Don’t get me wrong, this isn’t going to be a comprehensive guide to schools in Portugal. More of a ‘how we see it’ post.
Schooling in Portugal starts at around 6 (it can vary) and is split into 3 main cycles (ciclos) although, usually, only 2 different schools (much like Primary and Secondary school in the UK)
1st cycle is years 1-4. This is taught in EB1 schools (Escola Basica 1 ciclo) which are sometimes merged with a pre-school. The ages taught here are usually between 6 and 9(ish). They are the equivalent of UK Primary schools where core subjects of Maths, Language and a ‘general studies’ type subject (Estudo do Meio) are taught and extra curricular subjects, such as PE, music, English etc are optional.
2nd cycle is years 5 and 6.
3rd cycle is years 7-9. These 2nd and 3rd cycles are taught in EB2,3 schools which are the equivalent of a UK Secondary school except that students here start at around age 9/10. An EB2,3 school will usually have a cluster of EB1 schools linked to it from which younger students move up.
The EB2,3 schools teach a subject timetable where each subject is taught separately. PE, Music and at least one second language are built-in to the timetable and are compulsory subjects. Religious Education is optional at all stages and, as students pass through stages 2 and 3, extra subjects appear and some split further (such as technology subjects and sciences)
The main difference really (apart from everybody speaking Portuguese, of course LOL) is that students move from “primary” to “secondary” education format MUCH earlier than in the UK. Also, students don’t study for qualifications in individual subjects, they gain one overall qualification.
One other VERY big difference between the UK and Portugese school system is that, in Portugal, it is totally normal for a child to fail a year. It happens a lot. It’s completely accepted. There’s no stigma and, in fact, I see it as a good thing.
Not only does it create diversity within the classroom, as ages in classes can vary as much as 3+ years, but also it works to ensure that children gain knowledge before moving on rather than just spewing out failing students.
Take Jake’s class, for example. He started in year 6, having moved from year 5 in the UK although, had he started school at normal Portuguese age, he would have been entering year 5 at aged 10. So he was the youngest in his class at just 10 years old. The oldest student in his class was 14! This is normal and it’s a great thing.
Schools here are mortified when they hear UK class sizes also! A ‘big’ class here is 24 students! Jake’s class has (I think, it keeps changing) 21 at present and is about average. Mind you, there are 7 such classes in Jake’s year alone! I guess they aren’t short of teachers in Portugal. It must be a total nightmare arranging timetables. Up to 7 classes per year, 5 school years. That’s 35 non-clashing timetables to work around over 1000 pupils! It’s clear to see why they have such erratic schedules. Jake, for instance, starts at 8.30 each morning. On a Tuesday and Thursday, he finishes at 1.30pm. On a Monday, he finishes at 4.45! Sensibly, the old years (8 and 9) start their lessons usually around 10am, catering for teenaged bodyclocks! It’s inspired!
Eliot’s school, on the other hand, couldn’t be more different. Where there are 21 students in Jake’s class (and 7 of those classes in his year 6), Eliot’s entire SCHOOL has just 22 1st cycle students! That’s the entire 1st cycle, years 1 to 4!
They are all taught in one classroom, by a fabulous teacher who can only be described as a miracle worker. How she juggles 4 years worth of curriculum in one classroom, I’ve no idea but it’s done Eliot the world of good because it means she can place him whereever his abilities best suit. He is in year 2 (we asked for him to be held back into year 2, having moved from year 2 in the UK) but he does year 1 language and year 2 maths. It works for him and he is thriving. Had he ended up at a bigger EB1 school, he would not have done so well as he has, of that I am certain. It may have had the ‘perk’ of having an additional ‘foreign’ student, mind you. Where he is, there are no others, which certainly makes life difficult at times.
Eliot is doing well though so I’m hopeful that there will come a time when both boys are at the same school. It’s possible and very likely as there should be at least 1 overlap year (unless E gets held back and J doesn’t ever) before Jake moves on to Portuguese Secondary School which is years 10-12, the equivalent of the A level years (except 3, not 2, years)
That’ll be a whole other post!
