in these years attend kindergarten (escuela infantil). This is the best time to learn the basics of how life works and the world around us. All children of this age can go free of charge to this institution, which is usually attached to schools.

From 6 to 12 years old - colegio

Primary education(educación primaria) in Spain starts from 6 to 12 years of age. For school enrolment (colegio), it is the year of birth of the child that is very important, not the number of full years of age at the time of starting school. For example, a child born in January 2018 and a child born at the end of December 2018 will go to grade 1. Despite the difference of almost a year, they will be in the same class.

From 12 to 16 years old - instituto

The word instituto is misleading to many people at first. It is actually the name of the secondary school where children from 12 to 16 years of age attend. It is compulsory secondary education - Educación Secundaria Obligatoria(ESO).

From 16 to 18 years old - Bachillerato или Formación Profesional

The educational phase is two academic years long and is in fact a preparation for university studies. After finishing secondary school, the child has the choice of studying for two years in high school (Bachillerato) or taking a vocational training course (Formación Profesional), which also lasts for two years.

From 18 to 22 years of age - higher education(Educación superior) - Universidad

After completing one of the previous educational stages, the child has two options: to go to university (4-6 years depending on the chosen profession) or to enrol in a higher level vocational training course.

Schools in Spain: public, semi-private, private

Most children in Spain attend public schools (colegios públicos). Education is free (100% funded by the government), education is of good quality and the curriculum and rules are set by the government.

Semi-private schools (colegios concertados) are partly funded by the state, while the other part comes as tuition fees from the pupils' parents (800-1000 euros per year). They are run by private non-profit organisations.

Private schools (colegios privados) are 100% funded by the parents of the students (6,000 to 12,000 euros per year, the cost depends on many factors). They offer an individual approach to students, more rigorous programmes and teaching, modern equipment and even accommodation.

International schools in Spain(colegios internacionales)

These are mostly private schools offering an international education system. In these institutions, children can follow a programme of study from their own country, or one that is recognised internationally. These schools are not only attended by foreigners, but also by Spaniards themselves, who send their children to receive a quality programme and a diploma that is recognised worldwide.

The grading system in Spain

РPreviously, they used to assess a child's knowledge on a 10-point scale. But from 2023, schools in Spain have switched to a new assessment system:

1,2,3,4 - insufficient - Insuficiente(IN)

5 - sufficient - Suficiente(SU)

6 - good - Bien(BI)

7,8 - notable - Notable(NT)

9,10 - outstanding - Sobresaliente(SB)

Teachers here treat children with understanding and even the presence of two or three unsatisfactory marks does not always lead to the fact that the child will stay for a second year.

Textbooks in Spain(libros escolares)

Books for education here are among the most expensive. But every school has either a financial assistance (programme) for the purchase of textbooks or their free return at the end of the school year (all pupils already studying in these schools participate in these programmes). Each community in Spain has a different system of education and, consequently, different books. Be prepared to have to buy textbooks if you bring your child to school in the middle of the school year.