emagazine

The Italian School System
Antonio Iaconianni (Dirigente Scolastico, Liceo Classico
«Bernardino Telesio» Cosenza)
Translator: Prof.ssa Catia Mele (Erasmus plus project coordinator)

First cycle – nursery school, primary and lower secondary
school, (from 6 to13 )
Second Cycle (Scuola secondaria di secondo grado): Liceo (classic,
scientific, linguistic, applied science, socio-psycho-pedagogical, musica, European,
artistic), Technical Education: Building Surveying and Construction, Industrial,
Commercial, Administrative, Graphic Arts, Agricultural, Tourism and Marketing.
Vocational Institutes :Agricultural, Hotel Trading and Catering, Commercial,
Industrial, Mechanical, Administrative, Social Services - 5 years (from 14 to 19 )
Compulsory Education and Training until 18 years of age
The Italian Law provides AT LEAST 10 years of compulsory education and training
activities until 18 years of age. After the exam at the end of the 1° cycle (Scuola
Media-Junior School), pupils can choose which educational area to follow.
After 16 years of age, pupils can choose whether studying or, if they like, going to
school and work at the same time.

MIUR
REGIONS
(SCHOOL
DESIGN)
SCHOOL
REGIONAL BOARD
(Professional
Resources)
REGION
=
EDUCATION
AUTHORITY
MUNICIPALITY
AND PROVINCE
(School Building)
SCHOOL

SCHOOL BOARD ORGANIZATIONAL CHART: THE
HEAD MASTER DEALING WITH THE DIDACTIC,
MANAGING ADMINISTRATIVE DIMENSION AND THAT
OF PARTICIPATION

COLLEGIAL BODIES (from 1974)

Continuity of the educational approach – vertical integration
system
Several school streams with an emphasis on personalized
learning paths.
Inclusion and school equity.

A reform for a new autonomy of school:
organization, management, and pedagogy.

ORGANIZATION, ECONOMICAL AND DIDACTIC
AUTONOMY
ELABORATION OF A RICH EDUCATIONAL PROJECT PLAN (pof)
OPENNESS TO THE TERRITORY, PARTICIPATION TO A NET OF
SCHOOLS, COLLABORATION WITH LOCAL INSTITUTIONS.

School autonomy in Italy: a key of development and
an answer to the context’s needs
The Art. 117 of our Constitution pledges schools autonomy. This means that each
school can take autonomous decisions as regards didactic issues, school
organization and experimentation, research and development respecting national
and regional rules.

Italian school reformation: law
107/2015
Empowerment
of school
autonomy
Empowerment
of professional
resources
Professional
development
and
compulsory
teacher
training
Openness to
territory and
community
(Nets /
Partenships)

Primary Formative Objectives of (LEGGE 107/2015, c. 7)
1)L1 and L2 skills;
2)Maths and scientific skills;
3)Artistic practical skills (artistic heritage, cinema, theatre, music), enhancing
collaboration with museums;
4)Active and democratic citizenship skills;
5)Legal education;
6)Developing a responsible behaviour to respect the
environment and the artistic and cultural heritage;
7) Art literacy ;
8) Sport et health;
9) Number skills;
10)Developing cooperative didactic methods (laboratories; Cooperative
Learning; etc.);
11) prevention to fight school drop-out, bullying; reinforcing inclusion;
12) Openness to the territory, extracurricular activities ;
13) Reinforcement of professional stages in the upper secondary school;
14) Valorisation of didactic and individualized paths;
15) Improving Italian language skills as a second language
16) Elaboration of a structured orientation system.

Managers’ Evaluation
(since 2016/17)
- The general criteria concern mainly the outcome assigned to the school
manager by the general director on the basis of the needs and the context
of the school
-The basic evaluating principles are global management skills in school
ruling.

