The document outlines the educational systems of several European countries, focusing on Germany, Greece, Italy, Spain, and Slovenia. It describes compulsory education ages, types of schools, subjects taught, and structures of the school year, highlighting variations and similarities among the systems. Each section provides details on curriculum requirements, language studies, school hours, and breaks across these countries.

1. Comenius Project
HEALTHY EUROPEAN
CITIZEN
2012-2013

3. German school system
Children aged three to six, may attend kindergarten.
After that, school is compulsory for nine or ten years.
From grades 1 through 4 (sometimes through 6 - it depends where you live)
children attend elementary school (Grundschule), where the subjects
taught are the same for all.
Then, after the 4th (or 6th) grade, they are separated according to their
academic ability and the wishes of their families, and attend one of three
different kinds of schools:
1. Hauptschule,
2. Realschule or Gymnasium.
Grundschule teachers recommend their students to a particular school
based on such things as academic achievement, self-confidence and ability
to work independently.
However, in most states, parents have the final say as to which school their
child attends following the fourth grade.

4. Hauptschule
The Hauptschule (grades 5-9) teaches the same subjects as the Realschule
and Gymnasium, but at a slower pace and with some vocational-oriented
courses. It can lead to part-time enrollment in a vocational school combined
with apprenticeship training until the age of 18.
Realschule
The Realschule (grades 5-10 in most states) leads to part-time vocational
schools and higher vocational schools. It is now possible for students with
high academic achievement at the Realschule to switch to a Gymnasium on
graduation.
Sekundarschule
Since two years some states founded the Sekundarschule, in which the
students of the Hauptschule and the Realschule are educated together.

5. Gymnasium
The Gymnasium leads to a diploma called the Abitur and prepares students
for university study or for a dual academic and vocational credential. The
most common education tracks offered by the standard Gymnasium are
classical language, modern language, and mathematics and natural science.
In recent years many States have changed the curriculum so students can
get the "Abi" at the end of the 12th grade. Other States are making the
transition but may still require a 13th grade.
Gesamtschule
The Gesamtschule, or comprehensive school, is only found in some of the
states. It takes the place of both the Hauptschule and Realschule. It enrolls
students of all ability levels in the 5th through the 10th grades. Students who
satisfactorily complete the Gesamtschule through the 9th grade receive
theHauptschule certificate, while those who satisfactorily complete schooling
through the 10th grade receive the Realschule certificate.

6. No matter what kind of school a student attends, he/she must complete at
least nine years of education. A student dropping out of a Gymnasium, for
example, must enroll in a Realschule or Hauptschule until nine years have
been completed.
Students are required to study at minimum one foreign
language for at least five years.
A second foreign language is required in Gymnasium.
The most popular foreign languages are French and Latin.
The students start English half a year after they come to school, so with the
age of 6.
But in primary school, especially in the first two grades, English is taught in a
very playful way, with songs and games.

7. The School Day
German students at public schools attend school in the morning. Classes
normally start between 7:30 and 8:15 a.m. and can end between 12 noon and
1:30 p.m. Class periods are normally 45 minutes long with a short break in
between. There is no provision for serving lunch. But the last years more and
more students are able to attend work and live in full-day school. After the
German Federal Elections in 2002 the German Government set gave
financial support to enable the states to introduce full-day schools. Right now
there are already many Ganztagsschulen, where the students can stay until
4p.m. or even longer.
There can be a lot of homework and heavy emphasis on the "three Rs" -
reading, writing and aRithmatic. The curriculum expands as students move
up from Grundschule and depends on which of the three secondary schools
they attend.

8. The School Year
The school year consists of two semesters and normally starts around the
middle to end of August. There are longer breaks at Christmas and in the
summer. Shorter breaks are around Easter and in autumn. There is no school
on public holidays. The Christmas break is usually 2 weeks and the summer
break is about 6 weeks. The exact dates of the various vacations and breaks
are set by the individual states.

