At What Age Should A Child Start Going To School?
These are moments of anguish and uncertainty, a necessary but difficult step to take. At what age should a child start going to school? The answer is a source of anguish for parents and much more if it is the first child.
The right decisions will guarantee a future in accordance with the capacities of the child and the demands of the process that begins. It should not be forgotten that education and the right to education are constitutional rights of all Spaniards. All parents have, according to our Constitution, the freedom to choose the education they want for their children.
L os parents are responsible for their children’s learning in the early years of life. The home is the safest place when the child begins to develop and master his biological functions; feeding, drinking water, walking and communicating are some of them.
With the beginning of classes and school, the child’s adaptation and learning process begins. For this, you need to feel happy, loved, safe, and stimulated.
When the question arises of at what age a child should start going to school, doubts raise concern. The little one must leave the comfort of home for many more hours. Parents’ work obligations often drive this decision; but you also have to consider the capabilities of the child.
Two years, the ideal age to start school
Between 18 and 24 months the child begins to have autonomy, is familiar with the practice of walking and utters words; he has played with other children and is able to stay away from his mother for some time. The nursery helps them increase that autonomy and prepares them for formal education.
When the child reaches the age to start going to school, another stage of his life begins. It must be incorporated into the school environment, adapting to schedules, friends, teachers, challenges and learning. It is the time for academic training, values, educational and extracurricular activities. Some maturity is required to face the changes.
Voluntary from the age of three, compulsory from the age of six
In Spain, preschool education is divided into two cycles. The first, up to three years, is taught in nursery schools or special nurseries. The second, from three to six years, is free and is considered an integral part of the education system. It is normally taught in primary schools.
The LOGSE (General Organic Law of the Educational System in Spain) divided compulsory education into two different stages: Compulsory Primary Education and Compulsory Secondary Education (the so-called ESO). In practice, these stages usually comprise the period between the student’s 6 and 16 years of age.
What about early childhood education between the ages of three and six ? As we have seen, schooling is not compulsory in this period, although the Education Authorities have to carry out the necessary actions so that there are places for students whose parents request it, and that it is therefore free.
Compulsory Secondary Education
L to Secondary Education (ESO) starts at 12 and finishes at 16. It is divided into two cycles of two years duration each. Upon completion, the student has two options:
- You can continue your Baccalaureate, which is not part of Compulsory Education and extends to 18 years of age. This allows you to prepare for college studies.
- The student can also opt for Vocational Training.
Currently, companies increasingly demand more students with Vocational Training. What sectors are the most employees with Vocational Training looking for? At the top of the ranking of demands, is the industrial sector. Next, there would be the hotel industry, tourism, computing and the construction sector.
Curiously, we observe an increase in demands on students who have completed Vocational Training, especially the higher degrees, and on the other hand, the demand for university graduates is decreasing compared to previous years.
The culmination of this educational process will largely depend on sound decisions about the age at which a child should start school. For this reason, the analysis of each case and the monitoring of the school trajectory by the parents is essential to obtain the desired results.
