School system in Valencia

The school system in Spain is not so very different from the UK - although it can be difficult to find information and very few Spanish schools publish informative websites. Remember, the Spanish school system is also less competitive than the UK and no league tables exist.

In March 2004 Lliria city council took the unusual step of publishing a multi-lingual guide to the Valencian eductional system - called "Estudiem a Lliria"  - and this guide is reprinted below in a revised and corrected version. Original copies are available from the council education office in the main Ayuntamiento building. We have taken the liberty of adding a few relevant points to the original and these points are shown underlined.

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THE EDUCATIONAL SYSTEM IN THE COMUNIDAD VALENCIANA

Every student has the right to receive a comprehensive education, an education that respects his/her convictions and integrity, to participate in the functioning of the school, and to receive assistance to compensate for any difficulties.

Education is obligatory from the ages of 6 to 16. For this reason, boys and girls are required to attend primary school or secondary school.

There are generally two types of school. State schools (colegios publicos) and charitable or church schools (centros concertados) which are entirely state subsidised. Unlike most state schools, children usually must wear uniforms at charitable or church schools.  

The Comunidad Valenciana is bilingual, with two official languages, Spanish and Valencian, both of which are taught in schools. At the end of the period of compulsory schooling, students must have an adequate level in both languages.  

Education during the obligatory period is free – although parents must buy all the textbooks and necessary materials at the beginning of each school year. Financial help for the purchase of school materials may be available.

Registration for September is officially in mid-May – although late applications will usually be accepted.

The educational system is organized as follows:

Pre-school education: from 0 to 3 years. This is voluntary.

Pre-primary education: from 3 to 6 years, this is the first level of education in the schools. Voluntary.

Primary education: from 6 to 12 years. Consists of six years distributed in cycles. Free and compulsory.

Secondary education (ESO):

-         Compulsory until 16 and various options (itinerarios formativos) are offered from the third year.

-         High school (Bachillerato) is from 16. A two year course designed to prepare students for university.

-         Vocational training (Formación Profesional de Grado Medio) – two year course from 16 that prepares students for skilled work.  

-         Basic training (Iniciación Profesional) – for students intending to obtain jobs requiring only basic qualifications.

BILINGUAL EDUCATION PROGRAMS

At the end of the obligatory period of education, boys and girls must be competent in Spanish and Valencian. This objective is reached through two programs:

a)    Program of Education in Valencian (PEV)

This is a bilingual educational program designed for students whose principal language is Valencian. Students in this program begin using mostly Valencian as their language of learning, but incorporating some Spanish from the beginning. Later, English is incorporated into the program. 

b)    Program of Progressive Incorporation (PIP)

The base language is Spanish, while some Valencian is included from the beginning. Valencian is introduced in science, and from the third year, geography and history. While these subjects are taught in Valencian in the classroom, students can choose to study from textbooks in Spanish and prepare any homework and answer any exams in Spanish.

SCHOOL ORGANIZATION

Management team (Equipo Directivo): Schools have a management team consisting of the headmaster, director of studies, and a secretary. They are responsible for the organization and running of the centre and also for meeting the families. The centres have set hours for meeting parents and discussing anything related to the schooling of their children.

Board of Governors (Consejo Escolar): Consists of the headmaster, director of studies and secretary, a representative of the town hall, representatives of the teachers, parents, students and non-teaching personnel. Any parent can stand for election as a candidate of the board of governors.

Staff meetings (Claustro): Responsible for planning, and coordinating all of the teaching aspects of the school.

1.    Parents associations

In the centres there is also parents association (AMPA or Asociación de Padres y Madres de Alumnos). Any family can be a member of this association on a voluntary basis. The association has its own regulations and budget, and organizes various extra-curricular activities during the school year.

2.    Teaching organization

Each school has an Educational Plan for the Centro (PEC or Proyecto Educativo de Centro): teachers, parents, and students participate in preparing this plan and the characteristics of the centre, as well as rules for living and working together, are set out.

While this document cannot contradict the Valencian or Spanish education laws, it is intended to give each school its own personality. It can be revised when necessary and is available to any member of the school community who wishes to consult it.

The contents of all subjects taught at all levels are gathered together in a document known as the Curricular Plan of the Centre (Proyecto Curricular de Centro). In this document each teacher spells out the material taught in each subject. 

Teachers: Your child’s course tutor is responsible for assuring that his or her education is progressing adequately. Teachers do not give information about the comparative performance of each child until the age of 12. There is no streaming until the age of 16. The course tutor has a timetable for visits from parents.

At primary level there are specialist teachers for English, physical education, music, religion, and special needs. There is also a municipal child psychologist service, speech therapist and a specialist in physical movement.

There are more specialist teachers at the secondary level and they also have a timetable for meeting parents.

The teaching staff organise their work internally:

- by means of meetings between the teachers of a same cycle.

- by means of committees, departments, and work groups.

School Calendar

There are five class days per week (from Monday to Friday) distributed over three terms which are followed by vacation periods. First term: September-December; second term: January-March; third term: April-June. The exact dates tend to vary every year.

Timetables

-         Pre-primary and Primary: The centres for Pre-primary and Primary have a split timetable (morning and afternoon). The timetables are, normally, from 9:00 to 12:00 and from 3:00 to 5:00. This can change according to the school (consult the timetables in each centre). During June and September (the beginning and the end of the school year) the timetable is shortened (normally from 9:00 to 1:00).

-         Secondary: classes are normally between 8:00 and 3:00 (consult the timetables in each centre), depending on the number of subjects in each course year.

Subjects

-         Primary: science, geography and history, art, physical education, Spanish, Valencian, English, mathematics, and social studies and religion.

-         Secondary:

First year: science, physical education, art, geography and history, Spanish language and literature, Valencian language and literature, English, mathematics, technology, social studies and religion.

Second Year: science, physical education, art, geography and history, Spanish language and literature, Valencian language and literature, English, mathematics, music, technology, social studies, culture and religion.

From the third year the student can choose between university preparation and vocational training.

Textbooks: Ask for the list of books and materials at the school.

Evaluation: Periodically, the progress of your child will be evaluated. Each term the teacher will send a report to the parents with the results of evaluations and any additional comments.

Financial assistance: Every year the ministry of education offers grants for textbooks, school dinners, and transport. For more information ask in the school.

Registration: Town Hall. Department of Education on the first floor and opposite the information desk.

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A quick guide and map to various state and church schools in Lliria can be found by clicking here.

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For more information on Valencia and our range of property go to:

www.rawlinsholden.co.uk or in Spanish at www.rhinmobiliaria.com

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For more news and views on Valencia property visit:

http://valenciapropertymen.blogs.com

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For a personal view on one Spanish school in Lliria (in Spanish) visit:

http://www.david-estudiante.blogspot.com

Web www.rawlinsholden.com www.valenciapropertymen.blogs.com