Inclusion  and  education  in    
European  countries  
 
INTMEAS  Report  for  contract  –2007-­‐2094/001  TRA-­‐TRSPO  

Interim  Report  on  Spain  

Mariano  Fernández  Enguita  

David  Doncel  Abad  

http://  casus.usal.es    
University  of  Salamanca

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 INDEX

0. Introduction................................................................................................................... 4

1. Framework.................................................................................................................... 4

2. Structures and inclusive function.................................................................................. 8

3. Early School Leavers / Dropouts from school.............................................................. 9

3.1. Schools and level ................................................................................................. 10

3.2. Special groups at risk ........................................................................................... 11

3.3. Measures .............................................................................................................. 12

3.3.1. Measures at school........................................................................................ 13

3.3.2. Measures targeting the home ........................................................................ 13

3.3.3. Occupational training and job seeking ......................................................... 13

3.3.4. Measurements for favouring coordination.................................................... 13

3.4. Interim conclusions, research conclusions........................................................... 14

4. Priority education for disadvantaged pupils ............................................................... 15

4.1. Types of disadvantaged pupils............................................................................. 15

4.2. The aims of priority education: success, segregation and discrimination............ 15

4.3. Priority measures for better individual achievement ........................................... 17

4.4. Priority measures for less segregation, discrimination ........................................ 18

4.5. Interim conclusion, research conclusion.............................................................. 19

5. Inclusive Education .................................................................................................... 20

5.1. The policy objective: Keeping challenging pupils on board................................ 20

5.2. Inclusive measures ............................................................................................... 20

5.3. Interim conclusion: research conclusions ............................................................ 22

6. Safe Education ............................................................................................................ 22

6.1. The first ideal: the school as a safe haven............................................................ 22

6.2. The second ideal: schools without bullied and harassed pupils........................... 22

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 6.3. Safety measures.................................................................................................... 23

6.4. Measures to protect pupils at risk from bullying and harassment........................ 25

6.5. Interim conclusion, research conclusions ............................................................ 26

7. Teacher support .......................................................................................................... 27

7.1. The ideal: being a good teacher for children at risk............................................. 27

7.2. Teacher support measures.................................................................................... 27

7.3. Cross-referenced measures .................................................................................. 29

7.4. Interim conclusion, research conclusion.............................................................. 30

 
 

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0.  Introduction  
This report presents a current review of the policies rolled out by the various education
authorities and an analysis of their general characteristics, as regards those deemed to be
of greatest interest. Overall, a review has been made of a broad array of actions
published over the period 2000-2008 that include, or whose general purpose is to
provide, assistance to schools and teachers for fostering inclusion in the education
system. Although the sample is not intended to be exhaustive, it is undoubtedly
representative of the actions undertaken by the education authorities within this sphere.

1.  Framework  
This section lays out the set of principles and objectives articulated in a manner that
favours inclusion in Spanish society in general and in the education system in particular.
The aim is to describe the framework from the general to the particular, that is, by
showing how the fabric of the education system is woven according to the values of
integration from the source of a legislative nature that sets forth the general principles
through to the specification tailored to suit each individual. This provides a
comprehensible perspective of the education system that can be used to verify the work
undertaken by the authorities as they seek to build a better education system.

An initial stage describes the basic pillars that uphold the principles of inclusion
contained in the 3rd National Action Plan for Social Inclusion in the Kingdom of Spain
(III Plan Nacional de Acción para la inclusión social del Reino de España) 2005-2006
and in Organic Law 2/2006, of 3 May, on Education (LOE).

a) 3rd National Action Plan for Social Inclusion in the Kingdom of Spain 2005-
2006
The 3rd National Action Plan for Social Inclusion in the Kingdom of Spain 2005-2006
has been drawn up within the framework of European strategy on social inclusion,
based on the successive agreements adopted at the summits held in Lisbon, Nice,
Barcelona and Copenhagen. The objective consists in updating and covering the period
2005-2006, in accordance with the plan to work towards a rationalised process of
coordination in the area of social protection and inclusion policies, as laid down in the
latest guidelines approved by the Social Protection Committee, thereby regularising the
pace of work with the countries that have recently joined the European Union.

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Regarding education, the main objective set forth has been to provide quality education
for everyone, with effective equal opportunities and adapted to their needs, in
partnership with all the players and institutions that make up the education community
and, in general, society as a whole.

b) Organic Law 2/2006, of 3 May, on Education (LOE)

Fostering inclusion in schools prevails as one of the pillars upholding Organic Law
2/2006, of 3 May, on Education, approved by the Spanish Ministry of Education, Social
Policy and Sport. In its Preamble, the LOE understands education to be the way of
fostering democratic coexistence and respect for individual differences, promoting
solidarity and avoiding discrimination. The core objective is to achieve good social
cohesion and guarantee the exercise of democratic, responsible, free and active
citizenship, as aspects that are deemed essential to the formation of advanced, dynamic
and fair societies.

In turn, the Preliminary Title consists of four chapters, although this report will focus
solely on the first and fourth.

Chapter I, dedicated to the Principles and Aims of Education, presents the core aspects
around which the education system as a whole should be orchestrated. It presents two
basic principles. The main one is to provide quality education for all children regardless
of their conditions or circumstances. The other one is equity, thereby guaranteeing
equal opportunities, classroom inclusion and non-discrimination, moreover acting as a
factor for compensating personal, cultural, economic and social inequalities, paying
special attention to those forthcoming through disability. Concerning the Aims of
Education, a learning framework is established centred on the equal treatment and non-
discrimination of people for reasons of sex, disability, etc. Likewise, it champions the
exercise of tolerance and freedom within the democratic principles of coexistence, the
prevention of conflicts and their peaceful resolution. In addition, it stresses the
importance of instructing children in citizenship and their involvement in economic,
social and cultural life with an informed and responsible attitude.