School managers’s evaluation is proposed as an instrument
of support for the managing personnel
Evaluation is regulated by the «nuclei di valutazione»
(core evaluation) composed by three members, 2 school
managers, 1 inspecteur or 1 expert

PORTFOLIO to be filled in by the school manager
1) PRESENTATION (compulsory) OF QUALIFICATIONS,
STUDIES, PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE;
2) SELF-EVALUATION (optional) ON:
a) Management and communicative skills within the school
community;
b) Reinforcing public relations skills with the territory;
c) Professional resources evaluation ;
d) Economic/administrative management ;
e) Social report / means of service evaluation
3) DESCRIPTION OF ALL ACTIONS UNDERTAKEN TO
REALISE THE MISSION OBJECTIVES ASSIGNED BY THE
GENERAL DIRECTOR (SCHOOL LEVEL)

Traditional
staff
Staff
reinforcement
Autonomy
staff
Benefits for
- Organization
- Didactic
experiment
- Projects
- Public
relations
- Innovation
Staff inside an educational
establishment

PROFESSIONAL
RESOURCES
Evaluation group
for recognizing
teachers’
performance
School
manager
recruits
directly
teachers
School managers
recognizes those teachers
to be valorized

The SCHOOL MANAGER is
evaluating teachers
- It is the big news introduced by the reform « LA BUONA SCUOLA»
- The process is based on general criteria established by an “evaluation
committee” composed by:
A) THE SCHOOL MANAGER;
B) 3 TEACHERS;
C) 1 STUDENT ( IN SECONDARY SCHOOLS);
D) 1 PARENT
E) 1 REPRESENTATIVE OF THE PERIPHERICAL ADMINISTRATION
(INSPECTOR OR SCHOOL MANAGER FROM ANOTHER SCHOOL)
- THE CRITERIA MUST BE PUBLISHED AS WELL AS THE ECONOMIC
RESOURCES DESTINED TO THE EVALUATING PROCESS.

ELEMENTS FOR ATTRIBUTING A «BONUS» TO
TEACHERS’ PROFESSIONAL MERIT
1) Quality of teaching, participation in the process of school
development and students’ school success
2) Results obtained by a teacher or a group of teachers referring to
the development of students’ skills . didactic and methodological
innovation , didactic and documentary research, spreading of
good practice.
3) Responsibilites achieved in school management, didactics and
staff training.

SCHOOL BETWEEN PARTICIPATION,
OPENNESS TO THE CONTEXT
(STAKEHOLDERS) AND «SOCIAL REPORT»
(social responsibility)

School service evaluation in Italy
NATIONAL
• Standardized test «INVALSI»
- Primary school - second and fifth class;
- Final college year (diploma);
- 2°year of secondary school /
end of compulsory education
- From 2018: English test at
primary school (5th year);
abolition of final general test
at diploma; introduction of
a test during the last year of
secondary school
Institution
School self evaluation system, aimed
at promoting a culture of evaluating
teaching and learning.:
- the RAV ( EVALUATION
REPORT)
- Plan of improvement

“Added value”
(INDIVIDUAL SCHOOL
LEARNING RESPONSE)

Dropping out
Italian school’s strategic priority is inclusion
- Individual didactic education
- Supporting with a psychological listening service those learners with
difficulties
- Reorienting students with difficulties along the whole school year (link
between schools –passerelle)
- Didactic experiment ( digital technology, peer learning)
- Working on individual motivation:
Expressive laboratories (music, theatre, art)
- Prevention: counseling and verticalization of educational paths

The Reform of Italian school: Law
107/2015
Work-related learning
During the last three years of
secondary school, students must
follow: 200 hrs at Liceo and
400 hrs at Technical ad Vocational
Institutes

Digital school is not
an educational system
based on computers
and technology, but
it is a different way
to conceive school
organization and its
pedagogical
approach
Creation of a «team for innovation »
identifying a « digital animator» whose
function is promoting the process of
innovation in each school

THE REFORM OF LA «BUONA SCUOLA» :
- CHANGING OF MENTALITY
- PEDAGOGICAL STRATEGIES MUST BE DEVOLOPED BOTTOM-
UP, FOCUSSING ON THE LEARNING PROCESS NEEDS
- TEACHER TRAINING NATIONAL PLAN

