Valencia Trader

Information about the Spanish schoolsystem.

Education in Spain

Educating your children in Spain - Introduction

Taking children away from their environment, friends and school, can be a daunting decision for any parent to make. This page provides a little information about the options available, along with a brief comparison of the Spanish and British curriculum. 

If you are looking for our schools lists, please note not all schools are listed, but you can find contact details of some state and international schools in popular areas of Spain by clicking on Schools in the Balearics, Schools in Valencia/Alicante, Schools in Murcia and Schools in Andalucia to the right. Please note the information given on this page is not a substitute for making your own enquiries. 

International Schools

There is a growing number of international schools in Spain that follow the British curriculum. Fees for day students are usually cheaper than school fees in the U.K. and demand for places can be high. If you and/or your children are intent on returning to the U.K. to live, then choose a school that follows the National Curriculum and offers IGCSE, AS/A Level or the IB.

To find a private international school that follows the British style of education, visit the web sites of the National Association of British Schools in Spain (NABSS), or The European Council of International Schools. (ECIS). There are also international schools that follow other styles of education, e.g. French, German and others, but the language of instruction will usually be in the language of the particular country. Some English speaking private international schools follow the American curriculum, rather than the British one.  Whichever style you choose, most international schools are required to teach a small part of the Spanish curriculum in addition to the international one. For further information, visit the web site of the Ministry of Education, Culture and Sport (MECD), the education departments of the relevant Autonomous Communities, or NABSS and ECIS for information about their member or affiliated international schools.

Bilingual Schools

There are a few private schools in Spain with bilingual programmes. These are different to most international schools because children will be taught in more than one language. The European School in Alicante is a bilingual school, so has different language streams. This school was set up mainly to cater for EU staff, but anyone can apply if there are places. Priority does go to children of EU staff, teachers and staff at the school and full fees are payable by anyone not employed by the EU or NATO. An example of a private Spanish bilingual school would be the Colegio Rincon in Rincon De La Victoria in the south of Spain. Many bilingual schools are private schools in that they do not receive any funding from the Spanish governments, but some grant maintained private schools offer a bilingual education too. The British Council provides a Bilingual programme in several schools in Spain, not in the tourist areas, but in cities and rural areas. 44 state schools participated in what was initially a project operated jointly by the British Council and MECD. In North and North West Spain a handful of state schools teach the IB programme and one delivers this in English (in La Rioja).

Spanish Schools

Spanish schools can be state or privately owned. Fees are payable in some private schools but not all. Concertado schools would be subsidised by the Spanish governments, are, if you like, "grant maintained" and therefore tuition is usually provided free. Concertado schools actively encourage parental involvement, but generally parents find there's more opportunity to meet with teachers  in Spanish state schools than is often the case in state schools in England and Wales.

The language of instruction would be in Spanish or a in a combination of Spanish and if applicable, the co-official language . In the autonomous community of Valencia (Castellon, Valencia, Alicante) there are different  programmes from immersion in Valencian to no teaching in this language at all.  When considering an area in these regions, it is important to ascertain which language programme is in place at the schools. Catalan is the co-official language of Catalunya and in North West Spain, Galicia and the Basque Country also have a co-official language.

Teachers employed in the state sector (including Concertados) would not necessarily speak English and in any event lessons are not taught in English. If English is taught as a foreign language (which is mostly the case), then there would be an  English teacher at the school whose main job is to teach English as a modern foreign language. 

The school year runs from about mid September until about the end of June, but dates vary according to age group and region of Spain. There are no half terms as such (except in some British international schools)  but there are other holiday days, besides Easter and Christmas, which vary according to where one lives  in Spain.

There are specialist schools of music, dance and art in the state sector. From the age of 12, entrance is usually selective.

