Josephine Quintero reports

The academic year runs from the first week in September to the end of June, although there may be a slight variance, depending on area. The main holidays are at Christmas, Easter and the long summer break. School hours vary depending on the school and are usually from 0900 to 1600 with an hour's break for lunch. However, an increasing number of schools don't have a lunch break and finish classes for the day at 1.30 pm or 2.00 pm. Lessons are generally divided into teaching periods of 45 minutes. Some schools provide school lunches at a minimal cost, although many children bring a packed lunch or go home if they live nearby. Most schools provide a subsidised bus service to take children to and from their homes in outlying regions and state schools generally provide an after school nursery (guarderķa) for working mothers.

Spanish school children have long school holidays compared with many other countries. The length of the terms are fixed and generally the same, although local fiestas and ferķas always mean an extra day off or two.

Schools are also closed on public holidays when they fall within term time. Pupils transferring from primary to secondary school are given an additional two weeks summer holiday, which usually includes an 'end of school' trip with their fellow pupils which can be anywhere in Europe, depending on money raised and what is considered affordable for the parents. School holiday dates are published by schools and local communities well in advance, thus allowing parents plenty of time to schedule family holidays during the school holidays.