Chapter IV, dedicated to the cooperation between education authorities, contains the
basic elements that govern the coordination between the various agencies. Thus, these
may agree upon the establishment of common objectives and criteria for improving the
quality of the education system and guarantee equity. It is specified that the education

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authorities and local corporations are to coordinate their actions, each one within the
sphere of its powers, in pursuit of the greater effectiveness of the resources earmarked
for education and contribute to the aims laid down in this Law.

Title I of the LOE establishes the organisation of the teaching system, its stages and the
objectives pursued for each one of them. Nevertheless, the section dedicated to
Structures and inclusive functions analyses the organisation of the education system in
greater detail.

With a view to guaranteeing equity, Title II addresses the suitable response education
should provide for all pupils based on the principle of inclusion, on the understanding
that only in this way is development ensured for everyone, favouring equality and
contributing to greater social cohesion. Respect for diversity is understood to be a need
that encompasses all stages of schooling and each and every pupil. In other words, it
considers the diversity of pupils as a principle and not as a measure that corresponds to
the needs of just a few.

The work to be performed by teaching staff in pursuit of quality education is developed

in Title III of the Law. It pays priority attention to their initial and lifelong training.
Accordingly, one of the duties befalling teachers involves their contribution to ensure
that activities at school are undertaken in a climate of respect, tolerance, participation
and freedom in order to instil in the pupils the values of democratic citizenship.

Title IV governs the basic principles that inform the legal status, ownership, curricula
and accessibility of each school. Especially, as regards the curricula of the school
network, a highlight is the general principle that stipulates that the education authorities
are to programme the courses that are specified as free of charge by the LOE taking into
account the existing offer of schools and, as a guarantee of the quality of education, a
suitable and balanced schooling of children with a special need for teaching support.
Furthermore, note is made of the need to ensure suitable accessibility to schools as a
basic guarantee of equal treatment for all pupils.

The LOE understands participation to be a key value for forming citizens who are
independent, free, responsible and engaged, and therefore urges the authorities to
guarantee the involvement of the education community in the organisation, governance,
operation and assessment of schools, as laid down in Title V.

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Title VI, dedicated to the assessment of the education system, considers this to be a
key factor for improving the quality and equity of education and for increasing the
transparency of the education system. The importance given to assessment is stressed
in the treatment of the different spheres in which it is to be applied, which encompass
the pupils’ learning processes, the work of teaching staff, education processes, the
management role, the operation of schools, inspection and the education authorities
themselves.

c) The Framework of the Autonomous Communities

Due to the peculiarity of Spain's education system, in which powers are shared out
amongst the various authorities (state, regional and local), there is a need to distinguish
between who is involved, and how, in the drafting and development of education
policies and, in this case, those designed to uphold equality within schools. Education is
not the exclusive domain of any one authority, but rather this responsibility is shared,
with each one being vested with certain specific powers according to the criteria laid
down by law. Regarding the body of powers in education set out in the Spanish
Constitution, some are exclusive to each authority, whilst others are shared. For
example, the Ministry of Education is solely responsible for regulating the basic
conditions that guarantee the equality of all Spanish citizens in exercising the right to
education1, whereas the Autonomous Communities have sole control over the
management of grants and study aid. In the specific case of fostering equality, the
Autonomous Communities do not have the powers to amend the general rule developed
by the State on this matter. This circumstance means that the scenario of education
policies developed by the Autonomous Communities provides an array of actions with
uniform profiles (CIDE 2008, Bonal 2005), and that the Ministry of Education is one of
the necessary referents for understanding how inequality is being combated through
Spanish schools. Nonetheless, and bearing in mind this conditioning factor, the
education authorities within the sphere of the Autonomous Communities, each one
within its own jurisdiction, have drawn up a series of actions, some in cooperation with
the ministry and others on an individual basis, which feature the main measures adopted
for fostering inclusion in education.

In short, the authorities have created a general education framework that is committed to
flexibility as a quality that ensures pupils overall are provided with better options in
                                                                                                                     
1
Article 149.1.1 Spanish Constitution, 1978.

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schooling and pursuing their school lives, as well as empowering teaching staff to act to
address the challenges posed by today’s education scenario.

2.  Structures  and  inclusive  function  

Schooling in the Spanish education system is governed by the principles of
normalisation and inclusion. The aim of both criteria is to guarantee non-discrimination
and the effective equality of access to and permanence in schools of those children with
special education needs, those who belong to ethnic minorities or whose personal
circumstances place them in those groups of pupils who require greater attention.

The general objectives set out for the collective of pupils who need to receive special
support at school are those laid down in the LOE on a general basis for all children.
However, specific lines are set out for each level and stage of schooling that are adapted
to the pupils’ different age requirements, which translate into a distribution of principles
focused on fostering inclusion that are suited to each level or stage.

In Infant Education, teaching is based on the principle of pupil diversity. Consequently,

teaching is adapted to the individual traits, needs, interests and cognitive style of the
children, given the importance at these ages of the pace and process of personal
development.

The emphasis in Primary Education is on addressing pupil diversity and preventing

learning difficulties, acting as soon as these are detected. Teaching at this level should
be based on the principle of pupil diversity, understanding that this is the way to
guarantee development across the board at the same time as providing individual
attention according to each one’s needs.

