Year placement and catching upArticle 1 of 6 · 4 min read
Which school year will my child be placed in?
Explains how Spain decides which school year a newly arrived child joins: by calendar year of birth, with one exception for serious lag. For parents who want to predict the year before they talk to a school.
Terms used
- ESO — ESO is compulsory secondary school, four years, from about age 12 to 16.
- Primaria — Primaria is primary school, six years, from about age 6 to 12.
- Bachillerato — Bachillerato is the two-year, non-compulsory upper secondary stage that prepares for university or advanced vocational training.
- Infantil — Infantil is pre-school for ages 0 to 5. The second cycle, from age 3, is free in public schools but not compulsory.
Key rules
- Placement by age: Spain places children by calendar year of birth, so in 2026-27 children born in 2014 join 1º ESO and those born in 2015 join 6º Primaria.
- Serious lag: A child with a serious curricular lag of more than two years may be placed one year below their age group.
- Who decides: The school decides the year after an initial assessment.
- Regions: Details differ by region, so check your region's education department.
The short answer
Your child will normally join the year that matches their calendar year of birth. Spain does not use an autumn cut-off. Everyone born between 1 January and 31 December of the same year goes into the same year group.
Year by birth year in 2026-27
- Born in 2015: 6º Primaria.
- Born in 2014: 1º ESO.
- Born in 2020: 1º Primaria. Each earlier birth year is one year lower in Primaria: 2019 is 2º, 2018 is 3º, 2017 is 4º, 2016 is 5º.
- Born in 2013, 2012 and 2011: 2º, 3º and 4º ESO.
- Born in 2010 and 2009: 1º and 2º Bachillerato.
- Born in 2023, 2022 and 2021: the three years of the second cycle of Infantil (ages 3, 4 and 5).
Children born in 2024 or 2025 may attend first-cycle Infantil (ages 0-2). It is not compulsory.
When a child can be placed lower
If your child has a serious curricular lag of more than two years, the school may place them one year below their age group. They move up to their age group once they have caught up. This is an option for the school, not a right, and it is for pupils who join from abroad in compulsory education.
Placing a child above their age group is not normally allowed. Moving ahead exists only for high-ability pupils, through a separate procedure.
Who decides
The school decides. Usually the head of studies or the director decides, advised by the school's guidance team. The regional education authority handles admission and the allocation of places.
Expect an initial assessment. It usually covers the level of Spanish (or the regional co-official language) and maths, and sometimes English. The school will also look at your child's previous school records and talk with you. Bring school reports from your previous country.
A child who speaks little Spanish is still placed by age. Schools offer language support alongside ordinary classes. Some regions run special reception classrooms for this.
How regions differ
Education is run by each autonomous community, so the details differ. Each region sets its own rules on admission, language support, immersion in co-official languages and how placement is decided. The birth-year rule is the same everywhere. How a lag is measured, and who formally signs off the year, can vary.
Ceuta and Melilla follow the Ministry of Education.
To find your region's rules, search the website of its education department for "alumnado extranjero", "incorporación tardía" or "escolarización". You can also ask the school or the regional education inspectorate.
The questions below cover other common worries.
Frequently asked questions
Who decides which year my child is placed in?
The school decides, usually the head of studies (jefatura de estudios) or the director, advised by its guidance department. The regional education authority handles admission and the place itself. Expect an assessment of Spanish (or the regional language) and maths, sometimes English, plus a look at past school records and a talk with you.
Do the placement rules differ between regions?
Yes, each autonomous community sets its own details on welcome classes, language support and placement, so what you can predict depends on where you live. Examples are aulas de enlace in Madrid, aulas ALISO in Valencia and aulas de acogida in Catalonia.
Can my child be placed above their age group?
No, placing a child above their age group is not normally allowed for pupils arriving from abroad. Moving ahead exists only for high-ability pupils, through a separate procedure. Ask the school's guidance department if you think your child is well ahead.
What if my child speaks little Spanish when they arrive?
Your child still joins the year for their age, with extra language support alongside ordinary classes. Many regions run special programmes for this, such as welcome or language-immersion classes. Ask the school which one your region offers.
More in Year placement and catching up
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