Moving to Spain with children can be great, as it comes with better opportunities. But it also means facing new terms like ESO, concertado, or bachillerato. Once you learn the basic stages and school types, these terms start to make sense fairly quickly. The broad structure is then easy to understand.
That said, schooling in Spain is managed by the autonomous communities rather than nationally, including term dates, admissions, and the language of instruction.
Stages in Spain’s Education System
While compulsory education runs from six to sixteen years old, the education system in Spain has several more stages.
• Early childhood education in Spain (Educación Infantil) covers ages 0-6, and it is divided into two cycles: 0-3 and 3-6. While it’s not compulsory, many families still enroll their children, especially for the second cycle. The second cycle is free in public schools, though families typically pay for materials, meals, and activities, depending on the school.
• Primary education (Educación Primaria) from age 6 to 12 is compulsory.
• Compulsory secondary education (Educación Secundaria Obligatoria, ESO) runs from 12 up to 16 years of age, and is sometimes referred to as lower secondary education. Graduating from ESO qualifies your teenager to move on to the next stage: Bachillerato, the academic path leading to university, or Formación Profesional (FP), the vocational route.
Bachillerato (Age 16-18): The Path to University
It is a two-year program in Spain equivalent to high school grades 11 and 12 or A-Levels in the UK. During these years, students choose the branch they want to study, including Sciences, Humanities and Social Sciences, or Arts. Their grades over these two years, together with entrance exam results and any other requirements, determine which university they can get into.
Formación Profesional (Age 16+): Vocational Route
Usually called FP, vocational education and training is an increasingly popular route. It is very different than the typical “vocational schools” known in the US. Here, the programmes are designed with employers and regional education authorities, where students gain significant practical experience.
After the age of 16, there are two levels students can pursue: Grado Medio and Grado Superior. Grado Medio is a two-year programme students can join after ESO, and Grado Superior is a more advanced two-year programme students can join after completing Grado Medio or Bachillerato. Due to strong job placement rates in many fields, FP is increasingly seen as a smart route rather than a second-best option.
Spain’s School Models: Public, Concertado, Private and International
There are three main types of schools in Spain, and international schools usually fall under the private education umbrella.
Public education in Spain (colegios públicos)
Public schools are state-funded and free of tuition fees for both Spanish and international students. But materials like books, lunch, or trips still cost extra.
They follow the regional curriculum and teach mainly in Spanish, or the co-official language. These schools typically don’t have uniforms, and admissions are typically based on local criteria like residence or whether siblings already attend the school.
Concertado schools (semi-private)
A colegio concertado refers to a school that receives major or partial public funding but is run by private entities. They follow the same official curriculum as public schools, and rules set by the education authority.
Of course, it is not entirely free like public schools, but the tuition levels are lower than private schools in Spain. As exact costs can vary by school, families should check what services and fees are involved, such as meals, uniforms, and books.
Private and international schools in Spain
Private schools can follow the Spanish curriculum, another country’s national curriculum, or an international programme, such as IB (International Baccalaureate), British, or American curricula.
They often teach in English, but also other foreign languages or even Spanish. So it’s worth families checking whether all lessons are actually taught in English or not. Either way, these schools are often popular with expat families due to the familiarity of the language and curriculum. However, the fees for private and international schools in Spain can reach substantial amounts.
Language of Instruction in the Education System in Spain
While the official language is Castilian Spanish across the country, several autonomous communities also use their co-official language. This means the language used in lessons can vary depending on where you live.
- In Catalonia and the Balearic Islands, Catalan is the main language used throughout the education system, while Spanish is also taught as a subject.
- Meanwhile, in the Basque Country, schools can offer different linguistic models involving Basque and Spanish. One model teaches mainly in Spanish, with Basque taught as a subject; another splits instruction between both languages; and a third uses Basque as the main teaching language, with Spanish taught separately. Details can differ by school and area.
- Similarly, Galician is co-official in Galicia, while Val d’Aran, in Catalonia, recognises Aranese as an official language.
Schooling in Spain When Your Child Doesn’t Speak Spanish
For expat families, one of the biggest worries is: “Can my children attend school in Spain without speaking Spanish?”
In short, your child does not have to be fluent in Spanish to go to school, but the experience will depend on the type of school and the child’s age.
Public schools do teach English as a subject, but lessons aren’t generally taught in English. Bilingual programmes can include subjects taught in English, but arrangements can vary between schools and autonomous communities.
Is An International School The Better Choice?