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Hi,
Being a “reverse” of your situation (i.e. Portuguese living in the UK), I thought I would correct a couple of simple errors in this post and expand a bit on the subject of the Portuguese school system:
Some small corrections: it’s ciclos, not cyclos (“y” is not a natural letter in modern portuguese, same as “k” and “w” – they are only used on foreign words) and it’s Estudo do Meio (Study of the Environment) and not Estudo de Meia (which would be Study of the Sock/Stocking).
Now on to the Portuguese System:
The portuguese system is divided into 3 levels, but not as you described.
The first level (4 years), known as EB1 (Ensino Básico 1 or Basic Education 1), correspond to the old Primary School (Escola Primária). You described it perfectly well, with it having a single teacher for each class. On “normal” sized schools, each teacher will teach a single year (1 to 4), but when the number of pupils is small, they amalgamate years as they did in your son’s case.
The second level is actually an “hybrid” level as it comprises two “sub-levels” of education, hence the plus in EB2+3. The “2” corresponds to years 5 and 6 and the “3” to years from 7 to 9. Until very recently (last year?) it was the last mandatory school education in Portugal and it can be (very) roughly compared to GSCE’s in Britain.
They have a different teacher per subject and the first (altough mostly non-relevant) curriculum choices are made, namely in the “primary” foreign language (you get 5 years total on the “primary” language and 3 years in the “secondary” language which you start on year 7), basic vocational education and some optional subjects in the last year (year 9).
Secondary Education in Portugal corresponds to years 10-12 and is similar to 6th form in the UK, despite having far more subjects in years 10 and 11. A study path must be chosen (scients, art, economics, sport, etc.) and has a significant impact if you intend to go to Uni. At the end of year 12 you have the equivalente to A-levels and although you can choose to take a test in ANY subject, even if you didn’t attend (say you chose “Arts” and decided to do the “A-level” in Maths, you can, although you did not have Maths for 3 years), it can be quite hard as you will lack the background knowledge.
You can also decide, in alternative, to follow a vocational path and go to a professional school. You get the same 12th year diploma, but you also get a professional EU recognized qualification (e.g. electrician, builder, etc). Since the course is more practical and has less scientific depth, applying to Unversity can be harder as you might not have studied required subjects (same problem as choosing the “wrong” study path).
Hi
Many thanks for your comment.
I have corrected the typos (ciclo and estudo do meio. Not sure where my head was at when I typed those. Sock study does not sound interesting LOL)
Thank you also for the clarification of the education system. I think I knew most of that already although I perhaps didn’t explain it very well.
I particularly didn’t know much about the post year 9, secondary education system and I’m sure this information will be helpful and informative for others who come across this article as well as being useful information for us.
Thanks again
hi
we are thinking of moving out guia area ? any ideas of good state schools and i am worried about my 3 girls aged 4. 6 and 10 getting on with new language,and work prospects after school.just wondered what your boys will do
regards neil
Hi Neil
Thanks for your comment.
I’m afraid I don’t know anything about schools in any area other than our own,
Language issues are tackled often in the blog and, as for “after school” prospects, I’m no more concerned about that right now than I would be in the UK.
It’s at least 6+ years off. A lot can happen in that time.
One thing I do know is that they will both leave school bi-lingual and, whether they decide to continue education or work in Portugal or leave to go elsewhere, that is one thing that will definitely be a bonus.
Hi Tracey, thanks for your lovely blog. It has been very helpful. Although I am Portuguese, I have been living in London for the last 16 years. My wife is Japanese and she has been here for the last 22 years. We have a son who is 5 turning 6 in January. We are now relocating to Tavira in the end of July. My wife will be a teacher at the local international school and I will be relocating my design consultancy there, http://www.miguelcunhadesign.com . Your blog has been an inspiration for us and it really help us to focus. Thank you, Miguel