School hours: continuous (jornada continua) or split (jornada partida) day

Terms used

• Jornada continua — Jornada continua is a school day with all lessons in one morning block, usually about 9:00 to 14:00, without afternoon classes.
• Jornada partida — Jornada partida is a split school day with morning and afternoon lessons and a long lunch break in between.
• Comedor — The comedor is the school canteen, where children eat lunch, usually for a fee.
• Concertada — A concertada school is a privately run school that receives public funding.
• Consejo escolar — The consejo escolar is a public school's council of teachers, parents, staff and local authority, which votes on major school decisions.
• Recreo — The recreo is the daily break between lessons, about 30 minutes in secondary.

Key rules

• Check your school: Hours differ by region, stage and school type, so get the exact times from your child's school.
• Continuous day: On jornada continua there are no afternoon lessons, so plan lunch and afternoon care.
• Secondary: Secondary is typically morning-only, though some schools run split days.
• Private schools: Private and concertada schools set their own timetable and often keep longer split days.

Which school day will your child have?

School hours depend on your region, your child's stage and the type of school. Jornada continua is widespread in primary in many regions, while secondary is typically morning-based. Always verify the hours with your own school before you plan work or childcare.

The two patterns

Jornada continua puts lessons in one block, usually about 9:00 to 14:00, with a short break and no afternoon classes. Lunch happens outside lesson time, at home or in the comedor (school canteen).

Jornada partida has lessons in the morning and the afternoon, with a lunch break of about two hours in between. The day usually finishes around 16:00 to 17:00.

Hours by stage

• Infantil (ages 3 to 6): usually the same as primary in the same school. Roughly 9:00 to 14:00 on a continuous day, or about 9:00 to 12:30 and 15:00 to 16:30 on a split day.
• Primary: on a continuous day, about 9:00 to 14:00. Some regions start at 8:30 or finish at 13:30 or 14:30. On a split day, about 9:00 to 12:30 or 13:00, then about 15:00 to 16:30 or 17:00. In some regions June and September have a shortened day.
• Secondary (ESO and bachillerato): usually mornings only, about 8:00 or 8:30 to 14:30 or 15:00. There are six periods of 50 to 60 minutes and a recreo (break) of about 30 minutes. Some schools, especially in Catalonia, the Basque Country and private ones, run split days with afternoon classes.

How it varies by region

In Andalucía, Madrid, Castilla y León, Galicia, Murcia, the Valencian Community, the Canary Islands, Cantabria and Asturias, jornada continua is widespread or the usual choice in primary. Catalonia and the Basque Country have traditionally used split days, with continuous days mostly in summer, though some schools now allow them.

Private and concertada schools

Private and concertada (publicly subsidised private) schools follow the regional curriculum but often set their own timetable. Many keep jornada partida, with days running until 16:30 or 17:00. Ask for their timetable rather than assuming the local public school's hours.

Who decides, and can it change?

The regional education department sets the calendar, minimum teaching hours and timetable rules. In a public school, the consejo escolar (school council of teachers, parents, staff and the local authority) votes on a change such as moving to jornada continua, often after a consultation of families. The regional department then approves it. The majority needed varies by region. Private and concertada schools decide through their owners or governing body.

Fitting it around work

A continuous day ends early, so you will need a plan for the afternoon. Many schools offer early-morning care, the comedor and after-school activities, usually for a fee. Ask what they cost and which hours they cover. The checklist below lists what to ask, and the decision below helps you compare the two patterns.

Choosing between options

Which school day will your child's school follow?

• Jornada continua (continuous day): Fits most public primary schools in regions such as Andalucía, Madrid, Castilla y León, Galicia, Murcia, the Valencian Community, the Canary Islands, Cantabria and Asturias. Lessons run in one morning block, usually about 9:00 to 14:00, with no afternoon classes.

• Jornada partida (split day): Fits schools in regions with a split-day tradition, such as Catalonia and the Basque Country, and many private and concertada schools.

You usually do not choose: the region, the stage and the school type decide it. Public schools can switch to a continuous day through a regional procedure, typically a proposal followed by a vote of families, often a teacher vote, and approval by the regional education authority. Confirm your own school's hours before planning your work schedule.

Rules on adopting jornada continua differ by region, so check the current procedure with your regional education authority or the school.

Checklist

• Ask the school whether it runs jornada continua (one block of lessons, usually about 9:00 to 14:00) or jornada partida (morning and afternoon lessons with a lunch break of about two hours).

• Check your region's usual pattern for your child's stage, because hours depend on region, stage and school type.

• Ask for the exact start and finish times for your child's year group, including any short break.

• If the school is private or concertada (publicly subsidised private), ask for its own timetable, as many keep a split day finishing around 16:30 or 17:00.

• Ask what happens after lessons end on a continuous day: lunch in the comedor (school canteen), after-school care and activities, and what each costs.

• Ask whether early-morning care is offered if you need to start work before school opens, and what it costs.

• For a secondary school, confirm the morning timetable, which is typically morning-based, and whether any afternoon sessions apply.

Quick answers about Spanish school days and holidays

Why does my child get extra days off around holidays (puentes)?

Extra days off usually come from days of free disposition (días de libre disposición), which the regional calendar lets schools set. Many regions allow 2 to 3 a year, and the school council (consejo escolar) often places them next to holidays to make long weekends (puentes). In some regions the regional government sets these days for all schools.

What time do primary classes start and finish?

On jornada continua, primary classes usually run from about 9:00 to 14:00. On jornada partida, they run from about 9:00 to 12:30 or 13:00, then about 15:00 to 16:30 or 17:00.

How long is the midday break on jornada continua?

On jornada continua there is no long midday break, only a recreo (playground break) of about 30 minutes in the morning. Children who stay for lunch use the comedor (school canteen), usually from about 14:00 to 15:30, for a daily fee. On jornada partida, the midday break is about two hours.

Do regions start the school year on the same date?

No, each region sets its own dates. Infantil and primary classes typically begin between about 1 and 12 September and end around 18 to 23 June. The Basque Country tends to start earliest, while Andalucía, Catalonia, the Canary Islands and the Balearics start around 8 to 12 September.

Is homework expected in primary school?

Yes, homework (deberes) is common in Spanish primary school and generally grows with the year level, but no national rule fixes how much. Each school and teacher decides within the school's own approach. Some regions and schools have reduced it, especially in the early years, so ask the tutor about their policy.