There’s no correct answer, but many expat families feel more comfortable with international schools, especially for the first few months, since the familiar language and curriculum make adapting easier. It’s also a practical choice for families who might relocate again later. If your child is already older and has been studying under a specific curriculum, continuing in the same system may be less disruptive, too. However, these schools come with higher costs, and since many of the children are also expats, integrating into the local Spanish community can take longer.
Local schools, on the other hand, help children adapt to Spanish life faster, since they are surrounded by Spanish-speaking classmates and local families daily. Many schools also provide language support to help new students adjust, such as simplifying assignments or pairing them with classmates. But to know exactly what kind of support is offered and how quickly children tend to adapt, it’s worth speaking with school staff directly before enrolling
School Calendar, Holidays and Term Dates in Spain
School calendars are set by autonomous communities individually. So the exact dates for the first and last day of term, as well as for local holidays and occasional non-teaching days (días no lectivos), can vary.
Generally, schools start in early to mid-September and run through to mid or late June. Most state-funded schools in Spain begin in early September, and the school year usually adds up to roughly 180 teaching days. This leaves a summer break of roughly 10 to 12 weeks, on top of the shorter breaks throughout the year.
Christmas break lasts around 2 weeks, typically starting just before Christmas and ending after January 6, or Epiphany.
Easter, or Semana Santa, can last from 1 to 2 weeks, generally falling in March or April.
In addition to these main breaks, there are national, regional, and local public holidays. Plus, días no lectivos set by the local authority or school. Families can check their region’s official education department website for exact dates.
School Hours in Spain
There is no single set timetable, and exact hours are set locally. But here’re some common patterns.
Primary education in Spain generally involves around 25 hours of class per week.
• Split days typically run from 9 am to 12:30 pm, then 2:30 pm to 4 pm, with a long break in between. For lunch, children may eat at the school canteen (comedor escolar) or at home.
• Continuous day (jornada continua) schedules typically run from around 9 am till 2 pm. Depending on the school, supervised lunch and after-school activities (extraescolares) may extend the time spent.
• Full-day schedules can run from 9 am to 5 pm, with a lunch break typically around 1 to 3 pm.
Secondary education is more academically intensive and typically involves around 30 to 33 hours of class per week. They also start earlier, often around 8 to 9 am, and finish around 2:30 pm. Lunch is also commonly eaten after school around 3 pm.
During hotter months, some schools may shorten the day, even if they normally run split days. Also, extraescolares can help bridge the gap between the end of classes and pick-up times.
School Admissions and Enrollment in Spain
School admissions are not standardised nationwide; timelines, portals, and priority criteria can differ regionally.
During the standard annual admissions period, families apply through the regional education department of their autonomous community. If you’re arriving outside of that window, a separate process may apply for enrolling mid-year.
For the exact list, you can ask the local authority and school, but commonly requested documents include proof of ID for both parents and the child, proof of address, the child’s previous school records, and health or vaccination records.
Start with the regional education department first, as it sets the rules and deadlines for your area. Then you can reach out to local schools or the local authority directly for specifics.
How to Choose a School in Spain: What to Check Before You Decide
Visiting schools or meeting with staff will always tell you more than reputations or rankings alone.
Waitlist: Some popular public or concertado schools have waiting lists, so it’s worth checking before you settle on one. Make sure to have a couple of backup options in mind, just in case.
Access and journey: This is about what the commute actually looks like in practice, including the real door-to-door time, bus routes, and how manageable pick-up and drop-off will be day-to-day. You may want to consider living near the school, or somewhere with easy access to it, like in Viva Altea Beach homes, a short drive from the city centre and close to an international school.
Language support: Ask how they help new students follow classes and make friends, and whether there’s a specific support system in place.
Class size and facilities: During a school tour, ask about the number of students in the specific year group your child would join, not just the school’s overall average. Also look at classroom equipment, outdoor space, the library, and sports facilities.
Teaching method: Find out how students are assessed, typical homework load, and how teachers communicate with parents. These conversations can reveal a lot, and some schools may even let you sit in on an actual class.
Daily schedule and timetable: Does the school day fit your family’s working hours? Check whether lunch breaks, after-school care, and activities line up with your schedule.
Costs: Request a full written breakdown of tuition, uniforms, books, lunch, transport, devices, activities, and trips.
Choosing a school is entirely dependent on your family’s circumstances. Just make sure your decision framework isn’t built around English-speaking versus Spanish-speaking alone, but around how each option will actually fit your daily life. This can be where you’re going to live, your child’s age and temperament, and budget.