Some considerations to
share…
PRIORITY OF TEACHERS LIFELONG LEARNING (FOCUS ON SCHOOL
NEEDS );
REINFORCING «TEAM WORKING» (TEAMS MUST WORK ON CLEAR
OBJECTIVES AND MUST BE RESPONSIBLE FOR RESULTS);
EFFECTIVENESS OF MANAGEMENT ON SMALL PROFESSIONAL
GROUPS (TO IDENTIFY IN EACH SHOOL= MOTIVATION;
VALORIZATION; IMPLICATION OF PERSONNEL ON A REAL TERRAIN );
RENFORCING SCHOOL AUTONOMY TO INCREASE EDUCATION
EFFECTIVENESS

« LESSON STUDY»:
AN EFFECTIVE EXPERIENCE FOR PROFESSIONAL DUTY AND LLL
From the beginning of the 21°
century, such a process has met an
important international success.
The LS can be seen from several points
of view. Insisting on their cooperative
aspect, they are an important
instrument for teacher training, an
occasion to develop resources and
teacher’s research, a subject for
research, a link between theory and
practice and finally a link among
school educational professionals.

OBSERVATION AS A MEANS OF RENFORCEMENT FOR
PROFESSIONAL TEAMS AND CONSTANT TRAINING

CREATIVE TEACHERS AND STUDENTS

• Primary
School
• Preschool
Preschool
Primary
School
University
Hıgh
School
• University
• Hıgh
School

Compulsary at the age of 6

PRIMARY SCHOOLS

Compulsary at the age of 7 and lasts 8 years(4+4)
First 4 year is called “İlkokul”

Second 4 year is called “Ortaokul”

They have 2 hours English classes in a week at the 2nd 3rd and 4th grade
,15 hours English Classes at the 5th ,4 hours English Classes at the
6th,7th and 8th grade

While having the “MIS” exam

According to the exsam results , they can choose their High School

High Schools
Science High schools
SocialSciences High school
Anatolian High school
Vocational highschools

Hıgh Schools
High schools are 4 years in Turkey
But Social sciences high schools are 5 years
(1+4)
1 year for prep classes

GAZİ SOCIAL SCIENCES HIGH SCHOOL
In our school in prep classes ,
we have 35 hours in a week
.In other grades we have 40
hours classes
And our classes are English ,
Maths , Science,Biology,Turkish
Literature ,German ,Physical
Education , Geography

ISPARTA ANATOLIAN HIGH SCHOOL
In our school, we have 40
hours in a week . If the
students want they can join
the school courses after
classes.
And our classes are English ,
Maths , Science, Turkish
Literature ,German ,Physical
Education , Geography, ICT

Students have to take an exam after high school

According to their exam results they can choose their
faculties or departments at the university
•

Universty
2 years associate degree
4 years Bachelor’s degree
6 years master degree

Faculty of medicine is 6 years

Atatürks says

Secondary education
programme
2017.11.07

Content of secondary education
Compulsory part (compulsory and compulsory
chosen subjects and/or modules);
Optional part (courses of subjects and/or modules
prepared according to students’ needs and
Educational Programs)

The structure and content of
secondary education
Compulsory subject
Optional course
Moral education Ethics (B course) Religion (B course)
Lithuanian and literature A course B course
Mathematics A course B course
Physical education
Physical education (A
course)
Physical education (B
course)
Aerobics (B course)
Basketball (B course)
Football (B course)
Volleyball (B course)

Compulsory Subject Course
Foreign language (one
subject is compulsory)
Social education (one
subject is compulsory)
Natural sciences (one
subject is compulsory)
Art and technologies (one
subject is compulsory)
English
Russian
French
History
Geography
Integrated course of History and
Geography
Biology
Chemistry
Physics
Integrated course of natural sciences
Art
Music
B1 or B2 (course is
assessed in the 2 nd form
in spring)
A or B
A or B
B
A or B
A or B
A or B
B
A or B
A or B
Dance
Technological education
Graphic design
Photography
A or B
A or B
A or B
A or B

Optional subjects
Optional subjects
Information technology A or B
Use of English
Rhetorical art
Systems of equation
Mathematical calculations in Economics and finance
Economics and enterprise
Lithuanian national interests
Lithuania in the period of occupation and annexation
Psychology
Drawing
French. Elementary level (the 3 rd language)
Modules
Information technology
English
Lithuanian and literature
Mathematics
Physics
Chemistry
Biology
History

Individual plan
Individual plan is compulsory for everyone, who studies
according to the programme of secondary education.
There are shown subjects or groups of subjects, courses,
number of lessons, optional subjects, modules.
Student combines his individual plan with gymnasium
opportunities or chooses from offered options.
Minimal amount of lessons per week 28 hours, maximum
– 35 hours per week.