Compulsory Secondary Education combines the principle of a standard education with

respect for pupil diversity, thereby enabling schools to adopt the organisational and
curricular measures that are more in tune with the children’s characteristics, in a flexible
manner and using their teaching independence. This stage considers, amongst other
things, the following goals: exercising tolerance, cooperation and solidarity between
people and groups; preparing to become a respectful citizen; appreciating and respecting
the differences between sexes, and equal rights and opportunities; rejecting stereotypes
that lead to discrimination between men and women, violence, prejudices of all kinds
and resolving conflicts peacefully.

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The purpose of the latter stages of Secondary Education is to help pupils develop the
skills that will enable them to become respectful citizens, from a global perspective, and
acquire a responsible civic awareness, inspired by the precepts of the Spanish
Constitution and human rights. The aim pursued at this level is to foster shared
responsibility in the building of a fair and equitable society, at the same time as each
individual's maturity is consolidated on a personal and social basis. It is understood that
the combination and consolidation of these values in individuals should allow them to
act in a responsible and self-reliant manner, develop a questioning mind, pre-empt and
peacefully resolve personal, family and social conflicts, as well as analyse and critically
assess existing inequalities and seek true equality and the non-discrimination of disabled
people.

Concerning Occupational Training, in order to successfully achieve its goal of

“preparing students for the qualified undertaking of the various professions, access to
employment and active involvement in social, cultural and economic life”, the target
pursued is “to instruct in the prevention of conflicts and in the peaceful resolution of the
same in order to gain access to training that will lead to all nature of professional
options and the exercise of the same”.

In short, it is clear that each stage is informed by the principles and general objectives
that are understood to lie at the heart of an inclusive education system. Their obvious
expression is the establishment of common goals by levels and stages for all kinds of
pupils. Nevertheless, this generalisation does mean that certain collectives may require
specific measures for guaranteeing them the highest possible levels of equality.

3.  Early  School  Leavers  /  Dropouts  from  school  

One of the issues that most urgently need to be remedied in Spain is the number of early
school leavers and truancy. This country currently has one of the highest rates of school
dropouts in Europe. For example, 31% of young people finish their compulsory
education without the most elementary qualification of Educación Secundaria
Obligatoria2. In view of the seriousness of the matter, there is a series of education
policies aimed at resolving this shortcoming.

                                                                                                                     
2
Aunión, J, (2008), “Educación multiplica las vías para repescar a los jóvenes sin la ESO, El País,
Madrid.

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The Ministry of Education, Social Policy and Sport, in cooperation with the
Autonomous Communities, has rolled out the Programa para la disminución del
abandono temprano de la escolarización (2008-2009)3. This programme is designed to
support those specific actions whose purpose is to reduce the impact of those factors
that lead to early departure from the education system. There are others, such as the
Programas de Cualificación Profesional Inicial (2008-2009)4, designed to provide
students with basic level 1 training for the job market, as contained in the National
Register of Qualifications (Catalogo Nacional de Cualificaciones). The central
government’s expectations for the 2008-2009 academic year are that these schemes will
be attended by 48,500 students.  

Applied exclusively within the sphere of the Autonomous Communities, an analysis is

made of the Plan Integral para la Prevención, Seguimiento y Control del Absentismo
Escolar (2003)5, drafted by the Department of Education of the Autonomous
Community of Andalusia. The aim pursued is to eradicate all forms of absenteeism
from schools. Then there is the Programa para la prevención y control del Absentismo
escolar (2005-2007)6 of the Community of Castilla y León, whose purpose is to bring
truant pupils back into normal schooling.

3.1. Schools and level

Understanding the importance of these policies and the trends involved requires making
the necessary distinction between compulsory and voluntary stages of schooling. The
former caters for children aged 6 to 12, including Primary Education, Compulsory
Secondary Education and the First Level of Training Cycles. Voluntary schooling
applies to those aged 16 to 18, and comprises the final years of Secondary Education
and the Training Cycles in Higher Secondary Education.

By observing table 1 and considering the actions overall, two aspects stand out. The
first and most significant is that these encompass all stages of pre-university education,
from Infant Education through to Higher Secondary. The second is that the stage that
focuses most of the measures is Compulsory Secondary Education.

                                                                                                                     
3
Programme for reducing the number of early school leavers
4
Occupational Training Starter Programmes
5
Comprehensive Plan for the Prevention, Monitoring and Control of School Truancy
6
Programme for the Prevention and Control of School Truancy

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When the actions are classified according to the goal pursued, there is significant
variation in the profile of the education level targeted. As is only to be expected, those
policies designed to monitor schooling and class attendance are focused on Basic or
Compulsory Education, which consists of Primary and Compulsory Secondary
Education, as shown by the programmes in Andalusia and Castilla y León. In turn, the
policies7 designed to eradicate early school leaving concentrate on all stages of
Secondary Education, including Compulsory and Higher Secondary.

CHARTER 2 EDUCATIVE POLICIES AGAINST ABSENTEEISM, DROP OUT FRON SCHOL, EARLY SCHOOL
LEAVINGT and EDUCATIVE LEVEL

Source: own elaboration

3.2. Special groups at risk

With a view to guaranteeing equity, Title II of the LOE addresses those groups of pupils
who need to receive special teaching as they have some form of specific educational
requirement, and it details the resources required for undertaking this task in order to
achieve their full inclusion and integration. It specifically refers to those pupils who
require special support and specific attention due to their social circumstances, physical,
mental or sensorial disability or who have serious behavioural disorders. Yet the reality
of education indicates that alongside these there is another kind of pupil, generally from
social groups in a disadvantaged socio-economic position or with specific personal and
family issues, who attend school on an irregular basis, which frequently leads to
situations of truancy or early departure from the education system before having
acquired the necessary schooling for accessing the job market. A link has also been
found between age (pre-adolescence) and the child's lack of motivation as factors to be
considered when analysing this phenomenon.

