Do students in Spain wear uniforms?
Uniforms are generally worn by students in religious private schools and grant-assisted schools. From age 12 (or nearly 12) children move on to Secondary school (el Instituto).
Age | Year | Spanish Equivalent |
---|---|---|
14/15 | Key Stage 4 | 3º ESO |
15/16 | 4º ESO | |
16/17 | Sixth Form | 1º Bachillerato |
17/18 | 2º Bachillerato |
Dressing for the Mediterranean Climate. You'll find that most Spanish people tend to dress up a little more than the average American. You will see young men wearing jeans and t-shirts or soccer jerseys, but you'll also see a lot of people in nice pants and nice shoes.
Education in Spain is compulsory and free between ages 6 and 16 and administered on a regionalized basis. Primary schooling is divided into three 2-year cycles during which literacy, numeracy and an introductory knowledge of a range of academic subjects is achieved.
You will struggle to find a school that has a school uniform for students in Spain, they prefer a much more casual approach! The kids wear their own trainers, t-shirts and shorts and even the teachers dress in a much more relaxed way than teachers in the UK.
Notable (Above-average / B)
7 to 8.9. This grade is given to good students that have positively met the needs of the course.
Spanish school hours depend on each type of school. Some may run from 9 am through 5 pm with a two hour lunch break. Other schools may begin at 8 and end at 3 pm, the typical lunch time in Spain. Some schools may have only a one hour lunch break and may or may not provide a cafeteria for children to eat at the school.
Regular clothes, some male teachers wear a tie but in general they're dressed in what we consider casual over here (smart casual in the US I guess?). Jeans or chinos with a button-up or a polo shirt, younger teachers might wear a niceish t-shirt. Female teachers wear pants or skirts with a blouse or top, or a dress.
The majority of private primary schools in Spain do have a uniform. Spanish elementary schools usually have a 10-week break in the summer.
A Spanish regional government has overturned a school's ban on a young Muslim woman wearing a hijab headscarf after she protested that the rule was discriminatory. The Valencia regional education department confirmed on Tuesday it had ordered Benlliure high school to allow Takwa Rejeb, 22, to wear the hijab in class.
Is school in Spain free?
Public schools in Spain
These schools are free for all children to attend, including expats, as long as they have registered on the municipal register, or empadronamiento, at their local town hall. That said, parents will have to pay for schoolbooks and extra-curricular activities.
Grant-assisted and private schools, however, have classes until the early evening several days a week. In primary school, homework is at the discretion of individual class teachers, but may be given from the first year of primary school onward.
Spain is no exception, where students begin their English education in the first grade of “primaria”, or primary school. In the first grade, students are 6 years old. They continue learning English all through secondary school, where they also need to select a second foreign language.
Some schools run from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. with a two-hour lunch break from 1 p.m. to 3 p.m. Other schools begin at 9 a.m. and end at 2 p.m., the typical lunchtime in Spain. When school gets out, everyone is free to go home for the most important meal of the day (according to Spanish eating customs).
In Spain, only primary and secondary education is mandatory. So compulsory education starts at the age of 6 and lasts until 16. After 16, it's up to students if they want to pursue higher education or not.
Primary and Secondary public Schools in Spain
In Spain, primary school runs from grade 1-6 (6-12 years old). Secondary school runs from grade 1-4 (called ESO, 12-16 years) and grade 5 and 6 (Bachillerato, 16-18 years). Secondary school students are usually between 12 and 19 years of age.
UPC grade | Equivalent ECTS grade |
---|---|
9-10 (Outstanding/Very Good) | A, B (Excellent, Very Good) |
7-8.9 (Good) | C (Good) |
5-6.9 (Satisfactory) | D, E (Satisfactory, Sufficient) |
0-4.9 (Unsatisfactory) | FX, F (Fail) |
7.00 - 8.99. Very Good (Notable) B+ 6.00 - 6.99. Good (Bien)
AFS students are normally placed in 4º ESO (10th grade/ age 15 - 16), 1º Bachillerato (11th grade / age 16 - 17) or 2º Bachillerato (12th grade / age 17 -18). Placement will depend on age and the students' studies at their home school.
There are usually 2 weeks of holiday at Christmas, 1 week over Easter and around 11–12 weeks over the summer. The timetable at public schools is usually 7 hours a day, Monday-Friday, but varies slightly depending on the school, the region and the age of the children. Starting times in the morning vary.
What time is dinner in Spain?
Dinner: 9–11 PM
Cena, or dinner, is usually much lighter than it would be in many other countries. If eaten at home, a Spanish dinner often consists of a salad; a plate of cured ham, sausages, or aged cheese; or even just yogurt and a piece of fruit.
Children study Spanish language and literature (and the language and literature of the autonomous region if applicable), mathematics, natural and social science (such as history, geography and biology), arts, a foreign language (and sometimes a second foreign language in the tercer ciclo) and physical education.
Spain, like much of Europe, is less prude than the United States in that it doesn't deem nudity/sexuality as improper or taboo. Because of this, girls walking around in bras and extremely tight or short clothing isn't considered inappropriate – it's just normal for them.
Teachers generally do not dress up, even business casual is considered too formal at most schools. Tattoos generally do not need to be covered up unless they are offensive or explicit but it's best to ask your coordinator what the school prefers.
When Does School Start in Spain? Schools in Spain usually start the second week of September and end in mid-June, with breaks for Christmas, Easter, and other national and regional holidays.
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