Recommendations
Lithuanian and literature and mathematics advanced course
in the 3 rd or 4 th form is recommended to choose, when an
assessment of Foundation Education test results are not
lower than 6.

Recommendations
Foreign languages. If a student from an achievement test
reached:
B1 level, according to secondary education programme it is
suggested to choose B2 level,
A2 level, according to secondary education programme it is
suggested to choose B1 level,
A1 level, according to secondary education programme A2
level.

Exchange procedure of subjects’ courses, modules, optional
subjects
Refuse or choose a new subject, module or change the course,
student can at the end of the semester or at the end of the
school year.
A student, who has decided to change his individual plan, 3
weeks before the end of semester or a school year needs to:
Write a motivated application to the headmaster of the
gymnasium
Combines a change in the individual plan, individual timetable
with an assistant director
If a student wants to choose the subject, which he has not got
before or change a course from lower to a higher one, he
needs to prepare individually and pass a credit.

Maturity examinations
State examinations are conducted centrally – pupils
of the graduation forms are registered in the database
of the National Examination Centre, examinations are
taken in municipal examination centres.
Having completed the secondary education
programme and passed 2 examinations, school –
leavers obtain secondary education.

Maturity examinations
A student must pass Lithuanian language and one
optional examinations if he wants to gain Maturity
Sertificate.
There are state – funded places at universities and
colleges. In this case a student needs to pass
Mathematics and English language examinations.

Education in Greece
The Greek educational system is mainly divided into three levels: primary,
secondary and tertiary, with an additional post-secondary level providing
vocational training.
Primary education is divided into kindergarten lasting one or two years, and
primary school spanning six years (ages 6 to 12).
Secondary education comprises two stages: Gymnasio (variously translated as
Middle or Junior High School), a three-year school, after which students can
attend Lykeion or Vocational lykeion.
Higher Tertiary education is provided by Universities, Technological
Universities (T.E.I.) and Academies which primarily cater for the military and
the clergy. Undergraduate courses typically last 4 years (5 in polytechnics and
some technical/art schools, and 6 in medical schools), postgraduate (MSc level)
courses last from 1 to 2 years and doctorates (PhD level) from 3 to 6 years.

All levels are overseen by the Ministry of Education, Research and Religious Affairs. The Ministry exercises
centralized control over state schools, by prescribing the curriculum, appointing staff and controlling
funding. Private schools also fall under the mandate of the Ministry, which exercises supervisory control
over them. At a regional level, the supervisory role of the Ministry is exercised through Regional
Directorates of Primary and Secondary Education, and Directorates of Primary and Secondary Education
operate in every Prefecture. Tertiary institutions are nominally autonomous, but the Ministry is
responsible for their funding, and the distribution of students to undergraduate courses. Currently the
Greek government only recognises the degree programmes offered by the state-run universities although
there are several private universities and colleges offering degree programmes that are validated and
overseen by American, British and other European universities. The Greek government is pressured to
recognise these overseas programmes.
All levels of education are catered for by both private and public schools. State-run schools and
universities do not charge tuition fees and textbooks are provided free to all students, although, from
2011 onwards, there has been a noticeable shortage of new textbooks, forcing students to either buy
stock books from bookshops, or participate in parent-teacher association-run book trades. There are also
a number of private tutorial schools, colleges and universities operating alongside the state education and
providing supplementary tuition. These parallel schools (Greek: φροντιστήριο, frontistirio (singular))
provide foreign language tuition, supplementary lessons for weak students as well as exam preparation
courses for the competitive Panhellenic national examinations. Most of the students typically attend such
classes (and examinations) at the tutors schools in the afternoon and evening in addition to their normal
schooling.