                                                                                                                     
7
Programa para la disminución del abandono temprano de la escolarización (2008-2009) – Programme
for reducing early school leaving

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All the factors related to truancy and are contemplated throughout the selected actions.
In overall terms, two tendencies are apparent according to whether one or other
objective is pursued by the action. On the one hand, when the aim is to reduce truancy,
the following groups are involved: the gypsy population, as they are the largest ethnic
minority in Spanish schools; the migrant population, who numbered 609,6118 in the
2006-2007 school year, and those in disadvantaged social and economic circumstances
who encounter difficulties in guaranteeing their children’s schooling. On the other hand,
when the established goal is to reduce early school leaving, the range of groups is
greater and the measures target almost all the pupils. By focusing on strictly educational
criteria, these specific actions extend the target population to almost any pupil with
educational disadvantages regarding learning difficulties in basic instrumental areas,
lack of study habits, etc. independently of their sociological profile.

CHARTER 3 EDUCATIVE POLICIES AGAINST ABSENTEEISM, DROP OUT FRON SCHOL, EARLY SCHOOL
LEAVINGT and GROUPS AT RISK

Socio Academic Family Individual

POLÍTICAS Objective Roma Immigrants
economic Failure circumstances circumstances
Program  for  reducing  early   Early  School  
X
school  leaving.   leaving  
Program  for  the  
prevention,  follow  up  and  
Absenteeism   X X X X
Control  of  School  
Absenteeism.  
Program  for  the  prevention  
and  Control  of  School   Absenteeism   X X X X X
Absenteeism.  
Programs  of  Initial   Early  School  
X
Professional  Qualification.   leaving  

Source: own elaboration

 
3.3. Measures
The measures contained in the actions are grouped into four areas: school, home, job
market and coordination. Obviously, different measures are specified for each area
depending upon the particular sphere to which they are being applied. There follows an
overall analysis of those selected, thereby providing a global view of the tools designed
with a greater level of detail for eradicating these problems from the education system.

                                                                                                                     
8
Estadísticas de la Educación en España (Statistics on Education in Spain). 2006-2007. Advance data,
MEPSYD (Ministry of Education).

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3.3.1.  Measures  at  school    
Schools articulate their sphere of action by adapting the teaching process to the needs
and interests of those children who are at risk of, or already involved in, truancy. To do
so, they introduce specific measures such as the preparation or adaptation of curricular
materials, software applications, books or teaching resources that involve the pupils in
the education process or improve the system for controlling class attendance. A
highlight amongst all these measures, given its innovative nature, is the opening up of
the system to those students aged between 16 and 24 who have not successfully
completed Compulsory Education and who wish to return to their studies.

3.3.2.  Measures  targeting  the  home    

These measures have the same common denominator, which involves convincing those
families whose living conditions, lifestyles and culture are the cause of the children's
truancy to become involved and agree to ensure that their children attend their necessary
schooling on a regular basis. An important aspect along these lines is that household
benefits are not limited to schooling, as welfare instruments are also introduced in
cooperation with child welfare authorities, the education services and even the local
police whenever circumstances so require.

3.3.3.  Occupational  training  and  job  seeking  

The actions included in this sphere focus on preparing young people for accessing the
job market. These range from training schemes tailored to suit the students’ needs and
interests with a view to facilitating their integration in society and employment, such as
Professional Induction Programmes, Training Workshops, Linked Work and Training
Centres and Occupational Training Courses. There are even measures that provide a
new learning opportunity for those who already have a job and wish to improve their
training and can reconcile it with their working life.

3.3.4.  Measurements  for  favouring  coordination  

These measures seek to foster the greater engagement of management teams, guidance
teams and departments and the inspection service through the organisation of seminars
and meetings, the drafting of provincial programmes and training courses adapted to
combat truancy and early school leaving. They also seek to introduce mechanisms of
institutional coordination between the different administrative levels. For example, a
common measure involves the local and provincial committees that accept the

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responsibility and commitment to control and prevent truancy by deploying human
resources, material means and premises for ensuring the success of the measures.

CHARTER 4 EDUCATIVE POLICIES AGAINST ABSENTEEISM, DROP OUT FRON SCHOL, EARLY SCHOOL
LEAVINGT and MEASURES

Source: own elaboration

3.4. Interim conclusions, research conclusions
The actions designed to correct the Spanish education system’s poor results in truancy
and early school leaving focus on two aspects. On the one hand, on specific
programmes for preventing the departure of those pupils at greatest risk of failure
(migrants, the gypsy population or people living in especially disadvantaged areas) and
on the specific training of teachers for the early diagnosis and care of individuals at risk.
On the other hand, they seek to cater for those young people aged between 16 and 24
who did not successfully complete their Compulsory Education and seek another chance
to obtain a professional qualification that will enable them to access more qualified
employment, as well as pass Compulsory Education by studying a voluntary module.

It is interesting to see how the measures are being extended to include the voluntary
stages in the education system, with the clear intention of keeping pupils at school,
prolonging their schooling in response to the new criteria defining successful schooling
in EU countries.

