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A Rough Guide Message for you Kids!
Firstly we sympathize with you - it's a great adventure moving to Spain but you've left your mates back in the UK.
It wasn't easy moving schools back there, but here you have the added problem of not being able to understand the language. And they are a strange lot the Spanish kids, aren't they!
The one thing you've got going for you is the fact that you're going to learn how to speak Spanish long before your parents do! And there are a lot of English kids already at the Schools in San Miguel de Salinas, who can tell you the ins and outs. They do well too, as obviously their earlier education back in the UK stood them in good stead standard wise!
There is a bit of resentment from the Spanish kids towards you - you're foreigners - and it's no different to a so-called foreigner checking into a new school back in UK. But we'll be telling them a thing or two on the Spanish page about that! In fact there are a few things they can learn from you too! Finally keep your heads down, do your best and get some Spanish mates!
Lastly, don't forget who you are and where you come from, make sure you wear that England strip when there's a game on! But don't forget to wear the Spanish one occasionally!
Options for Education
- below on this page we provide details of the Spanish State Education System but it is certainly not the best option to plunge your children into this course without some preparation, they will hate it, they will not learn anything, and may become introverted and certainly frustrated. Firstly obtain a Spanish language tutor, a year would be a minimum to give a child some grounding in the language and it should include an introduction to the subjects such as Science and Maths as they are taught in Spain, since the system is different and the level of study in these subjects is often higher than the equivalent level in Britain, which is another reason why your child may be put down a year on arrival in Spain. Another solution, which depends on parents' economic position is to place your teenage child in a private bilingual school for at least their first year in Spain to give them a kind of half-way house experience, before going totally into the Spanish system.
We are Foreigners
- The high concentration of foreign nationals has given rise to particular problems in Spanish schools with teachers unable to speak the first language of most of their students, they are not required to. But this has caused a natural resentment of the local Spanish people fearing a lowering of standards for their own children that this situation implies. This does on occasions manifest itself in bullying between children of different ethnic groups, which is not always dealt with adequately by schools, purely because teachers are at a loss to identify the problem and deal with it.
General Facts
- Schools admit children once a year, in September, strictly according to the calendar year of their birth. The normal registration period for all ages is in May for the following September, and may be done via the local town hall, or by applying directly to a school.
There is no obligation for the class teacher, at any level, to speak English. Classes are always mixed ability in Spain; the concept of "streaming" is unknown. Although state education is free, parents will have to buy all textbooks and materials. The Spanish have their main meal at lunchtime and don't do packed lunches: school dinners are very much a Spanish affair and the menu may be strange to English kids.
School calendar and timetable
The school year starts in mid-September and ends in the third week of June. There is usually a break of two weeks or so at Christmas, and about a week and a half for Easter. There are no half-term holidays as such, but there are short breaks throughout the year that are organised around national, regional and local saints days and festivals. There are two kinds of timetables, a divided day that allows at least two hours for lunch, or the innovation of the "jornada continua", a blocked day, which finishes in the early afternoon. Most secondary schools have now adopted this blocked day timetable, so your teenager will be free from about 2 p.m. every day.
Infant education
- Educacion Infantil or EI (3 - 6yrs) teaches children about social, personal and environmental values, as well as developing their physical and mental skills. Children are only introduced to the alphabet, reading and writing gradually, and fluency is not expected during this time.
Primary education
- Educacion Primaria or EP (6 - 12yrs) consists of three two-year period cycles or ciclos. Children considered not to have achieved their objectives, may be required to repeat the cycle. Students study the following subjects throughout Primary Education: Spanish language; Maths; Conocimiento del Medio (A general knowledge subject which includes biology, history, geography, general and local knowledge and social awareness) also Physical Education; Art and Craft and a second language, usually English. Most students will study the Catholic doctrine as Religion, but they may opt out and use the time for other studies. In many regions of Spain the local dialect and culture is also taught as a subject; in the case of San Miguel de Salinas it is Valenciano. Homework is at the discretion of individual class teachers.
Secondary education
- Educaci Secundaria Obligatoria or E.S.O (12 - 16yrs) Spain's secondary system is modelled loosely on the British comprehensive system of complete mixed ability schooling, and students may leave school at the end of this period. Radical improvements in education have introduced project work, continuous assessment and more up-to-date and relevant syllabuses. There is usually a fairly heavy workload of homework and exam studying which require considerable sacrifice and self-discipline on the part of students who wish to do well at school. Much still depends on the approach of individual teachers, and there has been a general lack of investment in retraining and resources to make a total success of the scheme. This is no different to the UK.
6th Form College
- "Bachillerato" Academic Course (16 - 18yrs) At the end of the four year E.S.O. those students choosing to remain go on to the two-year, or enrol on practical training courses called "modulos". There are four types of Bachillerato - Arts, Humanities, Natural and Health Sciences and Technology. Modulos include office and administrative skills, mechanics, catering, and hairdressing. After two years in Bachillerato students have intensive examinations during the month of May and their final mark is based on a combination of examination results and continuous assessment.
University
- Universidad. In June, students who wish to go to University take a general University entrance examination (P.A.U.) and the University course they are able to follow depends on the result of this examination along with their Bachillerato results. A far higher percentage of students attend University in Spain than in Britain. There are very few University grants in Spain so sending a child to University is a major investment. Students may take as long as necessary to complete a University course, repeating courses and spreading out examinations over years. There is a general tendency to attend the University nearest to your home, and many students stay at home or live with relatives in the city to save money.
Acknowledgement
- Our thanks to Jane Cronin for her 'Version History'. First published March 2003, email: cronin@inicia.es
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