11. THE GREEK SCHOOL SYSTEM
Age: Compulsory school is from 5 up to 16 years old
Pre-school is for the kids who are 5 years old and sometimes when there is
room for more can participate few kids from the age of 4.
Primary school is for the kids from 6 up to 12 years old (6 years)

12. Secondary school we have two kinds:
1. Gymnasium from 13 up to 16 years old (3 years) which is compulsory
2. Lykio from 16 up to 18 years old, which is optional
Foreign Languages studied in primary school is
•English for all classes (two hours per week for the first and second grade and
4 hours per week for the other grades)
• French or German for two hours per week only for the fifth and sixth grade

13. Timetable (Day School)
1. every day school starts at 08:10 and finishes at 14:00 (normal program)
2. some pupils continues up to 16:30 for the (All-day program)
School year:
School year starts for teachers in September 1, for pupils September 11 and
finishes for pupils in June 15 and for teachers June 21

15. The Italian school system
There are almost 70 thousand schools in all levels of education, of which 15% are
private institutions. Primary education is run by the cities, secondary by the
regions and the universities by state.
Education is compulsory from 6 up to the age of 16. At the age of 15, there is a
possibility to choose an alternation school-work. It's free of charge (only
tuition).
There are two nationwide exams –
1. one at the end of lower secondary school (age 14)
2. the other one at the end of upper secondary school - Maturità (age 19).
3. Home schooling is not allowed before the age of 16 (for the compulsory
education).

16. Disabled students
Total inclusion. Disabled students or students requesting assistance are
included in regular schools.
In primary schools, "their" classes cannot have more then 20
students.
during secondary schools a tutor (supporting teacher) must be
provided for them.
In the meantime also all the school premises are changed in order to
facilitate all students. There is a ministerial act (Legge Quadro
sull'handicap n.104 del 5 Febbraio 1992) concerning this issue.

17. Kindergarden is from 3 to 6 years, it is not compulsory
Children have to be 3 years old to attend but it is not compulsory.
"full-time" with 40 hours/week. (the schools are open form Monday to
Friday)
Primary/Elementary school is from 6 to 11, it is compulsory:
The school itself is divided in 1+2+2 year cycles, when the first is a base
year. There can be from 10 to 25 students in class, if disabled student is
present, not more then 20 are allowed.
There are two types of curricula –
1. "modulus" with 27-30 hours/week (the schools can be open from
Monday to Saturday or from Monday to Friday with one afternoon
lesson)
2. "full-time" with 40 hours/week. (the schools are open form
Monday to Friday)

18. Subjects are the same for all schools:
1. Italian
2. Maths
3. English (from 6)
4. History
5. Geography
6. Science
7. Physical Education
8. Art
9. Music
10. ICT
11. Religion (optional)

19. Lower secondary education (scuola secondaria di primo grado) is from 11
to 14, it is compulsory :
Subjects are the same for all schools:
1. Italian
2. Maths
3. English
4. Second language: French, Spanish, German (10-11 years)
5. History
6. Geography
7. Science
8. Physical Education
9. Art
10. Music
11. ICT
12. Religion (optional

20. Upper secondary education (scuola secondaria di second grado)is from 14-16
compulsory,
from the age of 16 students can decide to work and stop studying from 16-19
it is not compulsory.
In the high schools subjects changes. They depend on the different courses:
1. High Schools - Licei
From 14 to 19 – Exam Students go to University
LICEO IS a high school whose objective is to prepare the students to go to
universities, the students have to study for five years and then they have to go to
university, after University they can find a work
LICEO is divided into two cycles “Gymnasium two years” and “Liceo 3 years”
There are six types of “Licei”: the first two years are the same and they are
Gymnasium and the disciplines are the same, in the last three years they change
There are several types of high schools, called LICEI - classic liceo (where students
learn greek and latin), - scientific liceo, - fine arts liceo, - foreign languagesliceo. -
economic liceo, - technological institute, - musical liceo, - human sciences liceo, -
psychopedagogic liceo

21. 2. Technical institutes
From 14 to 19 – Exam Students can choose between working or going to
University
Technical school is a type of school that directs the student to the study and
practice of the technique applied.
The school is divided in two cycles: first cycle common (it is two years 9th -10Th
grade) and introduce to the second cycle for specialization in which the students
will choose among different subjects (It is 3 years 11th-13th grade)
The Italian technical institutes are divided into two main branches, these two
branches are divided into different specializations:
1. Technical institute for economics: It is possible to choose among: economic
sector, tourism sector and commercial and administrative law.
2. Technical institute technology: industry: mechanics, electronics, electrical
engineering, computer science, thermodynamics, chemistry and materials
healthcare biotechnology, environmental biotechnology, agro-industry and
agribusiness, nautical and aeronautical industries, agriculture and surveyors

22. 3. Vocational school
From 14 to 19 –(9th -13th grade)
Exam Students can choose between working or going to
University.
If they stop at the 11th grade (16 yaers) they can work, if they
choose to study other two years it is possible to go to university.