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4.  Priority  education  for  disadvantaged  pupils  
The LOE states that it is the responsibility of the public authorities to pave the way for
the incorporation within the education system of pupils from other countries, pupils who
belong to ethnic or cultural minorities, or those who for whatever reason join the
Spanish education system at a later stage. This incorporation is to be guaranteed,
nonetheless, for those of school age. In the case of those pupils who are late joining the
education system, they are to be ensured of proper schooling according to each one’s
personal circumstances. Specifically, the authorities are to introduce the appropriate
channels so that these collectives can enter the school year best suited to their
circumstances and prior knowledge, providing the necessary support and so ensuring
they continue to make the most of their education.

An overview is now presented of the measures established and developed for attending
to the educational needs of those pupils with some form of disadvantage.

4.1. Types of disadvantaged pupils

Title II of the LOE, dedicated to compensating for inequalities in education, in its
Article 80, Section 1 and 2, states that those pupils in situations of disadvantage are
those in the following circumstances: “inequalities forthcoming from social, economic,
cultural, geographic or ethnic factors or of any other kind.” Such is the manner in which
it is embodied in the education policies analysed. Nevertheless, it can be seen how a
new group of disadvantaged pupils is emerging. It does not correspond to classical risk
groups, but rather applies to those children with a deficient academic performance. This
new profile, not considered by the LOE, can be added to the list of risk groups.
Testifying to this tendency are the education policies whose aim is to favour academic
success, especially the PROA9 Plan, which seeks to improve the performance not just of
specific groups but of the overall population as well.

4.2. The aims of priority education: success, segregation and discrimination

In view of the actions undertaken, some at the initiative of the Ministry of Education,
Social Policy and Sport in cooperation with the Autonomous Communities and others at
the decision of each regional authority within its territorial scope, two major lines of
priority work can be singled out that underpin education policy in this decade: academic
success and the fight against discrimination.
                                                                                                                     
9
Programas de Refuerzo, Orientación y Apoyo – Programmes for Reinforcement, Guidance
and Support

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There is no doubt that one of the best indicators of the healthy state of an education
system is the success attained by its pupils. Not only is this because it fulfils one of its
core mandates, namely, to have conveyed knowledge in a suitable manner and thereby
provide greater guarantees of achieving a more prosperous future both individually and
collectively, but also because the children’s overall success helps to reduce social
inequalities. However, it is true that not all the measures share the same criterion of
academic success, which depends on the target collective. In certain cases, success
means schooling groups with backgrounds that bar their normal access to education; in
others, it is achieving a minimum qualification, which the European Commission now
defines as successfully completing Higher Secondary Education, as the necessary
gateway to social inclusion10.

Another priority line in education involves fighting against the discrimination and
segregation of pupils in the education system. Within this sphere, policies transcend the
search for equal opportunities in education to foster the sense of individual or personal
equality, that is, the respect between students regardless of their cultural background,
etc. This line of work has become increasingly important in recent years due to the
increase in the migrant population enrolled in schools and, therefore, the melting-pot of
cultures in classrooms. Consequently, the policies articulated under this objective seek
to favour equal treatment amongst pupils and a mutual awareness based on respect for
all those cultural or personal idiosyncrasies present in Spanish schools.

                                                                                                                     
10
Bonal, X, et. Al (2005), La descentralización educativa en España, Ed. D´esrudis autonomics i locals,
Barcelona, page 19.

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CHARTER 5 OBJETIVES AND MEASURES IN PRIORITY EDUCATION

Source: own elaboration

4.3. Priority measures for better individual achievement
The measures adopted for achieving academic success combine aspects that are
basically of an educational nature with others of a political or social bias.

The measures adopted of an educational nature combine teaching aspects with others
of an organisational nature. For example, those related to the curriculum resort to the
use of rewards together with modifications in content to help students learn.
Especially, changes are made in instrumental subjects that help to improve the basic
skills of those with some difficulty or who are lagging behind, or simply to achieve a
suitable level in them. In the case of those pupils whose language is not the one used
for teaching, other measures are provided to enable them to make swift progress in
learning the language and thereby ensure the basic qualities for successfully addressing
their schooling. Although these measures are based on the notion of fostering equal
opportunities as a necessary condition, they do not forget to encourage measures that
in turn recognise interculturality and respect for diversity in the classroom. A further
aspect of interest is the boost given in Secondary Education to training focused on the
job market through the setting up of Occupational Courses, Training Workshops and
specific workshops, as provided for in the Programas de Cualificación Profesional
Inicial11.

In turn, on a social and political level there are two specific measures, namely,
                                                                                                                     
11
Occupational Induction Training Programmes

17  
 
coordination and cooperation with outside services. One issue that is being particularly
stressed is the achievement of effective coordination between the different institutions.
This involves applying innovative schemes, which tend to include institutional
mechanisms for stimulating involvement or else those between the authorities at
different state and regional levels.

CHARTER 6 MEASURES FOR SCHOOL SUCCESS

Source: own elaboration

4.4. Priority measures for less segregation, discrimination

The measures taken by the education authorities to reduce segregation and
discrimination at school should be understood from the perspective of integrating all
the parts within the same whole. Firstly, there are such highlights as those that seek the
recognition, through respect, of all existing cultures and the introduction of channels
that favour the learning of the language used in the education system as a basic tool for
enabling pupils to communicate on the same level. In this holistic approach, families
are the main focus of the measures, with their involvement in the education process
being encouraged as a crucial way of ensuring their children receive proper schooling
and of achieving the full integration of these groups within the school community.

Elsewhere, one of the focal points attracting the greatest number of measures is the
establishment of support channels between experts and services from outside the
schools and the schools themselves whereby they can jointly address this challenge on

18  
 
a collective basis. The creation of new models of mediation, classroom monitoring and
support with the backing of social services, or the creation of socio-educational areas
outside the school is just some of the measures proposed accordingly.

