La Coruña, Galicia
The glass city
La Coruña
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A Coruña vs. La Coruña
Port city of Galicia
246,047 inhabitants
“The Glass City”
What’s there to see?
• Hercules Tower Lighthouse
World Heritage Site
• Maria Pita Square
Heroine who defended against
English Armada in 1589
• The port
“Galerías”
• Maritime Boardwalk
• Riazor and Orzan Beaches
• Deportivo Football Stadium
• San Antón Castle (16th century)
Cuisine
 Marisco - Shellfish
 Caldo Gallego – Galician
stew
 Cocido Gallego – Meat,
Potato, Vegetable Plate
 Calamares - Calamari
 Pulpo - Octopus
 Pimientos de Padrón –
Spicy Peppers
 Empanada – Meat Pastry
 Zamburiñas – Small
scallop
 Pan Gallego – Galician
Bread
 Queso y Membrillo –
Cheese and Quince
Traditions
 Football / Soccer (Forza
Deportivo!)
 “Puentes” – Long weekends /
Bank holidays
 Carnival
 Semana Santa – Easter Week
 Navidad, Fin de Año, Reyes
 San Juan – Summer Solstice
Acento Gallego / Gallego
 ¿Quieres ir a la playa?
 ¿Quieres ir a la playa y hablar de
San Juan?
 ¿Queres ir á praia e falar sobre
San Xoan?
 “Coruño”
A different daily schedule
 8-10: Wake up & go to
work/school
 2-4: Big lunch
 4-6: “Siesta”
 5-8: Return to work
 6: Merienda - Snack
 9-11: Dinner
I wish I had known…
 In Spain, it is considered "morning" until after you have eaten--so depending
on when you have lunch, you can legitimately say "Buenos días" until
around 4 in the afternoon. We know, "afternoon" by our definition is "afternoon," but in Spain the "tarde" is more or less after 5:00 PM. Also, many
stores (even some supermarkets) close during lunch time (around 1:30 PM
to 4:30/5:00 PM).
 When a person says, "Te invito," he/she is offering to pay. Often (if you're
lucky!), a colleague will "invite" you to a café con leche; you are welcome to
return the favor at a later date.
 Milk in Spain is UHT (ultra high temperature) pasteurized so that it keeps
longer, and is sold unrefrigerated in boxes. For a Spaniard, being ‘on time’
means being 15 minutes late
 “Pásalo bien” means “Have a good time!”
Coruña en 5 minutes...
Spanish High School
La Coruña, Galicia, Spain
Public vs. semi-private vs. private
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Schools in Spain can be divided
into 3 categories:
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State schools (colegios públicos)
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Privately run schools funded by the
State (colegios concertados)
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67.4%
26.0%
Purely private schools (colegios
privados)
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6.6%
Public vs. semi-private vs. private
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All state education is free in Spain, but
parents have to buy all of their children's
books and materials.
Schools supply a list of what is required at
the start of each school year and which will
include art and craft materials as well as
text and exercise books.
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Average price: 250 pounds per child
In recent years, schools have allowed
students to borrow books and return them
in good condition without having to pay for
the book.
Low income families may or may not be
able to get a grant for these, but this
depends on the laws in place at the time of
making an application. School uniform is
not always a pre-requisite. In general,
uniform is worn in private schools
In La Coruña, there are 33
secondary schools.
Ages and grades
Obligatory secondary
education
(Educación segundaria
obligatoria)
• Primero de la ESO (12-13 years
old)
• Segundo de la ESO (13-14 years
old)
• Tercero de la ESO (14-15 years
old)
• Cuarto de la ESO (15-16 years
old)
Post-16 stage of education –
Baccalaureate
(Bachillerato)
• Primero Bachillerato (16-17
years old)
• Segundo Bachillerato (17-18
years old)
E.S.O
Educación Secundaria Obligatoria – Compulsory Secondary Education
 This secondary stage of
education is compulsory and free.
 4 courses divided into 2 cycles of
2 years each. The first cycle is for
pupils from 12 to 14 years and the
second from 14 to 16 years.
 There are approximately 30
students to a classroom in
Spanish Schools. On successfully
completing this education stage,
pupils are awarded the Certificate
of Secondary Education Graduate
giving access to Bachillerato and
medium-grade training cycles in
Spanish schools.
 The Curriculum: General Academic
 Compulsory subjects include natural
and social sciences, history and
geography, physical education, plastic
and visual arts, Spanish and an
autonomous community language (if
applicable), a foreign language,
literature, mathematics, music and
technology.
 In the second year of the second cycle,
pupils choose two of the following four
options: natural and social sciences,
music, technology, and plastic and
visual arts. The Catholic religion is an
optional subject for all four years; nonCatholics may choose study periods
instead. A second foreign language can
be chosen during the second cycle.
What do you study in Bachillerato?
• There are two parts, a core curriculum with the
compulsory subjects, and a specialist part with a few preselected branches to choose from. The core curriculum is
as follows:
• Spanish Language and Literature: 1st and 2nd year
• Co-official language (in case of Catalan, Basque and Galician):
1st and 2nd years
• First foreign language (English, French, German or Italian;
mostly English): 1st and 2nd years
• Philosophy: 1st and 2nd years
• Physical Education: Only 1st year
• Spanish History: Only 2nd year
• Science to the contemporary world: Only 1st year
• Optional subject (2nd foreign language,
psychology, information technology...): 1st and 2nd year
• Catholic Religion/All World Religions Studies: Only 1st year
What do you study in Bachillerato?
