# State Schools



## YummyMummySafiya (Sep 28, 2008)

quick question, what times do they normally start and finish, my little boy started this year in England but i've read that the starting age is six in Spain. Will they actually help with there English reading/writing in the schools.

Thanks

Safiya x


----------



## chris(madrid) (Mar 23, 2008)

Safia

A Spanish state school teaches in SPANISH. End of story. 

Later on they'll probably offer/teach English as a second language. But in the early years if you want your child to study English it will be down to you. This said my niece (who's Spanish) was already taking "English" by the time she was 8.

They start at 6 and currently (iirc) finish at 16 (though I recall seeing that this WILL be raised to 18). 

The hours - I'm not sure but you'll find it does change as the world enters "summer" when most of Spain as different working hours. ABOUT 8:30 to 16:00 I think - Jo?


----------



## jojo (Sep 20, 2007)

YummyMummySafiya said:


> quick question, what times do they normally start and finish, my little boy started this year in England but i've read that the starting age is six in Spain. Will they actually help with there English reading/writing in the schools.
> 
> Thanks
> 
> Safiya x


The start and finish times vary from school to school, summer winter, even year to year. 

My daughter, at the moment starts at 9am and finishes at 2pm, the years above her start at 8.45am and finish at 2.15pm. On Wednesday - the start of October (dont ask me why, I havent a clue!!!), its all change and my daughter will be starting at 9.15am and finishing at 2.15pm and the older classes will be starting at 9 and finishing at 3.30pm and it will stay like this until the Spring - I dont know what happens after that??????

I thought that kids started school at 6 in Spain, but according to some of the mums I've met at the school, they start at 4 in a pre-school, but it is compulsory???????? - I dont know if thats a fact though!

Do they help with English??? Well our school is about to start after school english lessons free of charge to help the english kids. In the classroom I have to say the only help my daughter is getting is from an english lad in her class and a couple of the spanish girls. The teacher helps where possible, but obviously has a class to teach and cant spend too much time going over things -so its a bit "hit and miss". I keep encouraging her to try to pick words out and make sense of it and we try to do her homework and learn words that way (I'm learning it by doing this too), but she's not finding it easy - bare in mind tho, she's 11 and isnt as adaptable as younger kids with languages and its only been two weeks. She has made friends with a Spanish girl though and they kinda "chat" in "Spanglish"!!

Jo


----------



## chris(madrid) (Mar 23, 2008)

jojo said:


> I thought that kids started school at 6 in Spain, but according to some of the mums I've met at the school, they start at 4 in a pre-school, but it is compulsory???????? - I don't know if that's a fact though!


Pre-school is NOT compulsory, but is VERY advisable if you can get it. Some even offer "sort of" toddler creching facilities for working mums. Here the Casita de Niños offers after school care until 7PM (it's not free but is cheap)


----------



## dizzy (Jul 12, 2008)

Hola, I do not know much about this subject but can tell you my experience. BTW We are here finally in Spain!!!!! Yay!!!

Anyway, we arrived on Wednesday last week and have already managed to get my youngest child into a state school here in our town. They start at 9am - 1pm and then 3 - 5. He is 9 years old so in 5th class. The school year started only 3 weeks ago so he hasn't missed much and the director and teachers are so willing to help it is lovely. He went on the first day for only 1 hour and then today for 4 hours tomorrow all day. His main teacher is also the english teacher and speaks almost perfect english. They have a number of subjects that are taught by another teacher who does not speak english - so the school has arranged that my son will get some extra lessons with his catalan (we are in the north of spain) and the english teacher writes down the lesson plans for him in the meantime before rotating with the other teacher. It all sounds very complicated but so far seems to be working very well. 

Good luck with your search for a school but I would most definately encourage you to stick with a state run school. 
Dizzy


----------