Institutional cooperation is also sought as a key element in the fight against

discrimination. It is required at all administrative levels – state, regional and local —
and between both education authorities and those of another nature, basically those
related to social matters and employment. The aim is to join forces and achieve the full
cooperation of the institutions within a school’s immediate environment.

Finally, in addition to this block of measures, there are also a number of other
schemes: adapting legislation for the schooling of ethnic and cultural minorities and
those at socio-educational disadvantage, the preparation and diffusion of teaching
materials and support for teacher training.

CHARTER 7 MEASURES AGAINST SEGREGATION & DISCRIMINATION

Source: own elaboration

4.5. Interim conclusion, research conclusion
All-in-all, the analysis of this section throws up two main ideas or changes. On the one
hand, a new group of disadvantaged pupils is formed by those with an inadequate
academic performance, a profile that is not provided for in the LOE, adding to the
number of risk groups. Proof of this are the education policies whose purpose is to
encourage academic success, which focus on improving the performance of children
across the board.

19  
 
On the other hand, in terms of reducing discrimination and segregation, one of the
characteristics is intensifying the coordination and cooperation between all the
education authorities and social services. It is understood as being a priority objective
not only for education, but also for society as a whole. Furthermore, the engagement of
parents and mutual cultural respect are consolidated as priority measures.

5.  Inclusive  Education  
5.1. The policy objective: Keeping challenging pupils on board
The LOE stipulates that pupils with specific needs in schooling are those children who
need to be taught in a different way to the main body, as they have special learning
difficulties, either because they are gifted or because they have been late joining the
education system. The goals for these collectives are the same as those set out on a
general basis for all the other pupils. Consequently, the purposes of the different stages
in education are the benchmark for individual syllabuses or the curricular adaptations
for such collectives.

Nonetheless, this does not stop the education authorities from also developing specific
programmes during the schooling of children and within mainstream groups, in
accordance with the level and evolution of their learning process. Their aim is to tailor
the education process to the personal circumstances of these children and insofar as
possible provide them with a normal school experience.

5.2. Inclusive measures

The decision to take some form of action regarding children with special needs is
reached on the basis of a prior diagnosis and is the responsibility of the services
deployed by each Autonomous Community. This means that the measures designed to
foster inclusion at school vary from one region to another.

Firstly, they include curricular adaptations or modifications. There are two types of
adaptations. On the hand, for accessing the curriculum through the creation and edition
of contextualised teaching materials suited to the reality of these disadvantaged groups.
On the other, curricular adaptations that seek to adjust the knowledge content in the
curriculum to the needs of each collective.

Secondly, a highlight for gifted children is the possibility of adjusting the levels and
stages in the education system, although it should be noted that such a measure has to be

20  
 
authorised by the school inspectors in each Autonomous Community, following the
procedure that each one has laid down and in all cases after the corresponding
psychological assessment of the child.

Thirdly, a large number of Autonomous Communities provide help services through

interdisciplinary teams in Educational and Psychopedagogical Guidance and from
Guidance Departments12, to facilitate the diagnosis of special needs children. As
supplementary measures, the education authorities provide schools with specialist staff
(teachers skilled in Therapeutic Pedagogy and in other necessary fields in accordance
with each school’s requirements), so that they can join the teams responsible for
diagnosing those pupils that so require. They also provide the necessary resources
(materials and adapted furniture and fittings, etc.) so as to guarantee the schooling of
these same pupils.

Fourthly, when pupils have serious disorders in different areas of development or family
circumstances impede them from attending school on a regular basis, or when they are
in hospital or for medical reasons have to miss school for long periods of time. The
authorities have introduced a range of measures amongst which special mention should
be made of the creation of travelling school support units and school units for providing
support in hospitals.

Fifthly, coordinating all administrative and institutional spheres is once again a measure
that is widely used. For example, the Education Committee of the Programa de
Desarrollo del Pueblo Gitano13 provides coordination for the Ministry of Education
(MEPSYD) and the Autonomous Communities of Aragon, Asturias, the Canary Islands,
Cantabria, Castilla-La Mancha, Castilla y León, Extremadura, Galicia, Madrid, Murcia,
Navarre, the Basque Country and La Rioja, as well as other authorities and experts.
Likewise, the Programa Teleeducación, developed by the CNICE14, involves a good
many Autonomous Communities: Aragon, Asturias, Cantabria, Castilla y León, Castilla
la Mancha, Extremadura, Balearic Isles, La Rioja, Madrid and Murcia.

CHARTER 8 INCLUSIVE MEASURES

                                                                                                                     
12
Eurybase-España (2007-08), page 281.
13
Development Programme for the Gipsy Community
14
Centro Nacional de Información y Comunicación Educativa – National Centre for Education
Information and Communication.

21  
 
 Source: own elaboration

5.3. Interim conclusion: research conclusions

To conclude, the education authorities are designing actions that guarantee the
appropriate care for children with special education needs, gifted pupils or those late
joining the system. Together with traditional measures for school inclusion, such as
grants and curricular adaptations, there is also the use of new technologies, teacher
training and institutional cooperation as significant factors when effectively providing
all the pupils with equal opportunities.

6.  Safe  Education  
This section analyses the more pertinent actions related to protection, bullying and
coexistence at school. The aim here is none other than to shed light on the responses
made to provide a suitable context for learning and integration in schools.

