Getting catch-up help for subject gaps at a Spanish school

Terms used

• Refuerzo — Refuerzo is extra teaching support, often in small groups, to help a pupil catch up.
• Departamento de orientación — The departamento de orientación is the school's guidance team, which assesses pupils and arranges support.
• Aulas de enlace — Aulas de enlace are temporary classes in Madrid for pupils who arrive with serious gaps in Spanish.
• Academias — Academias are private academies that offer extra classes, usually for a monthly fee.

Key rules

• Ask early: Ask for refuerzo at enrolment or through the class tutor; you can request it yourself.
• Regional differences: Programme names, availability and length depend on your region and school.
• Placement: The school or regional body decides your child's class, but you can raise concerns in writing.
• Private tutoring: Costs vary by city, level and format, so compare several quotes and ask about extra charges.

What the school can offer

Schools offer reinforcement (refuerzo) for newly arrived pupils, and you can ask for it. You do not need to wait for the school to suggest it.

Depending on your region and school, support can include:

• An initial assessment of your child's Spanish and school level.
• Extra Spanish lessons in small groups, given inside or outside the normal class.
• Curricular adaptations, which change what or how your child is taught for a time.
• A tutoring plan with a named teacher.
• A special language classroom in some regions.

Regional programmes

Names and rules differ by region. Some examples:

• Madrid: aulas de enlace, temporary classes for pupils with serious gaps in Spanish. They usually last up to about 6 months and run only in designated schools.
• Catalonia: aulas de acogida.
• Valencia: PALI.
• Andalusia: ATAL.

Check which programme exists where you live and how long it lasts with the school or your regional education department.

How to ask

Ask at enrolment what support the school has for pupils with limited Spanish. Later, ask your child's class tutor or the orientation department (departamento de orientación) to arrange reinforcement.

The school, or the regional body that assigns places (Comisión de escolarización), decides which class or programme your child joins. If you disagree with the placement, put your concern to the school in writing.

If it may not be a language gap

Slow progress is not always about Spanish. If the gaps look like a learning difficulty such as dyslexia or ADHD, ask in writing for a psychopedagogical assessment (evaluación psicopedagógica). Start with the class tutor or head of studies, who refer your child to the school's counsellor. In state primary schools this is often an external team, not someone at the school.

If the assessment finds specific support needs, the school writes a report and sets measures. These can be reinforcement, curricular adaptations or specialist teachers. You can also see a private neuropsychologist or a paediatrician, but school support normally relies on the school's own assessment. Private and international schools have their own counsellors and may not follow this route.

Private tutoring outside school

Many families add private tutoring. How much it costs and how much you need both vary.

• Price depends on the city, the level, the subject, and whether lessons are one-to-one or in a small group.
• University students and graduates usually charge less than qualified teachers.
• Academias usually charge a monthly fee for small groups, often based on hours per week.
• Big cities such as Madrid, Barcelona and Marbella tend to cost more than smaller towns.

Get quotes from several local academias and tutors. Ask about extra charges for registration or materials before you sign up.

The checklist and questions below cover the steps in order.

Checklist

• Ask the school at enrolment which support it offers for pupils with limited Spanish, such as an initial assessment or small-group Spanish lessons.

• Find out whether your region has a special language programme, such as aulas de enlace in Madrid, aulas de acogida in Catalonia, PALI in Valencia or ATAL in Andalusia.

• Raise any concern about your child's placement in writing with the school.

• Request a psychopedagogical assessment in writing if the gaps look like a learning difficulty and not a language gap.

• Get quotes from several local academias and private tutors, and compare one-to-one with small-group prices.

Frequently asked questions

How long do temporary language classes for new pupils last?

In Madrid, the temporary classes called aulas de enlace usually last up to about 6 months. They are for pupils with serious Spanish deficits and run in designated schools. Other regions use different programmes, such as ATAL in Andalusia, so ask your school how long the local one runs.

Does private tutoring cost the same everywhere in Spain?

No, private tutoring costs more in big cities such as Madrid, Barcelona and Marbella than in smaller towns. One-to-one lessons with students or graduates cost less than lessons with qualified teachers. Academias usually charge a monthly fee for small groups, sometimes with extra registration or materials charges.

What can I do if my child's gaps look like a learning difficulty and not a language gap?

Ask the class tutor and the head of studies (jefatura de estudios) to refer your child to the school's guidance counsellor for an assessment. You can request this assessment in writing.

Who decides which catch-up class my child is placed in?

The school or the regional authority decides the placement, not the parents. You can still raise concerns in writing. Ask the tutor or the orientation department first.