23. The School Year
The school year starts from the middle of September to the first week of June (the
school has to be opened 200 -205 days). The beginning and the end of Easter and
Christmas holiday are decided by the school superintendence office of each regions
(in some regions it’s possible that schools are closed for Carnival, in that case the
schools have less holidays for Christmas and Easter)
1. In Summer schools are closed: 3 weeks in June, 4 weeks in July and August and
10-12 days in September.
2. 1st January New year’s day
3. 6th January Epiphany
4. Easter
5. EasterMonday
6. 25thApril Liberation Day
7. 1st May Labour Day
8. 11th May Patron Saint (in Piegaro)
9. 2nd June Anniversary of Republic
10. 1st November All Saints’ Day
11. 8th December Immaculate Eve
12. 24th December Christmas Eve
13. 25th December Christmas Day
14. 26th December St Stephen Day
15. 31st December New Year’s Eve

25. SPANISH EDUCATIVE SYSTEM
0 – 6 years = Non compulsory education
6 – 16 years = Compulsory education
PRE-SCHOOL EDUCATION
0 – 3 years = It is considered as the First Cycle of Pre-School Education. Children can
attend a private kindergarten.
3 – 6 years = The Second Cycle of Pre-School Education. It is included in State Schools
and it is free.

26. COMPULSORY EDUCATION
6-12 years = Primary Education. Given in Schools. It is divided in three cycles:
- First Cycle = first and second level
- Second Cycle = third and fourth levels
- Third Cycle = fifth and sixth levels
12 – 16 years = Secondary Education. Given in High-Schools. It is also divided in
two cycles:
- First Cycle = first and second levels (12-14 years)
- Second Cycle = third and fourth levels (14-16 years)
HIGHER EDUCATION STUDIES
From 16 years on students can follow different studies:
Bachillerato (two courses)
Technical Studies (two courses)
University (four courses)

27. SUBJECTS
In Primary Education children study the following subjects:
o Spanish Language
o Maths
o English
o Science and Geography
o Physical Education
o Artistic Education (Art and Music)
o French (from the fifth level on)
o Religion (optional)

28. TIMETABLE
From Monday to Friday: 9 a.m. to 14 p.m.
There is a half an hour break at 11 a.m.
English is studied from 3 years on.
There are two English lessons until students are seven years old and
three English lessons from eight to twelve years.

30. The Slovenian education system
The Slovenian education system
1-6 years – non compulsory education
6-15 years- compulsory education

31. Pre-school education (predšolska vzgoja)
It is optional, and encompasses the centre-based child care and
early general pre- school education. Public kindergartens are founded and
financed by municipalities.
Compulsory basic education (osnovna šola)
6-15 years:
The nine-year basic education is divided into 3 three-year cycles:
First cycle: first, second, third grade
Second cycle: fourth, fifth, sixth grade
Third cycle: seventh, eighth, ninth grade

32. SUBJECTS:
Maths
Slovene
Music
Art
Sport
Craft
Science
English
Home Economics
History
Geography
Biology
Chemistry
Physics
Civics

33. Language studied in primary school
In Slovenia, children start learning English
in the 4th grade, two lessons a week.
In the 5th, 6th and 7th grade, we have 4 lessons a week and
in 8th and 9th grade, three lessons a week.
Students can take the second language
in the 7th, 8th or 9th grade
(usually German or French).

34. Upper secondary education (srednješolsko izobraževanje) takes 2 to 5 years.
Educational programmes include
1. vocational
2. professional
3. gimnazija (general) programmes
Vocational and technical programmes prepare students
predominantly for labour.
General secondary programmes
prepare students predominantly for further studies.

35. TIMETABLE
From Monday to Friday.
In Slovenia, lessons must not start before 7.30.
The first cycle usually has 4 or 5 lessons a day,
the second and third cycle has 5, 6 or 7 lessons a day.
There is a break for breakfast after the first or second lesson, and a break for
lunch.

36. School year starts on 1st September and ends on 24th June.
HOLIDAYS:
1. Autumn holidays (usually one week- around 1st November)
2. New Year holidays
3. Winter holidays (one week)
4. Spring holidays- 1st May holidays (from 27th April to 2nd May)
5. Summer holidays (from 24th June to 31st August)