The Italian educational system provides free state education to all children residing in Italy from ages 3-16. It consists of nursery school (age 3), primary school (ages 6-11), middle school (ages 11-14), and various types of high schools, including classical, scientific, fine arts, technical, and professional. The 2015 education reform aims to strengthen the school-to-work transition, improve digital skills, link teacher pay to merit, and give schools more autonomy, but it has faced opposition from unions, teachers and students.

1. THE ITALIAN EDUCATIONAL
SYSTEM
Giulia & Irene

2. Education in Italy
• Free state education is available to children of all nationalities who
are resident in Italy. Italian kids have to stay in school until they are 16
years old.
• Children attending the Italian education system can start with the
Scuola dell'Infanzia also known as Scuola Materna (nursery school),
which is non-compulsory, from the age of three.
Every child is entitled to a place.

3. Scuola Primaria (Primary School)
•Open to all children: 6-11 years old
•Children learn to read and write and study a
wide range of subjects including maths,
geography, Italian, English and science.

4. Scuola Media (Middle School)
•Open to all kids: 11-14 years old
•At the end of the third year, students sit a
written exam in the subjects of Italian,
mathematics, science and a foreign language.
There is an oral examination of the other
subjects.
•Successful students are awarded the Licenza di
Scuola Media (Licenza Media)

5. Scuola Superiore(High School)
Types of Italian High Schools:
• Liceo Classico (Classical High School): Latin, Ancient Greek and Italian
literature form an important part of the curriculum.
• Liceo Scientifico (Scientific High School): emphasis on physics, chemistry and
natural sciences.
• Liceo Artistico (Fine Arts High School): prepares for university studies in
painting, sculpture or architecture.
• Istituti Tecnici (Technical Institutes): prepare students to work in a technical or
administrative capacity in agriculture, industry or commerce.
• Istituti Professionali (Professional Institutes): These studies lead, in three or
five years, to achievement of a vocational qualification (Ial Saronno, an
example of Professional Institute)

6. The latest School Reform: «La Buona Scuola»
(«Good School»)…
The Italian Government adopted reform of the
national education and training system in July
2015.
This reform foresees changes in several aspects
of education and training provision management
and of the curricula…

7. 1. The new law reinforces the school-work
relationship and improving of digital skills.
For work-based learning, an alternating school-
work programme will be compulsory in the last
three years of upper secondary schools:
•200 hours a year in general education
(Lyceums)
•400 hours a year in technical and vocational
schools.

8. 2. At the heart of the government’s plan is a
measure linking teachers’ wages to merit rather
than seniority…
… representing a dramatic shift in a country
whose labour market suffers from a lack of
meritocracy.

9. 3. The new rules also seek to give schools more
independence in setting curricula and managing
operations…
… the aim is to give teachers and heads
greater responsibilities.
HOWEVER…

10. The reform has encountered fierce opposition
and criticism inside and outside parliament.
• Unions complained that the government had paid little
attention to their views and objected to much of the
reform’s content
• Teachers said a new method of allocating funds, based on
performance, would favour private schools and those in
high-income areas at the expense of the poorer ones
• Student organisations have also voiced dissent accusing
the government of being completely deaf towards the
requests of the students who really want to change
schools