6.1. The first ideal: the school as a safe haven

Mindful of the relationship between the education children receive and their future
conduct as adult citizens, school and family are understood to be the basic framework
for social integration, the acquisition of social values and skills, as well as for
embracing non-violent behaviour. For these reasons, the public authorities understand
that schools should be places for learning how to coexist and examples of the civic
values and of the protection they seek to inculcate, and hence the reason they share the
aim of creating schools that provide an atmosphere of peace and security.

6.2. The second ideal: schools without bullied and harassed pupils
22  
 
A distinction has to be made at this point between the concepts of bullying and
coexistence within a school context in order to better understand the evolution of the
education policies of the Autonomous Communities.

a) On the one hand, the term bullying is the best known and most widely used in
Europe. The standard definition of this concept was made in 1993 by Dan Olweus,
professor and researcher at the University of Bergen (Norway), who referred to bullying
as those violent and aggressive acts that occur at school.

b) Coexistence or improving the school climate: the climate is based on the collective
perception of the interpersonal relations that take place at school and is a factor that has
a bearing on the behaviour of all those attending. It is specifically defined as the overall
atmosphere of a school determined by all those physical factors, structural, personal,
functional and cultural aspects of the school that imbue it with its own particular nature,
which in turn conditions the various education processes.

6.3. Safety measures

Consistent with the need to ensure schools are safe havens for pupils, in 2006 the
Consejo Nacional de Seguridad Ciudadana15 agreed to set up a working party on
“Youth and Safety”, for the purpose of proposing measures, in the realm of police
cooperation with the education authorities and social services, to address those issues of
public safety involving young people. One of the conclusions reached by this working
party led to the drafting and subsequent approval of the Acuerdo Marco entre el
Ministerio de Educación y Ciencia y el Ministerio del Interior (2006)16 on coexistence
and improving school protection.

With a view to implementing this Agreement, the Secretary of State for Security
approved Instruction 3/2007, which contains the lines of action to be pursued in this
matter and the cooperation to be provided by other institutions, such as the central
government’s regional delegations and sub-delegations. In compliance with the
provisions of this Instruction, the police authorities, the Dirección General de la Policía
y la Guardia Civil drafted the Plan Director para la convivencia y mejora de la
seguridad escolar (2007)17, which covers the principal measures rolled out for

                                                                                                                     
15
National Council for Public Safety
16
Framework Agreement between the Ministry of Education and Science and the Interior
Ministry
17
Master Plan for coexistence and improving protection in schools

23  
 
upholding safety in school. This plan lays out a broad array of measures, which are as
follows:

• To help ensure that the curricular content in the various stages of education includes topics on
teaching personal and public safety.
• To dedicate special attention to instruction on improving safety targeting management and
teachers, given their important role as energisers and promoters of initiatives in schools.
• To encourage channels of information and participation to help families contribute to fostering
responsible attitudes and habits and respect for the rules.
• To provide information and supplementary actions that will teach the pupils skills, attitudes,
habits and values for prevention, detection and swift action when faced with circumstances that
cause insecurity.
• To compile, analyse and draw up representative nationwide studies, with a prior diagnosis of the
problems of safety and security in families, schools and leisure areas with a bearing on
childhood and youth: bullying, violent youth gangs, exposure to drugs and alcohol, xenophobia
and racism and the link existing between academic failure, social exclusion and youth violence.
• To support and disseminate best practices for improving coexistence and safety by the most
suitable means: inclusion in the section on best practices on the coexistence portal of the
Ministry of Education and Science; talks in schools by the people or agents responsible for them.

As involved parties, the authorities in the Autonomous Communities also adopt

organisational measures that guarantee protection in schools. In Andalusia, schools have
the powers to set up Aulas de convivencia, or coexistence classrooms, which are
attended by those pupils who have been denied the right to take part in normal classes
following the imposition of a corrective or disciplinary measure. La Rioja organises
Programas de adaptación curricular en grupo - Group curricular adaptation
programmes – designed for those children with serious learning difficulties and with
behavioural disorders that disrupt the normal teaching process in schools.

24  
 
CHARTER 9 SECURITY AT SCHOOLS MEASURES

Source: own elaboration

6.4. Measures to protect pupils at risk from bullying and harassment

Table 10 presents a comprehensive look at the measures established for eradicating
bullying and harassment in schools. By grouping these measures according to three
criteria - teachers, outside services and schools - the following information is
forthcoming:

• The most widespread actions involving teachers share two common aspects: the
inclusion of bullying and coexistence in Lifelong Teacher Training as a specific
line or through the modes of ordinary training and the fostering of regular and
dynamic teachers’ meetings - Juntas de Profesorado.  

• Amongst those measures grouped together under the heading of outside support
and cooperation, there are the following highlights: the creation of websites or
the posting of content on teaching portals; the setting up of a monitoring centre
for coexistence at school; the arrangement of publicity and awareness
campaigns; the involvement of school inspectors in monitoring coexistence in
schools; the reporting and electronic processing of information related to
coexistence in schools, and finally, the fostering of the engagement of families.
Within this group of measures, it should also be noted that there are other types

25  
 
 of actions that consist of prizes, financial aid, projects or grants for the
development of different schemes designed to improve coexistence or prevent
violence in schools; support for initiatives and best practices in schools or the
formation of autonomous school networks that pursue projects involving a
culture of peace or the improvement of coexistence.

• The measures designed and contemplated for application in schools also

encompass a wide range of factors, namely, the drawing up of a coexistence plan
for the school; the instruction of all members of the school community; the
incorporation of content and programmes for the improvement of coexistence
and the prevention of violence in educational guidance and tutorial sessions.
Measures are also designed to improve the perception pupils have of their school
and of the teaching it provides; the preparation, collection and dissemination of
materials and/or guides in different media, and extracurricular and extramural
activities linked to improving coexistence.  

