Moving from the US, UK or IB system into Spanish secondary school

Terms used

• Lengua castellana y Literatura — Lengua castellana y Literatura is the school subject on Spanish language, grammar and literature.
• Evaluación inicial — The evaluación inicial is a first assessment a school runs to see a pupil's level.
• Programación — The programación is a school's syllabus plan for a subject and year.
• Aulas de acogida — Aulas de acogida are reception classes in Catalonia that help newly arrived pupils learn the language.
• ESO — ESO is Spain's compulsory secondary school, four years from age 12 to 16.

Key rules

• Placement: Your child is placed by birth year and regional rules, so they may be a year apart from their old class.
• Biggest gaps: Expect gaps in Spanish language and literature, the regional language and history and geography; maths is usually less of a problem.
• Regional language: In regions with a co-official language, newcomers generally must study it, with temporary support or adapted assessment.
• Exemptions: Exemption rules differ by region and change often, so ask the regional education department.

What to expect

Expect gaps in three places: Lengua, the co-official regional language, and social sciences. You should also expect your child to be placed by birth year, which can differ from their old school year. Maths is usually the smallest gap, although terminology, notation and method style differ.

How years map to ESO

Spain groups children by calendar birth year. England and Wales cut off on 1 September, and US states commonly cut off between July and October. So your child can be up to eight months older or younger than their Spanish classmates. They may end up one year apart from their home-country year.

A typical match looks like this:

• UK Year 7 is roughly 6º Primaria or 1º ESO, depending on birth month.
• UK Year 9 is about 3º ESO or 2º ESO.
• US Grade 7 is about 1º ESO, and Grade 9 about 3º ESO.
• IB MYP 1 is about 1º ESO.
• IB Diploma years (DP1 and DP2) correspond to 1º and 2º Bachillerato.

The school decides the actual placement from birth year and regional rules, not from the home year.

Where the gaps are

Lengua castellana y Literatura. This is usually the biggest gap. It covers grammar analysis, the history of literature and formal writing. These are taught in a way that English-language schools rarely match, even for children who speak Spanish well.

The regional language. In Catalonia, Valencia, the Balearic Islands, the Basque Country, the Basque-speaking zone of Navarre and Galicia, the co-official language is a compulsory subject. In many schools it is also a language of instruction. In Madrid, Andalusia and other Spanish-only regions this does not apply.

Newcomers generally must study it, but regions give temporary support or adaptation. Catalonia offers aulas de acogida and immersion, with no general exemption, though assessment can be adapted. Galicia and the Balearics allow temporary exemption from assessment in the first years for pupils arriving from outside the region. Valencia has also allowed exemption or reduced assessment for new arrivals. These rules change often, so ask the regional education department what applies now.

Geografía e Historia. The content is heavily Spanish and European, so it is new to most children from abroad.

Other possible gaps are Biología y Geología, Física y Química terminology and Tecnología.

Telling real gaps from language trouble

A child who struggles to understand Spanish can look as if they lack knowledge. Separate the two. In the first weeks:

• Ask the school for an evaluación inicial and for teacher feedback.
• Compare the school's programación and textbooks with your child's earlier work.
• Try past exam papers or workbooks.
• Have a tutor or academy run a diagnostic test.

If your child does well in maths and science once the words are explained, the problem is language, not knowledge. Extra Spanish will help more than extra content lessons.

The FAQ below answers common questions about year placement and the regional language.

Frequently asked questions

Can my child be a year apart from their old class in Spain?

Yes, your child can end up one year apart from their home-country year, because England and Wales cut off at 1 September while Spain uses the calendar year of birth. A child can be up to eight months older or younger than their Spanish classmates. The school places them by birth year, not by the year they were in before.

Which year of ESO matches US Grade 7 or IB MYP 1?

US Grade 7 and IB MYP 1 both fit roughly with 1º ESO, and US Grade 9 fits about 3º ESO. UK Year 7 is about 6º Primaria or 1º ESO, depending on birth month. IB Diploma years 1 and 2 match 1º and 2º Bachillerato.

Does my child have to study Catalan, Valencian, Basque or Galician?

Yes, in regions with a co-official language it is a compulsory subject, though newcomers usually get temporary support. Catalonia offers welcome classrooms (aulas de acogida) and immersion with no general exemption.

How can I tell if a gap is real or just a language problem?

Ask the school for an initial assessment (evaluación inicial) and teacher feedback in the first weeks. Try past exam papers or a tutor's diagnostic test to separate comprehension from knowledge. Maths is usually the smallest gap, while Lengua and Geografía e Historia are the most common.