Quick answer: how does the Spanish school system compare with the UK? Spain groups children by calendar year of birth, England by a 1 September to 31 August year. Compulsory schooling in Spain runs from 6 to 16, and 1º de Primaria matches Year 2. In Madrid, Hastings School says it uses about 20% of its British curriculum to teach Spanish subjects.
Last reviewed: November 2026 by Emma from ISA. Fee ranges are indicative; always confirm with the school.
Key takeaways
- Basic education in Spain is compulsory and free for ten years, normally between the ages of 6 and 16 (Organic Law of Education, article 4, as amended by the LOMLOE in 2020).
- Children join 1º de Primaria in the calendar year in which they turn six (Royal Decree 157/2022, article 5), while English Reception starts in the September after a child's fourth birthday (gov.uk).
- The National Association of British Schools in Spain (NABSS) matches Year 2 with 1º de Primaria, Year 8 with 1º de ESO and Year 12 with 1º de Bachillerato.
- Pupils from foreign systems need no convalidation to join any year of Primaria or ESO, according to the Ministry of Education, which issued 3,082 favourable decisions on UK qualifications and studies in 2024.
A family relocating from London to Madrid usually asks one question first: which year will my child go into? Comparing the Spanish school system vs UK schooling is less about content than about dates. Spain sorts pupils by the calendar year in which they were born, England by a school year that starts on 1 September, so children with autumn birthdays can find themselves a year ahead of where they expected.
This guide sets out the Spanish stages under the current law, the ages that matter in each country, a year-by-year table and what changes for a child who arrives mid-stage, whether you choose a Spanish school, a bilingual state school or a British school in Madrid.
How is the Spanish school system organised?
Spain's system runs in four stages, set out in the Organic Law of Education of 2006 as amended by the LOMLOE (Organic Law 3/2020):
- Educación Infantil (0 to 6): voluntary, in two cycles, the first up to age three and the second from three to six.
- Educación Primaria (6 to 12): six school years, 1º to 6º.
- Educación Secundaria Obligatoria, ESO (12 to 16): four years, ending with the Graduado en ESO certificate.
- Bachillerato (16 to 18): two years, open to holders of the Graduado en ESO, and the usual route to university. Formación Profesional (vocational training) runs alongside at basic, intermediate and higher levels.
Primaria, ESO and basic vocational training together form "educación básica", which the law makes compulsory and free. Pupils may stay in ordinary basic education until 18 if they need longer to finish it.
What age do children start and finish school in Spain and the UK?
School becomes compulsory at six in Spain and at five in England, although both countries offer earlier, voluntary years. In Spain the rule is the calendar year: a child born at any point in 2020 started 1º de Primaria in September 2026, and the voluntary Infantil years before it are counted the same way.
In England, gov.uk says most children start Reception full-time in the September after their fourth birthday, and compulsory school age arrives on 31 December, 31 March or 31 August following the fifth birthday, whichever comes first. A pupil can leave school on the last Friday in June if they will be 16 by the end of the summer holidays, but must then stay in education, training or an apprenticeship until 18. In Spain, compulsory schooling ends at 16.
Spanish school years compared to English year groups
The table follows the NABSS equivalence table, which matches year groups by age. The age shown is the one the child reaches during the calendar year in which the course starts.
| English year | Spanish course | Age reached | Spanish stage |
|---|---|---|---|
| Nursery | 1º Infantil | 3 | Infantil, 2nd cycle |
| Reception | 2º Infantil | 4 | Infantil, 2nd cycle |
| Year 1 | 3º Infantil | 5 | Infantil, 2nd cycle |
| Year 2 | 1º Primaria | 6 | Primaria |
| Years 3 to 6 | 2º to 5º Primaria | 7 to 10 | Primaria |
| Year 7 | 6º Primaria | 11 | Primaria |
| Year 8 | 1º ESO | 12 | ESO |
| Year 9 | 2º ESO | 13 | ESO |
| Year 10 | 3º ESO | 14 | ESO |
| Year 11 | 4º ESO | 15 | ESO |
| Year 12 | 1º Bachillerato | 16 | Bachillerato |
| Year 13 | 2º Bachillerato | 17 | Bachillerato |
Source: NABSS school equivalency table, which warns that equivalences can vary slightly by region and individual circumstances. The practical effect falls on September to December birthdays. A child born on 15 October 2020 belongs to the English cohort born between 1 September 2020 and 31 August 2021, so would be in Year 1 in England in 2026-27; in Spain the same child is in 1º de Primaria, the NABSS match for Year 2.
How do British schools in Madrid fit the two systems together?
