Schools in Spain: Does size really matter?

Does it really matter how big your child’s school is and how many students are in each class? In short, yes, size does matter when it comes to schools. Class sizes make a huge difference to children academically and emotionally, and it also has a huge impact on teachers.

Lots of children in one space can be chaotic enough, but trying to get them to engage and learn – particularly as we all have different learning styles – is extremely difficult for teachers of large classes. However, it’s not always possible to choose where your child goes to school and they may have to attend larger classes than you would prefer.

This is most important in the early years of school, when young children are learning the foundations of reading, writing and more. They will need more attention and help during this time. The ideal class size for early schoolers is between 14 and 20 students, while older kids can fare fine in slightly larger classes.

It’s worth noting that private schools in Spain do tend to have significantly smaller class sizes than public schools and offer a wider choice of subjects. If your child is attending a large school with lots of pupils, there are some things you can do to make sure your child gets the attention they deserve and to make the most of their learning.

Be sure to communicate any big life changes, issues or concerns with your child’s teacher so that they are aware of any behavioural or learning issues and the reasons behind this. You can also ask the teacher for any advice on how you can help the learning process. If you suspect your child is struggling in a large school or class, utilise outside resources like after-school tutoring or guidance counselling.

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