# More educational differences



## Pesky Wesky (May 10, 2009)

My daughter is 16 and started *bachillerato* in September. These are the two years education following on from obligatory education which finishes at 16. These are the years that in England pupils are preparing A levels and are at 6th form or smth similar. So in both cases we are talking about further education which may lead to university, other kinds of further education or leaving the education system, but this is where the similarities end.

In England pupils normally study 2 or 3, perhaps 4 A levels. My daughter is studying at least 9 subjects (I did a recount and I'm not sure if I left anything out, so it may be 10 or 11). This year she still has PE for example, which I'm glad about. Smth else that's different is that philosophy is compulsory for all in both years of bachillerato.

Smth else that I'd never heard of before (although perhaps schools in England do it) There isn't enough time to get through the Physics syllabus so they have_* séptima hora*_ which means that on Wednesdays they have an extra hour tagged on to the day

Different ideas about education...


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## xabiaxica (Jun 23, 2009)

Pesky Wesky said:


> My daughter is 16 and started *bachillerato* in September. These are the two years education following on from obligatory education which finishes at 16. These are the years that in England pupils are preparing A levels and are at 6th form or smth similar. So in both cases we are talking about further education which may lead to university, other kinds of further education or leaving the education system, but this is where the similarities end.
> 
> In England pupils normally study 2 or 3, perhaps 4 A levels. My daughter is studying at least 9 subjects (I did a recount and I'm not sure if I left anything out, so it may be 10 or 11). This year she still has PE for example, which I'm glad about. Smth else that's different is that philosophy is compulsory for all in both years of bachillerato.
> 
> ...


it's amazing isn't it?

my dd in 3rd yr ESO has the _*séptima hora*_ already on Mondays & Wednesdays - although each 'hour' is 55 mins - that's supposed to mean they can get from class to class & they make the 'patio' break from those odd 5 mins!

they normally have 6 classes, but on those days they have 7 - and an extra short break


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## xabiaxica (Jun 23, 2009)

SteveHall said:


> Yes, I am constantly amazed at the work-load the Spanish kids have. With "the crisis" more and more are staying on and obviously this includes the less academically-gifted so many are going to struggle in these non-compulsory two years. Hope this does not harm yours, PW.
> 
> Interesting statistic this week that Spain spends 4,3% of its GDP on education compared with 5,5 % in the UK (Health is 8,4% versus 8,2% )
> 
> Obviously, what the heck is going to happen in the UK from now on we will all know in the next few hours. New schools without teachers, additional universities without students, hospitals without doctors? Welcome to the UK 2010!


but the less academically gifted don't usually go on to do bachi - not at my dd's school anyway


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## xabiaxica (Jun 23, 2009)

SteveHall said:


> ....and THEN there is the homework!
> 
> I just helped with some English for a friend's son last night. To say, Juanma is never going to be a linguist is being kind so what he is being asked to do is scary!


are you back in Spain already?

I thought you weren't back til next week??


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## fourgotospain (May 4, 2009)

They seem to get lots of homework (2-3 hrs a night) at international secondary here too, but it's pretty harsh as they don't get home til 4.30 - 5pm. A friend who's child has just started in Yr 1 at the Instituto says she can't believe how much better it is fitting in homework and after school stuff and eating and a reasonable bedtime when you're home at 2.30-3pm compared with 4.30-5pm at Primary school. She did say however that the trade off is the 7.30 bus in the morning - yikes! Think we'll have to move closer to town when we get to that stage!


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## djfwells (Sep 28, 2009)

I will more than likely encounter the same problems and concerns in the years to come, but for now....

My daughter was born here in Spain, so I don't really have a comparison to make as such, other than my own education way, way back. So on the whole we accept her education as the norm, but there are a few peculiarities that our friends with kids in the UK comment on :

- 3 years old always seems to raise a few eyebrows as being considered too young to start school.

