Education in Spain

When moving from one country to another, there are many aspects to take in to consideration and if there are children involved, finding a suitable school is one of the most important tasks to bear in mind. This article serves as a guide for those who find themselves in this situation when residing in Spain.

There is no set rule but generally our advice is that children until the age of 12 are better being schooled in local, Spanish schools. The standard of teaching in these schools is very high and the vast majority of our clients take our advice. Local schooling gives these children a huge advantage as they learn Spanish very quickly and make friends from all over Europe as well as Spain. The schools in the Costa Blanca area for instance have an average 20% expatriate attendance. This means that the children are never without friends of their own nationality and they can learn Spanish in an atmosphere which is comfortable. It also allows them to integrate into workplaces and communities much more easily if their preference is to stay in Spain once they leave school. There are local schools in every main town, e.g. from Quesada, Guardamar (5 mins) and Rojales (2 mins). When children reach the age of 12 they tend to leave the public sector schools and go to International schools where the curriculum follows the UK system and the lessons are all in English. The qualifications they attain are also on par with those in UK schools and are internationally recognised. A second option however, is to enter a state school. There are both international and state schools in larger cities e.g. Torrevieja (5 mins), Elche (20 mins) and Alicante (30 mins)

International Schools

An increasing number of international schools in Spain follow the British National Curriculum. Though they charge fees, these schools are invariably cheaper than UK Independent Schools and demand for places can be high. Many British people choose a school that follows the National Curriculum and which offers IGCSE (International GCSE), AS/A Level or the IB (International Baccalaureate)*. 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)*

Bilingual Schools

These are different to most international schools in that there will be two languages of instruction (Spanish & English, Spanish & German etc). The European School in Alicante, which was set up to meet the needs of EU Employees’ children, is just one bilingual school in the area. Many bilingual schools are private schools in that they do not receive any funding from the Spanish governments, but some government subsidised private schools offer bilingual education too. The British Council provides a bilingual programme in schools in Spain in what was initially a project operated jointly by the British Council and MECD (Ministry of Culture Education & Sport)*

Spanish State Schools

Concertado schools are subsidised by the Spanish government and therefore tuition is usually provided free. The language of instruction is Spanish or a combination of Spanish and the co-official language. In the autonomous community of Valencia, for example there are different programmes from immersion in Valencian to no teaching of this language at all. Parents should ascertain which language programme is in place at schools they are considering. Teachers employed in the state sector would not necessarily speak English.

The Spanish Educational System

Under Spanish law, schooling is compulsory between the ages of 6 and 16 years, although the majority of Spanish children are schooled from the age of three. 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. For more information about the education system in Spain as a whole, contact MECD (Ministry of Culture Education & Sport) in Madrid. For information about the different systems in the Autonomous Communities, contact the education authorities at the government offices in each Autonomous Community.

Qualifications

Students in Spain take their options at 14 or in the 3rd Cycle of compulsory secondary education (ESO); a Certificate of Secondary Education is awarded at the end of ESO and a student who achieves appropriate grades graduates from ESO and can apply for one of the different types (academic or technical) of Bachillerato. Vocational training is also a possibility after ESO. Students with appropriate qualifications and wishing to progress to University in Spain, must usually take an entrance exam. The School Leaving Certificate is at an equivalent level to a number of GCSE's and the Bachillerato to A levels. Students obtaining the appropriate grades required for entrance into universities in Europe including England therefore face no disadvantage because they have Spanish qualifications.

Enrolment and Admission

For international or private schools (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 for a school 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. Note that 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.

Documentation

In general, to apply for a place at a Spanish school which is publicly funded, you need passports to prove nationality (or D.N.I. if Spanish citizen), the child's FULL birth certificate and other documentation which shows who the parent/s or guardian/s are, marriage papers if relevant, documentary evidence of domicile in Spain - i.e. home address in Spain, or if applicable, work place. In some regions children's vaccination certificates and evidence of any disability is also required. 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 (Validation & Equivalency). More information is available from the Spanish Ministry of Education and Culture (MEDC)*.