Presentation of the country

Spain

The education system

The Spanish education system comprises

• the education authorities, education professionals and other public and private actors involved in regulating, financing or providing services for the exercise of the right to education enshrined in the 1978 Spanish Constitution

• those entitled to education
• all the actors, structures, measures and actions implemented to ensure it.

Principal characteristics of the education system

The Education Quality Improvement Act, amending the 2006 Education Act, was passed in 2013. Its implementation was completed during the 2016/2017 academic year. This reform recognizes the need to combine quality and equity in training provision. Schooling is not enough to guarantee the right to education, but quality is a constituent element of this right

Main administrative characteristics of the education system

Decentralization: responsibility for education is shared between the General State Administration (Ministry of Education and Vocational Training) and the authorities of the Autonomous Communities (Departments of Education):

• the central education administration implements the government’s general directives on education policy and regulates the basic elements or aspects of the education system
• the regional education authorities draw up state regulations and have executive and administrative powers to manage the education system within their own territory.

Schools have pedagogical, organizational and managerial autonomy over their resources. Participation of the educational community in school organization, governance, operation and evaluation.

Characteristics of the education system

A downward trend in the early school-leaving rate (19.0% in 2016), although still far from the European average (10.7% in 2016) and Spain’s target of 15% by 2020 (10% in the EU).

Objectives of the implemented reform :

• • reduce early school-leaving rates
  • improve educational results (rate of excellent students and rate of students holding the compulsory lower secondary education certificate)
  • enhance students’ employability and entrepreneurship
  • prepare students for citizenship and active participation in economic, social and cultural life, with a critical and responsible attitude and the ability to adapt to changing situations in the knowledge society

Principles of the implemented reform :

• increased autonomy for schools,
• reinforcement of headteachers’ management skills, external evaluations at the end of each stage
• rationalization of educational provision
• implementation of values that promote individual freedom, responsibility, democratic citizenship, solidarity, tolerance, equality, respect and justice, as well as the fight against all forms of discrimination

Key new features

• external, formative and diagnostic assessments at the end of the stage, focusing on the level of skills acquisition
• changes in the administration and management of the education system: curricula and distribution of responsibilities, participation in the operation and governance of public and private schools financed by public funds, school autonomy, joint management and pedagogical coordination bodies, public school management and evaluation of the education system
• reinforce, at all levels, the learning of core subjects that contribute to the acquisition of key skills for students’ academic development
• program to improve learning and performance in compulsory secondary education, basic vocational training, anticipation of pathways to Bachillerato and vocational training, and transformation of the current 4th year of compulsory secondary education into a preparatory year with two different pathways
• bridges between and within different training paths, so that no student’s decision is irreversible
• the integration of civic and constitutional education into all basic education subjects, including the acquisition of social and civic skills in the daily dynamics of teaching and learning processes

Particular emphasis will be placed on the following areas to transform the education system: information and communication technologies, promotion of multilingualism and modernization of vocational training.

Organisation of the education system

Pre-primary education is provided up to the age of 6. Although not part of compulsory education, it is free of charge in all public schools (state schools and state-funded private schools). Public schools that offer this are called pre-primary schools, and those that also offer primary education are called pre-primary and elementary school.

Basic education is compulsory and free in state schools. It lasts ten years and is divided into two stages:

Primary education, provided in elementary school. It covers six school years, generally studied between the ages of 6 and 12.

Compulsory secondary education, studied in secondary schools between the ages of 12 and 16. At the end of this stage, pupils receive the first official certificate, the Compulsory Lower Secondary Education Certificate, which gives them access to upper secondary education or the world of work.

Upper secondary education is also provided in secondary schools. It lasts two school years, and is generally studied between the ages of 16 and 18. It offers two options: Bachillerato (general stream) and intermediate vocational training (vocational stream). The latter is also provided by integrated vocational training institutions and national reference institutions.

Reforms in vocational training provision include :

• the creation of basic vocational training cycles: these can be taken by students aged between 15 and 17, among other admission conditions that have been established
• the development by educational authorities of dual vocational training within the education system.
• higher education includes university and vocational studies. University education is provided in universities, and advanced vocational training is provided in the same establishments as those offering intermediate vocational training.

In addition to these studies, the Spanish education system offers specialized teaching:

Language teaching, including the teaching and learning of different languages at levels A1, A2, B1, B2, C1 and C2 according to the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages (CEFR). These courses are offered in official language schools.
Artistic education, including elementary music and dance education, professional artistic education and higher artistic education. These studies are provided in specific schools, depending on the type and level of education.
Sports education, organized into intermediate and advanced training cycles and provided in the same establishments as those offering vocational training.

For further information

• Le système éducatif espagnol
• Promouvoir l’interculturalité et l’intégration des élèves immigrés en Andalousie
• Espagne : Points de vue des parties prenantes sur l’intégration des enfants migrants dans les systèmes éducatifs (article en anglais)