- Languages taught at a high standard from quite a yound age (My daughter is 3, and apart from having classses in Valenciano & Castellano the Town Hall also sponsor classes in English ). Whilst At 3 years in the UK the kids seem to be stuck in the corner of a nursery still playing in a sand pit.

- A 'split shift' schoolday just wouldn't work in the UK


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## lynn (Sep 25, 2008)

Pesky Wesky said:


> My daughter is 16 and started *bachillerato* in September. These are the two years education following on from obligatory education which finishes at 16. These are the years that in England pupils are preparing A levels and are at 6th form or smth similar. So in both cases we are talking about further education which may lead to university, other kinds of further education or leaving the education system, but this is where the similarities end.
> 
> In England pupils normally study 2 or 3, perhaps 4 A levels. My daughter is studying at least 9 subjects (I did a recount and I'm not sure if I left anything out, so it may be 10 or 11). This year she still has PE for example, which I'm glad about. Smth else that's different is that philosophy is compulsory for all in both years of bachillerato.
> 
> ...


I was very interested in my eldest doing the International Baccalaureate at an International school here when we were first looking at schools in the area. To me, the fact that the curriculum remained very broad and the students were required to continue with both the science and humanities, as well as physical education and some community work was very appealing. I know some schools in the UK are now doing the IB and it is very well regarded by Universities. As it worked out, the school we chose didn't run it, so he is doing A levels. I can see the advantage of that too though - he is most definitely better engaged with the subjects he is studying than he had been and is doing very well... So, I wouldn't say either route was 'best'. Bottom line with post compulsory study is that the student is there by choice and therefore has a personal responsibility to succeed. If they are slow to realise this, they will undoubtedly run into trouble.


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## xabiaxica (Jun 23, 2009)

SteveHall said:


> Xabiachica, what I am hearing is that they DID not but now por la crisis (very popular catch-all phrase, sadly!) MariCarmen is telling me that more and more who she would not expect to have stayed on are now staying on the extra years as they know that leaving at the earliest possible opportunity will probably mean zero chance of employment. The parents seem realistic about this and are encouraging them to remain. This is in Rojales, Alicante
> 
> Is the situation different in Jávea, do you feel?


you have to be fairly academic in order to have passed everything to be accepted onto Bachi

perhaps some who might have chosen other paths if the work was there are staying on, but they would still have to have passed everything 'on the way' - & therefore, be academically minded in the first place

and be VERY motivated to be able to complete the course with a decent grade!


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## xabiaxica (Jun 23, 2009)

SteveHall said:


> Skype is a great friend for translations! Gorgeous weather here BTW ....although already minus four at night.


minus 4


where???


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## Pesky Wesky (May 10, 2009)

lynn said:


> I was very interested in my eldest doing the International Baccalaureate at an International school here when we were first looking at schools in the area. To me, the fact that the curriculum remained very broad and the students were required to continue with both the science and humanities, as well as physical education and some community work was very appealing. I know some schools in the UK are now doing the IB and it is very well regarded by Universities. As it worked out, the school we chose didn't run it, so he is doing A levels. I can see the advantage of that too though - he is most definitely better engaged with the subjects he is studying than he had been and is doing very well... So, I wouldn't say either route was 'best'. Bottom line with post compulsory study is that the student is there by choice and therefore has a personal responsibility to succeed. If they are slow to realise this, they will undoubtedly run into trouble.


No, neither would I!
It wasn't until my daughter started on her course that I realised it was so different from the UK way. As you say, both systems have got their pros and cons. Cons for the Spanish educational system include, as Steve has said, the workload. That's not to say you don't have to work in the English system, but in the Spanish system you're still struggling with _*subjects *_you didn't actually choose to do, but that are in the _*area *_that you chose. Plus there are mandatory subjects that are also subjects that you don't pick yourself like philosophy. However, like you, I quite like the idea that the learning experience is still very varied.


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