Work culture in teaching and language academies

Terms used

• Funcionarios — Funcionarios are permanent civil servants, here public-school teachers who passed the competitive exams.
• Interinos — Interinos are temporary public-school staff who cover posts until permanent teachers fill them.
• Oposiciones — Oposiciones are the competitive public exams used to win a permanent civil service post, including public teaching posts.
• Concertado — A concertado school is privately run but publicly funded.
• Jornada intensiva — The jornada intensiva is a shortened school day, with morning-only hours, used in June and September.
• Puente — A puente is a bridge day off between a public holiday and the weekend.

Key rules

• Language assistants: You support the class teacher and do not run classes alone or grade work.
• Academy pay: Academies often pay only for teaching hours, so ask whether preparation time is paid.
• Job security: Security is highest in public schools and lower in private schools and academies.
• School calendar: Each region sets its own calendar, so check your regional education department's dates.

The routes differ, but the school year sets the pace

Teaching in Spain means one of four routes: a private language academy, a public school, a concertado school, or a language assistant placement. Hours, pay and security differ a lot between them. All of them follow the school year, which runs from September to June.

Private language academies

Academies teach mostly in the afternoons and evenings, with some morning classes. Split shifts and part-time hours are common, because students come after school or work.

• Contracts: Many are part-time or temporary, though many are permanent. The sector has its own collective agreement for private teaching, so ask which one your contract follows.
• Pay: Pay is generally modest and often tied to teaching hours. Preparation time is often unpaid, so ask before you sign.
• Summer: Hours may be reduced in the summer months, so plan your income for those months.

Public schools

Public-school teachers are funcionarios (permanent civil servants) or interinos (temporary staff). Both are hired through oposiciones, competitive exams. Pay scales are set by the regional government.

• Hours: Expect around 25 teaching hours a week in primary and about 18-20 in secondary. Total time at school is 37.5 hours a week, so the rest goes on planning, meetings and marking.
• Stability: This is the most secure route, but you need to pass the exams first.

Concertado schools

Concertado schools are privately run but publicly funded. The school hires you, often at the owner's or religious order's discretion, under the concertado collective agreement. Pay is set by the regional administration. It is usually somewhat below public salaries, and teaching loads are longer.

Private, international and bilingual schools

Private schools hire freely, and pay follows their own agreement or contract, so it varies widely. International and bilingual schools often pay differently. Some hire native English speakers who do not have Spanish teaching credentials.

Job security is lower than in the public sector.

Language assistants

Assistants in the Auxiliares de Conversación programme are native speakers placed in public schools. Regional education departments handle the placement.

• Hours: Usually 12 to 16 hours a week, depending on region. Madrid, for example, is 16. They are spread over 4 days, often Monday to Thursday.
• Role: You support the class teacher with oral practice, culture and pronunciation. You do not run a class alone or grade work.
• Pay: A monthly stipend, typically around €700-1,000 net depending on region and hours. Madrid pays about €1,000.
• Cover and length: The programme arranges a private health insurance policy. The placement runs October to May, with a renewal option.
• Who can apply: You usually need to be a native or near-native speaker with a degree (or in your final year), and not a Spanish national. Non-EU citizens need a student visa.

The school-year rhythm

Each autonomous community sets its own calendar, within a national minimum of 175 teaching days. The dates below are typical.

• Start: Early to mid September, roughly 5-12 September.
• End: About 19-23 June for primary and compulsory secondary (ESO) pupils.
• Christmas: From about 22-23 December to 6-7 January.
• Easter: A week of Semana Santa, with dates that move each year.
• Other days off: National, regional and local holidays. Some regions add short breaks such as Carnival days or a puente (a bridge day between a holiday and a weekend). Many regions have no long autumn or February break.
• Summer: Many primary schools use jornada intensiva in June and September, with morning-only hours. School teachers still work in early July and late August or September on non-teaching tasks. July is often used for planning and evaluation.

Look up the current year's calendar on your regional education department's website. Dates can also differ by province or town.

Timeline and deadlines

• Language assistants begin their placement: October, running to May, usually 8 months

• Classes end for primary and compulsory secondary pupils: About 19-23 June

Frequently asked questions

How many hours a week does a language assistant work?

A language assistant usually works 12 to 16 hours a week, depending on the region. Madrid, for example, uses 16 hours. The hours are spread over 4 days, often Monday to Thursday, so you get a long weekend.

Can a language assistant teach a class alone?

No, a language assistant supports the class teacher and does not run classes alone or grade work. The job is oral practice, culture and pronunciation. The placement runs October to May, usually 8 months, with a renewal option.

Do teachers work during the school holidays?

Teachers in schools often still work in early July and in late August or September, but on non-teaching tasks such as planning and evaluation. The school year runs roughly from early to mid September to about 19-23 June.

Do private language academies pay for preparation time?

Often they do not, because pay usually relates to teaching hours only. Contracts are frequently part-time or temporary, and summer months may have reduced hours. Ask what the contract covers before you accept.