Infant school education (from zero to six years) is not compulsory and includes two stages: the first from zero to three years old; and the second from three to six years old. The vast majority of children start their schooling in the second cycle (between the age of three and six years), which is free of charge in public schools and government-assisted private schools.
At this stage, the schools must adopt the relevant measures for students with special educational requirements.
Primary education starts on completion of the Infant School Education, and has six academic years (normally between the age of six and twelve years).
Following the amendment of Organic Law 2/2006, of 3 May, on Education (LOE), by Organic Law 8/2013, of 9 December for the Improvement of Educational Quality (LOMCE), on completion of the third year, schools perform an individual assessment of all students to test the level of command of skills, capacities and abilities in oral and written expression and comprehension, calculations and problem-solving in relation to the level of acquisition of competences in linguistic communication and mathematics. If this is found to be lacking, the teaching staff must adopt the most appropriate ordinary and extraordinary measures.
In addition, on completion of the sixth year, an individual assessment is made of all the students to test the level of acquisition of competences in linguistic communication, mathematics, science and technology, and the achievement of the objectives of the stage. This assessment is intended to serve as information and guidance for the schools, teachers, students and their families, and may serve to establish, where necessary, specific plans for improvement in the schools.
In any case, at this stage special emphasis is placed on student diversity, personalised attention, the prevention of learning difficulties and the implementation of reinforcement mechanisms as soon as the difficulties are detected.