The Spanish education system
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Loading... - Charlotte Reid
- 07 Nov 2022
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If you are considering moving to Spain with your family, you are probably wondering how the Spanish school system works. What kind of schools are there? How are schools different in Spain? Is the Spanish education system good? We have put together all the important information you need to know about the education system in Spain for expats.
What types of schools are there in Spain and how expensive are they?
In Spain, there are three types of schools:
· Colegios públicos – public schools. Not to be confused with old fashioned public schools in England and Wales, Spanish public schools are free and are the most common choice for Spanish families.
· Colegios concertados – semi-public schools. These schools are partly government funded, meaning that in most cases, a monthly fee is charged. This tends to be around 100 euros. These centres are often religious based but there also also secular semi-public schools in Spain.
· Colegios privados – private schools. These are often very expensive in Spain and require high fees, which can be between 2,000 and over 10,000 euros per school year. Most international schools in Spain are included in this category.
In addition, there are almost always additional monthly costs for materials, worksheets, books, extracurricular activities, such as music lessons or sports, and lunch in the school canteen.
When do children start school in Spain?
In Spain, school is compulsory from the ages of 6 to 16 . However, many children in Spain start nursery school at the age of 5-6 months, since parental leave in Spain is much shorter than in the UK, currently standing at only 16 weeks. At the age of 3, the children start pre-school, where they are already taught to read, write and count in a playful way. Many then also begin to learn English, therefore if you're moving to Spain as an English speaker, your child will be a step ahead in this sense. Another difference betweem Spanish and British schools is the school year your child will be in. Strictly speaking, school enrollment in Spain is based on the year of birth, i.e. every child in a class was born in the same year, measured from January to December and not from July to June. Read More…