The Spanish Educational System

The new education system in Spain derives from the LOGSE 1/1970.  Under the law, schooling is compulsory between the ages of 6 and 16 years. Below the age of 6 years schooling is optional and provision will depend on what is available in the area where one chooses to live. It is common to send children to school from about the age of 3 years but starting infants school at this age is not compulsory. Although the academic year runs from September until June, the children start compulsory schooling in the September of the calendar year in which they are 6 years old. In England and Wales children whose birthdays fall between September and December are usually the eldest in the class, but in Spain these children could be the youngest. In order to progress from one cycle of education to the next, students in Spanish state schools have to meet teaching and learning objectives, so compulsory schooling could last longer than what is the case in England and Wales where all students progress from one year to the next automatically. In addition, in 2004/05, introduces basic skills (numeracy and literacy) assessment into the curriculum for the first time outside of Catalunya (Catalunya's education system is a little different from other areas of Spain). See further, Spain's controversial new Law of Quality of Education L.O.C.E.(2002). For more information about the education system in Spain as a whole, contact MECD in Madrid. For information about the different systems in the Autonomous Communities, contact the education authorities at the government offices in each Autonomous Community.

Parents must pay for books, materials and any extra-curricular activities. Low income families may or may not be able to get a grant for these, but this depends on the laws in place at the time of making an application. School uniform is not always a pre-requisite. In general, uniform is worn in private schools.

Comparison of  systems at 14+

The system in England and Wales for students in the age range 14-19 years changed considerably in the year 2000.   Vocational education was  introduced at 14 years  (GNVQ Part 1 - General National Vocational Qualification) and at post 16, the old GNVQ Advanced was replaced by the AVCE (Advanced Vocational Certificate in Education). (now called VCE). Students choose a vocational or academic route or a combination of both GCSE and A /AS level qualifications remain.  The system is under review again and a report is due later this year (2004).

Students in Spain take their options at 14 or in the 3rd Cycle of ESO.  

The concept of vocational education is comparatively new in Spain. Therefore,  parents of students at secondary school in England or Wales, studying GNVQ or VCE may have a hard job finding an international school that offers these vocational qualifications, even though the examining bodies make international versions available. This is because the A level is still held in high regard in Spain, particularly by fee paying Spanish parents and is seen as a route to University. This thinking is somewhat misguided for those who want to send their children to university in Britain, as in England and Wales, there are just as many places for students who have achieved appropriate grades in their VCE as there is for those who have achieved at A level;  a combination of both qualifications is also acceptable. Students with Spanish qualifications equivalent to A levels  or VCE at the appropriate grades have the same chance of going to universities in England and Wales as home students. . There is usually an entrance test for admission of home students (in Spain) to Spanish Universities, whereas an entrance test  isn't generally needed for home students wishing to study at a British University. 

Assessment and Quality pre 14 - A brief comparison

Specialist schools

In England and Wales there are specialist secondary schools (e.g. Sports Colleges, Language Colleges, etc.), aswell as generalist schools. In Spain there are specialist music, dance and art schools. Some rural areas have state residential (boarding) schools, to facilitate compulsory education in such areas.  

Special Needs

Regions in Spain and counties in England and Wales have integration (inclusive learning) policies where possible.
 

Enrolment and Admission

To apply for a place at an International School or private school (excluding the Concertados) contact the school directly. To apply for a place at a state school in Spain, be aware that each autonomous community will set the procedures each year. For parents and guardians who can't adhere to the application dates and procedures because they are moving into a new area, then generally application can be made to the school directly at any time during the academic year. For those already living in one of the regions of Spain and who are applying to a school for a place for the first time, there are set dates for applications but these dates vary according to the regulations and orders made annually by each Autonomous Community.

Update:

Documentation

In general, to apply for a place at a Spanish school which is publically funded, you need passports to prove nationality (or D.N.I. if Spanish citizen), the child's FULL birth certificate and if applicable, other documentation which shows who the parent/s or guardian/s are, marriage papers if relevant, (or The Family Book if Spanish citizen), documentary evidence of domicile in Spain - i.e home address in Spain, or if applicable, work place. In some regions, child's vaccination certificates. If applicable, evidence of any disability.

For older children, age 14+, it may be necessary to have the results of their studies officially validated.  For students  who will be entering  the last year of compulsory secondary education in Spain or continuing their education in Spain at 16+, it is essential to get in touch with the Spanish Education Office to find out about the current process regarding Convalidación y Homologación.  More information is available from the Spanish Ministry of Education and Culture (MEC),  link below.   Please note: Info given on this page or in the forum is not a substitute for taking professional advice.