At the end of ESO, each student choose a specialty, science or humanities. The
specialty part has up to four subjects (depending on the branch taken).
Arts:
-Volume (sculpture) (optional
on the 2nd year)
-Artistic drawing
-Technical drawing (optional on
the 2nd year)
-Audiovisual
communication.(first year)
-History of art (second year)
-Design (second year and
optional)
-Plastic Graphic Expression
Techniques (second year and
optional)
-Information and
communication technologies.
(Optional)
Nature and Health
Sciences:
-Biology
-Chemistry
-Physics or Earth
Sciences
-Mathematics
Social Sciences:
-Applied Maths,
-Economics,
-Geography,
-History of the
Contemporany World
(only 1st year)
Sciences & Engineering:
-Physics,
-Maths,
-Chemistry,
-Technical Drawing
-Industrial Technology
Humanities:
-Latin,
-Greek,
-History of Art/World
Literature
-History of the
Contemporany World
(only 1st year)
British and Irish qualification
equivalents
• The Spanish School Leaving Certificate (ESO) is equivalent to a number of
GCSEs, Junior Cert(in Ireland) or Standard Grades(in Scotland).
• The Bachillerato is equivalent to A-levels, Leaving Certificate(in Ireland). and
Scottish Highers.
INSTEAD OF BACHILLERATO…
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Vocational training is also a common possibility after ESO or after the Spanish
Baccalaureate. There are two different types of programs: Middle Grade Training
Cycles (Ciclos Formativos de Grado Medio), which have the ESO diploma as a
requirement, and Superior-level Training Cycles (Ciclos Formativos de grado
Superior), which have the Spanish Baccalaureate as the principal requirement.
After completion of the Superior-level Training Cycle, students are entitled to
direct entrance to several related University degrees.
How do you get to school?
Public schools
• In general, students
who go to public
school attend that
which is closest to their
house. There is no
organized, paid
transportation to and
from school.
Private & semi-Private schools
• Yearly fees include a bus to and
from school
School year calendar
• The school year in Spain begins in mid-September and ends in mid-June
• Students have Christmas, New Years, and 3 Kings Day break for 2-3 weeks from late December
to January 6-8.
• Students have a one week holiday in April for Easter
• There are also many long weekends relating mainly to religious holidays and regional and
national holidays.
Class Schedule
There are two types of school timetable, depending on the local Education Authority's policy:
Option 1. This used to be the norm; school started at 9am then a split day allowing for a minimum
of a two hour lunch break. Then back to school until 5pm. This is still used by most primary
schools. Primary schools also have a reduced timetable during the months of July to September.
Option 2. Now adopted by the majority of secondary schools - commence school at 9am, a short
break in the middle of the day and finish at 2pm. Your teenager is then free for the rest of the day.
Classroom set up
• Teachers move from room to
room.
• Depending on the school,
students either stay in one
classroom or one hallway for
most subjects or, like teachers,
move around the school.
• Students are split into
different groups within a grade
(A-D). Each subgroup has a
‘tutor,’ a teacher who is their
mentor and leader.
Lockers
At some schools students do not store their bags in lockers, but instead carry them from class to
class.
Extracurricular activities!
• Many schools have theater
groups that practice and
perform throughout the
year
• Christmas production, 3
King’s Day parade, end of
the year play
Theater!
Extracurricular activities
• Students have the
opportunity to learn how
to play instruments and
perform in concerts
through the school
Music!
Extracurricular activities
 Students can use their
creative energy in arts
and crafts.
 Activities include
painting, drawing,
sculpting, etc.
Arts & Crafts
Extracurricular activities
• Schools offer many
sports programs like:
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Football
Rollerhockey
Track & Field
Basketball
Judo
Volleyball
Rhythmic Gymnastics
Ballet
Sports!
Extracurricular activities
 Through this activity,
students become familiar
with photography
techniques, video and
audiovisual montages
using computer.
Audiovisual & Technology
Extracurricular activities
• Many schools organize hiking
trips during school vacations
and/or on the weekends
• Some high schools in Coruña,
like Las Esclavas, organize
walking the famous “Camino
de Santiago” pilgrimage in
different parts during 5
consecutive weekends.
 Outdoor Adventures!
Extracurricular Activities
 Many schools, like Santa
María del Mar, organize
trips to places around the
city, like the theater.
 Recently they organized
for students to see the
production Cats in the
city’s theater.
Cultural excursions
Community involvement
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APA
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Parent’s Association
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AAA
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Alumni Association
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With private or semiprivate schools there is
also always a strong
connection with a
Catholic or Jesuit
Church or Association
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Example: At Santa María
Del Mar - Fonseca Center,
Ignaciana Network
So, Why should you study in Spain?
 Unique cultural experience
 Opportunity to improve
Spanish speaking ability
 Placements in excellent,
academically-focused
schools
 Courses can be convalidated
 Students can participate in
sports, academic activities,
and extracurriculars as in
the United States