The Spanish education system offers various types of education from infant school through university. Primary education is compulsory and free in state schools from ages 6 to 12. Secondary education is then compulsory from ages 12 to 16 and offers vocational training options. Students can pursue a non-compulsory high school program (Bachillerato) from ages 16 to 18 to prepare for the university entrance exam (PAU) or vocational training. University studies typically last 4 years but some like medicine take 6 years, and credits (ECTS) are earned to obtain degrees.

1. Spanish

2. The Spanish Education System offers the
following
types of Education
Infant Education Primary Education
Compulsory
Secondary Education
High School Vocational Training
Language Studies Art Studies Sport Studies Adult Education University Education

3. Infant School Education is not compulsory.
It is divided in two periods:
0-3 years old 3-6 years old
Most of the children attend classes
where Infant Schools are
integrated with Primary Schools.
Children have differentiated
subjects: Personal Identity, Social
Environment, etc.
Normally, children start to learn
reading and writing at this stage.
People who work there must be
qualified teachers.
Types of Education
Infant Education
Most of the schools are private
and parents must pay for them.
Some towns have municipal
nursery schools that are cheaper
than private.
Children only play and do some
painting works.
People who work there don’t need
to be teachers but head teachers
usually are.

4. Primary Education is compulsory.
It is divided in six levels from
Families can choose to take their children to:
6 to 12 years old
Types of Education
Primary Education
State Schools
Most of the schools are
State Schools.
They are free.
Families only pay for
lunch, books, materials
and sometimes
uniforms.
State-financed but
privately-managed
Schools
They are usually free
but sometimes families
must pay a small
amount of money for
the teaching and then
they pay for the same
that for State schools.
Private Schools
They are not State-
financed and parents
must pay for all the
services.

5. School grouping and schedule
Types of Education
Primary Education
25
Maximun ratio Teaching hours
25h
9-12
15-17
Morning and afternoon
school schedule
MON TUE WEN THU FRI
R E C E S S
L U N C H
9-15
Intensive school schedule
MON TUE WEN THU FRI
R E C E S S
L U N C H
school
canteen
Students can go home to
have lunch or stay at school
50 minutes lessons
50’ 40’
40 minutes lessons
after
school
activities
The school offers
different activities

6. Subjects in Primary Education
Types of Education
Primary Education
Maths
Spanish
Natural
Sciences
Social
StudiesValencià English
Arts Music P.E.
Religion or
Social and
Civic Values

7. Other facts about Primary Education
Types of Education
Primary Education
Children have several
teachers:
A class teacher, who
usually teaches
languages (Spanish
and Valencià), Maths,
Social Studies and
Science.
A Music teacher
An English teacher
(in our school they
also teach art)
A P.E. teacher.
ICT is not considered
as a subject, but
some teachers use it in
their classes.
Connecting a laptop to
a digital whiteboard.
Using multimedia
content as the digital
books.
Going to the computers
room.
There are tests and
marks each term.
Children can repeat
1 course in the whole
primary studies.
Only if they are
children with
Special needs they
can repeat an extra
year.
Tests and
marksICTTeachers

8. Children with Special Educational Needs
Types of Education
Primary Education

9. Secondary Education is compulsory.
There are 4 grades divided in 2 cycles:
Types of Education
Secondary School
1st cycle 2nd cyclefrom 12 to 14 years old and from 14 to 16 years old
Teachers must be graduated and experts in one subject.
If the students pass the exams, they get the Secondary Studies
degree.
If not, there is a possibility to get the degree doing another course or
courses that are focused to teach those students some jobs.

10. Some facts about Secondary Education
30
Maximun ratio
Teaching hours
30h
1 or 2
Years of grade
retention
Types of Education
Secondary School
Subjects
Those of Primary Education
+ Technology + 2 optional
End of Secondary School
Start to work Study Vocational
Training
University
Study High School
(Bachillerato)

11. Bachillerato (Baccalaureate) is not compulsory.
Students must have the degree on Secondary School.
It is made up of two school years
Types of Education
High School
16 -17 years old 17-18 years old
There are different choices:
Students must pass a State Exam called PAU if they want
to go to University.
Sciences Arts
Humanities and
Social Sciences

12. Vocational Training is not compulsory.
Students must have the degree on Secondary School.
If you don’t have it you must be 17 years old and pass a test.
There are three different programmes:
Types of Education
Vocational
Training
The courses have between 1300 and 2000 hours in 2 years.
The 20% - 30 % of the studies are practices in enterprises.
When students finish these studies they can access to University.
Basic Vocational
Training
Intermediate
Vocational Training
Higher Vocational
Training

13. Other possibilities when students finish Secondary Education.
Types of Education
Specialised Education
Language Education Artistic Education Sports Education
Languages at levels A1-C2
(CEFR)
Official Language Schools
Music, Dance, Dramatic
Arts, Preservation and
Restoration of Cultural
Property, and Plastic
Arts and Design.
Specific Schools
Intermediate and
advanced training
cycles
Vocational traning

14. The normal duration for University courses is 4 years, except
Medicine and some more, which are 6.
University studies have "ECTS credits" as a measure for the lessons,
and normally, 60 ECTS are taken each year, so each course comprises
240 ECTS credits.
Passing every subject, and getting the 240 ECTS credits, gives the
right to obtaining an academic degree (Grado), architecture or
engineering qualification.
Postgraduate courses are Master's degrees (Máster), and Doctoral
degrees (Doctorado). The access is regulated by the university itself,
through the Doctorate Commission. It is necessary to have the correct
degree course, architecture or engineering.
Most universities offer non-regulated studies leading to an unofficial
degree, recognised only by the granting university.
Types of Education
University