SPANISH EDUCATIONAL SYSTEM
Sonsoles Salazar
The Spanish Education System provides the following teachings:
Pre-Primary Education is up to 6 years old. Although it is not a compulsory education stage, the second cycle is free in any publicly-funded school (public schools and publicly-funded private schools). Public schools providing it are called Pre-Primary Schools and those, also offering Primary Education are called Pre-Primary and Primary Schools.
Basic Education is compulsory and free in publicly-funded schools. It lasts ten years of schooling and it is divided into two stages:
· Primary Education, provided in Primary Education schools. It covers six academic years, usually studied between 6 and 12 years old.
· Lower Compulsory Secondary Education (ESO), studied in Secondary schools, between 12 and 16 years old. At the end of this stage, students receive the first official certificate, the Lower Compulsory Secondary Education Certificate, which allows them to access Upper Secondary Education or world of work.
Upper Secondary Education is also provided in Secondary schools. It lasts two academic years, usually studied between 16 and 18. It offers two possibilities: Baccalaureate(mainstream branch) and Intermediate Vocational Training (professional branch). This last one is also provided in Vocational Training integrated institutions and in National reference institutions.
Higher Education includes university and professional studies. University studies, provided in universities, lead to the obtaining of Bachelor, Master and Doctorate Degrees. Advanced Vocational Training is provided in the same schools than in those providing Intermediate Vocational Training.
Adult Education and Training covers different teachings provided by the Education and Labour Authorities, studied in studies from different nature. On-site teachings leading to the obtaining of official degrees of the Education System are provided in ordinary schools or specific schools for adults. Adult Education and Training is aimed at people over 18 and, as an exception, to workers over 16 who cannot attend school in ordinary regime, or at high performance athletes.
Apart from these studies, the Spanish Education System offers Specialised Education:
· Language Education, provided at Official Language Schools. Only students over 16 can take these studies.
· Artistic Education, including Elementary Music and Dance Education, Professional Artistic Education and Advanced Artistic Education. These studies are provided in different specific schools, according to every kind and level of education.
· Sports Education, organised in Intermediate and Advanced Vocational Training cycles and provided in the same institutions than those providing Vocational Training.
Regarding the administration and management of the Spanish Education System, it is necessary to highlight the meaningful decentralisation, that shares the competences between the State General Authority (Ministry of Education, Culture and Sport) and the Autonomous Communities (Regional Ministries or Departments of Education). The State Education Authority executes the general guidelines of the Government on education policy and regulates the basic elements or aspects of the system. The Autonomous Education Authorities develop the State regulations and have executive and administrative competences for managing the Education System in their own territory. In addition, the schools have pedagogical, organisational and managerial autonomy for their resources. This autonomy is accompanied by the participation of the education community in the schools organisation, government, running and evaluation.
MANAGEMENT TEAMS IN PUBLIC SCHOOLS
1. The management team in Spain is integrated by the Principal, the headmaster and secretary.
2. The management team will work coordinated and under the instructions of the principal and taking into account the present Educational law.
3. The principal is the one in charge of nominate the rest of the team. He has to inform to the School board and then send the proposal to the Administration.
2. The management team will work coordinated and under the instructions of the principal and taking into account the present Educational law.
3. The principal is the one in charge of nominate the rest of the team. He has to inform to the School board and then send the proposal to the Administration.
MANAGEMENT ROLES
A leader in a public school has to:
a) represent the School institution, the Educational Administration and to circulate the entire education community needs, approaches and aspirations.
b) manage, coordinate and supervise the activities of the school.
c) exercise Pedagogic management, promoting educational innovations and improvements in the quality of education.
d) monitor and to ensure the implementation of the educational Law.
e) exercise the management of the school staff
f) foster a paceful coexistence in the school, to ensure the resolution of conflicts and to imposse discipinary measures.
g) foster cooperation with the families, with other institutions and administrations in orther to facilitate the relationships with the school and its enviroment and to create a school climate that involves parents and make the study easier.
h) work closely with external asociations in outside tests and the evaluation of the teachers.
i) convoke and preside over the schools meetings, the academics acts and all meetings of the school site Concil.
j) to carry out the contracting of services or to authorize expenditures acording to budget.
k) To propose the nomination of the management team to the Educational Administration.
l) Exercise any other powers mandated by the Educational administration.
STRUCTURE OF THE SPANISH EDUCATION SYSTEM 2012/13