Compulsory education begins at the age of six with children attending a local primary school. This lasts for eight years and at fourteen the student receives a school leaving certificate. Those with higher marks are able to enroll into a higher secondary school and less academic students move onto a vocational school.

Compulsory subjects are Spanish language and literature, foreign languages, social sciences and geography, history, maths, aesthetics, physical education, religion or study activities. Optional subjects are on offer, such as Physics and Chemistry, Biology or Geology, Crafts or Music.

School hours vary depending on the area and type of school. One typical schedule would be classes from 9am to 5pm with a two-hour lunch break, another typical schedule would be classes from 9am to 2pm with no lunch break. When there is a lunch break of more than one hour, students usually go home to have lunch with their family.

School activities usually include sports/gymnastics, music, drawing and crafts. They are part of the Spanish educational curriculum and depend on the grade you are placed in. Excursions and sports competitions are also offered as extra curricular activities.

In Spain there are other languages spoken besides Spanish (Catalan, Gallego and Euskera). You will have to adapt to the language spoken in your area of placement.