Examining The Spanish Education System.

State Or Private?

At this stage your children’s future lies largely in your hands and the decisions which you make now will shape their whole lives, so it is only natural that you will feel anxious and under immense pressure to get it right! The best way to put your mind at rest is to explore the options, speak to other parents in a similar situation and be realistic about your own child and their ability to adapt to their new home and learning environment. As in the UK, the education system is divided into a public system and private sector, whose education centres tend to be more sensitive to the needs of foreign students and so this tends to be the favoured route for families who wish to relocate. However, we have spoken to parents who have found themselves regretting the decision after the first year or two, as their child has not been given the opportunity to learn the language, make friends with Spanish peers or really enjoy their new culture and surroundings.

Points To Consider…

Whilst it might be more difficult to adapt at first, if you are planning to remain in Spain long term there are certainly benefits to enrolling your child in a Spanish school from the outset. With such a significant expat population now living in the Alicante Province you will be pleasantly surprised to find that the majority of teaching staff will have at least some understanding  of English, and that schools are happy to offer additional support to your child in their native tongue should it be deemed necessary.  It is important to note that it is not only the spoken language which differs from school life back home, but also the school timetable and calendar, subjects offered, curriculum content, and provision of text books and all writing materials, which in Spain is the Parent’s responsibility, and can be extremely costly when you have several children to kit out! On the positive side, most state schools do not have a specific uniform, so this is one less expense to worry about!

The School Career

Regulations enforced by the Ministry for Education make schooling obligatory for any child aged from 6 to 16 years, and free pre-school education is also offered from the age of 3. Here is an outline of the stages which the Spanish state school system follows:

Guardería  or Nursery (Around 4 months to 3 years)- The majority of early years nurseries are privately operated although some areas do provide a limited number of state nurseries or funded places, with means tested access. They are usually open all day, including lunchtime provision, and specifically aimed at helping working parents.

Centro Educación Infantil y Primaria (CEIP)-

1. Educación Infantil (3 to 6 years) – Whilst it is not a legal requirement to enroll your child in school at this age, the Government does provide a free place and encourages attendance. Learning is delivered through a combination of basic numeracy, language, knowledge and understanding of the world, movement and creative play, providing the stepping stones for primary learning. Classrooms are usually located within the primary school building to enable a smooth transition. To qualify you must be registered on the Municipal Padron. Applications are usually accepted during a two week period in March/ April although the majority of Town Halls will accommodate families who miss the deadline. As in the UK, school places are awarded on a “points” system so you will not necessarily be offered your first choice, but it will normally be the centre which is closest to your postcode zone.
2. Educación Primaría (6 to12 years) – This is the beginning of a child’s compulsory education, and again places are awarded using a points system following the spring enrollment period. All children are guaranteed a school place somewhere in the area, although this might be a bus journey away from home. Primary education is split into three cycles known as “Inicial” covering year 1 and 2, “Media” in years 3 and 4 and “Superior” for years 5 and 6. Each child is given a report (Historial Academico) when they complete their term in primary education, which follows them to their next school.

Instituto de Educacion Secundaria (IES)

1. Educacion Secundaria Obligatoria ( ESO ) (12 to 16 years) – During the first stage of their secondary education students work towards the ‘Graduado Escolar’, which is an internationally recognized certificate showing their ability in the six core curriculum subjects, plus three optional subjects. Assessments are carried out continually throughout the course, and those who do not reach the required level in a minimum of two subjects will be expected to repeat that year. Unfortunately this is very common, particularly among foreign students who tend to find their studies more challenging due to the language disadvantage. Each student is given the chance to repeat each year only once, and not permitted more than two repeated years during their entire secondary education term. The process of holding students back a year or two ultimately means that they will study and graduate alongside younger and older peers, forming really diverse, close friendship groups.
2. Educacion Secundaria No Obligatoria ( Bachillerato ) (16 to 18 years) – This is an optional further education stage, giving the student a more formal qualification in a wider spectrum of studies, and access to University should they qualify. The course spans two years, during which time they work towards the “Bachiller”, which demonstrates their proficiency in seven core subjects, along with seven or eight supplementary subjects of their choice. The choice of subjects available differs in accordance with the school, and assessment is continual and carried out internally by the tutor, who is responsible for awarding the final certificate to successful candidates. Those who do not meet the required standard may chose to repeat the year. Bachiller graduates will normally go on to apply for a place at University, which involves sitting an external entrance exam in language and literature, a foreign language, history or philosophy and various other subjects of their choice, which is set by the university board for each region.

Formación Profesional (16 year and upwards) – This is another vocational type of further education, similar to a GNVQ, which is normally studied at a college rather than in school. Typical subjects include catering, fashion design, mechanics, IT, hairdressing and beauty, and the courses usually combine study based learning and a work placement with a relevant company. These courses are generally accessible to students who have obtained the Graduado Escolar or Bachillar certificate.

A Parent’s View

“We really thought that an international school was the best option for our seven year old daughter, Mia, as the majority of teaching staff were British or English speaking as were the other pupils, and they even followed the British curriculum in certain subjects. However, when she was constantly upset that she was unable to join in the games and conversations of the other Spaniards living in our street, didn’t share any common ground with them, such as favourite TV programmes, toys or music, and was still very much an alien in her new home a year later, it suddenly hit us that we had almost isolated her from Spanish society even though this was where WE had decided she should grow up” said Jan from San Miguel.

She added that “As a mother I felt very guilty, as I realized that putting Mia in an international school had really been for our benefit as parents- we would be able to understand what she was learning and communicate better with the staff and other parents. Plus the idea of a continuation in Mia’s current education made relocating to Spain less stressful, almost easing my conscience about leaving our life in England behind. But in reality, we were not really considering the fact that if we decided to move to Spain while she was a child and stay there, we should also be happy that her education, culture and entire future should be Spanish, rather than encourage her to continue a British life in the sun!”

Eighteen months into her Spanish journey, Mia was enrolled at the local Spanish school. Jan commented that “It was really tough at first, as Mia struggled to understand her lessons or communicate with peers, and returned home crying every evening for the first two weeks. I was terribly concerned and upset, even threatening to go back to the UK within a month if she failed to settle in! However, once she had made a few friends she never looked back, developing a good rapport with her teachers and excellent command of the language within a few months”. Mia has since advanced through her primary education, and commenced at Instituto last September, where she will continue to study until she is 16 years old, at which point she is determined to go on to study the Bachillerato, and eventually go to University. Mia said that “I don’t really like school, but some of the lessons are fun and break and lunch times are great! It was hard being at a Spanish school when I didn’t understand the language, but I think it made me learn faster that way! I’m really grateful that we moved to Spain, and I had the chance to learn and make friends here. This is my home and I am sure I’ll never go back to rainy England!”

Outlook

Whilst the Spanish state education system differs from the UK and Ireland in many ways, there are also obvious parallels, with heading off to university being the ultimate goal for ambitious youngsters. Spanish schools generally have a very good reputation, although those located in less affluent areas and with a higher volume of foreign students tend to have a lower pass rate, the same as they do back home. The fact is that some children are naturally more academic than others, regardless of where they are in the world, and it is the level of support and encouragement which they receive at home which will influence their career pathway and life choices. Essentially, the decision to choose private or state education for your child really depends on your financial position and long term outlook. If you have visions of a long and happy life in Spain, then your children may be best being taught in Spanish, embracing the Spanish culture and effectively being raised as Spaniards!