ITALIAN SCHOOL SISTEM
The Italian educational system is strongly Centralized Compulsory education begins at age six and ends at age sixteen, after the Middle School Diploma and the first two year of upper secondary school.
NURSERY SCHOOL The nursery school is the first stage of the education and training system and it is not compulsory. Children who turn three within the 31st of December of the current school year can enrol in the nursery school . Pre-primary education is offered free of charge. Families are asked to pay a sum for transport and canteen services. Families with low incomes are exempted. The amount of hours about a minimum of 25 and a maximum of 50 hours a week. Generally, children are organised in groups according to their age. Groups can be made up of a minimum of 18 and a maximum of 26 children
COMPULSORY EDUCATION PRIMARY SCHOOL and LOWER SECONDARY SCHOOL Education is compulsory from 6 up to 16 years of age . The right/duty to education and training for at least 12 years is fulfilled within the education system or up to the obtainment of a three-year vocational qualification (either at school or in the initial vocational training system) before reaching 18 years of age. Compulsory education covers the first cycle of education (8 years) and the first two years of the second cycle (upper secondary education). The school year comprises at least 200 days between the 1st of September and the 30th of June. Schools open five or six days a week. According to school autonomy, each educational institution is responsible for the organisation of its annual teaching time. At primary level schools can also organize the teaching time on an average of 30 or 40 weekly hours. In the first year of primary schools also a weekly timetable of 24 hours has been introduced. At lower secondary level, the compulsory annual amount of teaching 30 hours a week Pupils are usually grouped according to their age. According to their organisational autonomy, schools can also organize groups with pupils of different ages. Each class is generally made up of maximum 26 and minimum 15 pupils, at primary level, and of maximum 27 and minimum 18 in the first classes at lower secondary level . At primary level teachers are generalist. At lower secondary level, teachers are specialist in one or more subjects.
Schools of the first cycle of education (primary school and lower secondary school) adopt National Curriculum Guidelines Such guidelines define the essential performance levels that should be ensured by each school. The guidelines are nationally determined and adapted to local needs by each school according to school autonomy. Knowledge and skills are indicated for each subject; the school will help pupils to transform them into personal competencies. Specific learning objectives at primary school level have been defined for the following subjects:
Teachers are free to choose textbooks and teaching methods At both educational levels, periodical and annual assessment of pupils’ learning is carried out by teachers by assigning a mark from 0 to 10. Non-admission to the next class is used only 'in exceptional and suitably motivated cases' and the decision is taken unanimously by teachers. On completion of the first cycle of education, students take a state examination. The certificate is required to be admitted to the upper secondary education level.
UPPER SECONDARY LEVEL The upper secondary level of education is called 'second cycle of education' (secondo ciclo di istruzione) and it is made up of the upper secondary school (called scuola secondaria di secondo grado) falling under the responsibility of the State and offered by the licei, the technical institutes and the vocational institutes, and the vocational and training system falling under the responsibility of the Regions and offered by the recognized formative agencies operating nationwide
ITALIAN EDUCATIONAL PATH
University, College 3 years Laurea ( first Level of Degree) + 2 years Laurea Magistrale specific area of Degree
19-23
Secondary school From 14 to 19 First 2 years are compulsory (until 16)
14-19
Primary and lower secondary school From 6 to 13 Compulsory
11-13
6-10 Pre-primary school Nursery school from 3-to 5 Not compulsory 3-5