Primary education is compulsory and free of charge. Primary education is completed in six academic years, which are generally taken from the age of 6 to the age of 12. Children generally begin primary school in the calendar year in which they turn six.
Primary school is divided into three cycles which take two years each to complete:
- Initial cycle
- Middle cycle
- Superior cycle
List of primary schools
Access
Children begin primary school in the calendar year in which they turn 6 and complete this stage of their education at the age of 12.
Children between the ages of 6 and 12 who have studied in a foreign country will be admitted to primary school and placed in a year in accordance with their circumstances, knowledge, age and academic record, so they can continue to benefit from their education.
Admissions
In accordance with Article 84 of the Education Law on student admissions:
- Admission to public and government-funded private schools is regulated in such a way that all persons are guaranteed the right to education on equal terms and parents and guardians are free to select the school of their choice.
- When there are not sufficient places in publicly-funded schools, students will be granted admission based on the following priority criteria without any being exclusive:
- The student has siblings enrolled in the school or parents or legal guardians working at the school.
- The student's home or the place of work of the parents or legal guardians is in close proximity to the school.
- Annual family income, taking into account calculations for large families.
- The student or one of the parents or siblings has a disability.
- Under no circumstances will there be any form of discrimination by reason of birth, race, sex, religion, opinion or any other personal or social circumstance.
- The rules on student admissions are governed by the Department for Education in each Autonomous Region.
For further information