They teach the English National Curriculum but must also meet Spanish requirements, and each school decides how it places new pupils, so ask before you apply. Three Madrid examples show how this works in practice.
Hastings School
Hastings says it adapts the British curriculum to include the minimum requirements of the Spanish national curriculum, so that pupils' studies can be validated by the Ministry of Education, and uses roughly 20% of its curriculum for Spanish: language, literature, history and geography for native speakers, and Spanish as an additional language for others. Pupils from Year 1 to Year 13 (ages 5 to 17) sit an assessment and interview, while Nursery and Reception children need no English.
Thames British School
Thames takes pupils from 1 to 18 and accepts applications throughout the year. Its admissions steps follow the English stages: reports and an interview for Years 2 to 6, an online assessment from Year 7, Mathematics and English exams for IGCSE entry in Years 10 and 11, and subject tests for Cambridge International AS and A Levels in Years 12 and 13.
The English Montessori School
The English Montessori School groups pupils as Infants (3 to 6), Juniors (7 to 10) and Seniors (11 to 15), then offers three pre-university routes from 16 to 18: A Levels, the IB Diploma Programme or the Spanish Bachillerato. For families unsure whether they will stay in Spain, that choice at 16 is where the two systems meet.
Exam names differ too: at Thames British School, Years 10 and 11 work towards IGCSEs rather than GCSEs, a difference explained in our guide to IGCSE vs GCSE grades and choices.
What happens if your child arrives in the middle of a stage?
For Primaria and ESO, very little paperwork. The Ministry of Education states that pupils from foreign education systems do not need to convalidate their studies to join any year of Primaria or ESO; the receiving school places them. The step that needs paperwork comes later: entry to Bachillerato requires the Graduado en ESO, so a pupil who has finished Year 11 abroad and wants to join 1º de Bachillerato needs their studies homologated. While the request is processed, a stamped "volante de inscripción condicional" allows conditional enrolment for six months, according to guidance published by Spain's embassies.
The choice of school also matters mid-stage. A Year 9 pupil moving into a British school normally carries on in the same year group; the same pupil moving into a Spanish school joins 2º de ESO in Spanish, a much bigger change of language and content. Our guide to international school admission requirements in Spain covers documents, tests and homologation in more detail.
Does Madrid's bilingual programme change the picture?
It changes the language, not the system. The Comunidad de Madrid's bilingual programme, which began in 2004-05 and was present in more than 600 public schools and institutes by June 2025, teaches at least 30% of the weekly timetable in English. Pupils still follow the Spanish courses and take Spanish qualifications. In 2025-26, eight further public primary schools joined the strand run with the British Council.
For state and concertado places, the 2026-27 application round in Madrid ran from 11 to 25 March 2026, with final lists on 27 May and enrolment from 11 to 25 June for Infantil and Primaria. Families who arrive later should ask the regional education authority about remaining vacancies.
Spanish school system vs UK: a checklist for parents
- Work out the Spanish course from the birth year: 1º de Primaria is the year the child turns six.
- Ask each British school which cut-off it applies and where it would place an autumn-born child.
- Keep every school report, with apostilles where possible, in case you later need homologation.
- Decide the route at 16 early: A Levels, the IB Diploma or Bachillerato lead to different university entry steps.
Compare British and international schools in Madrid
To see which schools teach each curriculum and at what cost, start with our list of the best international schools in Madrid.
More guides to schools in Madrid
- Best international schools in Madrid
- International school fees in Madrid
- Bilingual schools in Madrid
- International school admissions in Madrid
- How to choose an international school in Madrid
- best international schools in Madrid
Frequently asked questions
What year group is 1º de Primaria in the UK system?
1º de Primaria corresponds to Year 2, according to the National Association of British Schools in Spain. Spanish children start it in the calendar year in which they turn six, under Royal Decree 157/2022. A child born between September and December can therefore sit one year higher in Spain than in an English school, so confirm placement with the school.
At what age is school compulsory in Spain?
Basic education in Spain is compulsory and free for ten years, normally between 6 and 16, under article 4 of the Organic Law of Education. Infantil, from birth to six, is voluntary. Pupils may stay in ordinary basic education until 18 if they need more time to finish it, and Bachillerato then covers ages 16 to 18.
Does my child need homologation to join a school in Spain?
Not for Primaria or ESO. The Ministry of Education says pupils from foreign systems need no convalidation to join any year of those stages. Homologation matters for entry to Bachillerato, which requires the Graduado en ESO, and a stamped conditional enrolment voucher lets a pupil enrol for six months while the request is decided.