CHARTER 10 MEASURES AGAINST BULLYING

Source: own elaboration

6.5. Interim conclusion, research conclusions

The authorities have pledged to ensure schools are free from any violent behaviour,
especially peer violence, harassment and bullying. Although this task is being

26  
 
undertaken mainly within schools by boosting the mechanism of tutoring and
mediation, ways of coordination are also being sought between the school community
and police experts to facilitate knowledge sharing and address the solution of those
cases of greatest concern. Accordingly, pupils are taught about the various roles of the
police forces to enable them to learn about the implications of associated values in
safety and security, public cooperation and the development of pro-active conduct in the
rejection and reporting of those violent acts they witness or suffer from.

Regarding bullying and harassment at school, highlights amongst the main actions
rolled out are the regional plans and monitoring centres for preventing violence. Such
measures suggest that the education authorities share the notion that a suitable school
environment is essential if schools are to perform well, and so they prefer to take
measures focusing on the school population as a whole rather than dealing solely with
problematic individuals.  

7.  Teacher  support  
7.1. The ideal: being a good teacher for children at risk
The LOE specifies that the lifelong training of teachers is essential for cementing the
principles of fairness and quality that should prevail in Spanish schools. The education
authorities are therefore called upon to arrange specific training programmes, through a
varied programme of instruction that develops the individual's professional
competencies whereby they can suitably respond to the fresh challenges posed by the
Spanish education system. Consequently, and in order to deal with these challenges, the
initial training of teachers has been reformed to take into account the requirements of
the European Higher Education Area.

Nevertheless, the authorities are not the only institutions concerned with fostering
integration in schools. There are relevant teacher support projects that should be
mentioned in this section, namely: Comunidades de Aprendizaje18 and Atlántida-
Escuelas Democráticas19.

7.2. Teacher support measures

In the drafting of training measures by the authorities, a series of priority lines are
defined that inform the programme of schemes designed for teachers. These measures
                                                                                                                     
18
Learning Communities
19
Atlantis – Democratic Schools

27  
 
are grouped into four general areas: cooperation, training, new resources and
organisation.

• The area of cooperation involves: courses, seminars, symposia, working parties,

etc.

• The following are organised in training: foreign language learning for specialist
and non-specialist teachers; training of guidance teams and of teaching staff
linked to caring for diversity and to special education needs, the promotion of
training in schools and innovation by schools, or providing the necessary
assistance for the development of the different programmes of Apoyo a la
Acción Educativa20, amongst others.

• Concerning the use of new resources: backing is given for new innovation
projects; the use of Information and Communications Technologies and their
classroom integration, etc.

• From the perspective of organisation: support is given to the autonomy of

schools and the application of quality and efficiency models in their
management and organisation.

Focusing on the initiatives highlighted earlier: within the Comunidades de Aprendizaje

project for example, supportive relations are sought between teachers, families and the
pupils themselves, regardless of the internal social make-up in the classes in which all
the groups of children, whether at risk or not, co-exist side by side. In turn, the Atlántida
project also promotes the building of networks that allow for the sharing of original
experiences and cooperation between teachers. Nonetheless, these are not the only
aspects common to both projects that ensure these schemes are very well received by
teachers, schools and local institutions, constituting the basis of their success. These are
measures that in certain circumstances should be seen as more than just tangible
instruments, as may be increasing the number of computers or the hours dedicated to a
subject, referring to an approach to the learning process, specifically to:

a) A positive attitude towards the teaching of abilities by schools and the pupils’
ability to learn.

                                                                                                                     
20
Support for the Teaching Process

28  
 
 b) The introduction of horizontal cooperation networks between teachers and
schools, between teachers and pupils, between teachers and/or schools and
families, between schools and their surrounding communities.

c) The fostering of channels of communication between schools and the education

authorities in order to establish efficient sources of funding.

d) The promotion of professional development and for upholding the daily practice
of recapitulation and support for self-esteem.

CHARTER 11 SUPPORT TEACHER MEASURES

Source: own elaboration

7.3. Cross-referenced measures

It has been evident throughout this report that training is a mainstream measure that is
present in all the actions related to the priority lines of work undertaken by the

29  
 
authorities, to inclusive education and to safety and security in schools. For example,
one of the main policies adopted to drive academic success, the PROA plan, includes a
specific measure for adapting teacher training to today's reality in education.
Concerning education and safety, the Director Plan for coexistence and improving
school protection seeks to analyse the training needs of teachers in this field and take
part in a scheme that caters for such needs. This approach stresses the importance given
to teachers as a key factor for achieving inclusive schooling and a quality system that
ensures all children are treated as equals.

CHARTER 12 SUPPORT TEACHER MEASURES AND CROSS REFERENCED FRAMES

Teacher
support

Cross referenced measures.

Yes No

From early school leaving X

From Inclusive education X

Priority Education X

From safe education X

Source: own elaboration

7.4. Interim conclusion, research conclusion

The main ideas to be highlighted in this section deal with the flexibility of training
schemes as a way of responding to a complex situation with a raft of challenges to be
faced. Teacher training is normally undertaken through regional plans of a general
nature. Such plans set out a series of objectives, lines of work and measures of a varying
nature with specific mention made of those related directly to the issues covered by this
report, namely, respect for diversity, coexistence, etc. Furthermore, training schemes
adopt a flexible programming approach, which is developed annually through priority
training lines and short-term objectives, whereby new proposals can be made each year
to cater for the needs of either the teachers themselves or of the actual education system.  

30