Primary education
Before the Elementary school, kids must attend the Kindergarten from age 5 to 6 before moving to the
Elementary School.Elementary schools are called "Dimotiko" (demotic, meaning municipal), a carryover term
from a time when such schools were run by local communities. The name remains although it has been
obsolete for decades. In the first two years pupils are not officially graded, and parents obtain feedback
about their performance via oral communications with teachers. Grading begins in Year 3, and written exams
are introduced in Year 5. Graduating from one year to the next is automatic, and pupils with deficient
performance are given remedial tutoring.
Years are called "classes", from first to sixth:
1st Year : age 6 to 7
2nd Year : age 7 to 8
3rd Year : age 8 to 9
4th Year : age 9 to 10
5th Year : age 10 to 11
6th Year : age 11 to 12
A normal school-day starts at 8.15 and finishes in 13.15. The classes last between 45 and 90 minutes with 3
breaks. The school year always starts on September 11 and ends on June 15. The students have summer
vacation (about 3 months), Christmas vacation (2 weeks) and Easter vacation (2 weeks). Furthermore,
students take usually another four days off in order to celebrate their two national holidays (28/10 and 25/3).

Gymnasium - Middle School (compulsory education)
1st grade, age 12 to 13
2nd grade, age 13 to 14
3rd grade, age 14 to 15
Starts on September 11 and ends on early June before the first day of the Panhellenic exams. The lessons end
in 31 May so that the students will be able to study for their examinations in early June. The classes start at
8.15 and end from 13.55 to 14.15 according to the type of school. Classes last from 30 min. to 45 min. and there
are breaks of 10 and 5 minutes between them.The students have summer vacation (about 3 months),
Christmas vacation (2 weeks) and Easter vacation (2 weeks). Furthermore, students take usually another four
days off in order to celebrate their two national holidays (28/10 and 25/3).
There are 6 types of gymnasiums in Greece:
1. General Gymnasium (entering there from the primary school is automatic)
2. Athletic Gymnasium (to enter this type of school students must pass certain exams on a sport like
football, basketball, volleyball, gymnastics, polo, swimming etc.)
3. Musical Gymnasium (to enter this type of school students must pass certain exams on a musical inst.)
4. Art Gymnasium (to enter this type of school students must pass certain exams on either arts, dance, or
theater)
5. Experimental Gymnasium (to enter this type of schools students must pass certain exams on Maths,
Science, Reading Comprehension and Writing [the last two are written as one])
6. Church Gymnasium

Lyceum - High School
1st grade, age 15 to 16
2nd grade, age 16 to 17
3rd grade, age 17 to 18
Starts on September 11 and ends on 15 June. The lessons end in late May so that the students will be able to
study for their examinations in June. The classes start at 8.20 and end from 13.55 to 14.20 according to the
type of school. Classes last from 35 min. to 45 min. and there are breaks of 10 and 5 minutes between
them.The students have summer vacation (about 3 months), Christmas vacation (2 weeks) and Easter
vacation (2 weeks). Furthermore, students take usually another four days off in order to celebrate their two
national holidays (28/10 and 25/3).
1. General Lyceum
There are 7 types of lyceums in Greece:
2. Vocational Lyceum
3. Athletic Lyceum (to enter this type of school students must pass certain exams on a sport like football,
basketball, volleyball, gymnastics, polo, swimming etc.)
4. Musical Lyceum (to enter this type of school students must pass certain exams on a musical instrument)
5. Art Lyceum (to enter this type of school students must pass certain exams on either arts, dance, or theater)
6. Experimental Lyceum (to enter this type of schools students must pass certain exams on Mathematics, Science,
Reading Comprehension and Writing [the last two are written as one])
7. Church Lyceum

General Lyceum- General High School
The subjects for:
1st Grade of General Lyceum (The curriculum is based on the 2013 curriculum, for the school season
2014-2015):
Subjects of General Education
Ancient Greek (5 hours/week) Modern Greek Language (2 hours/week)
Modern Greek Literature (2 hours/week) Algebra (3 hours/week)
Geometry (2 hours/week) Physics (2 hours/week)
Chemistry (2 hours/week) Biology (2 hours/week)
History (2 hours/week) Political Studies (3 hours/week)
Religion (2 hours/week) Project (2 hours/week)
Foreign Language (English or French or German) (2 hours/week)
Physical Education (2 hours/week)
Subjects of selection (Every student can select 1 subject) (all 2 hours per week)
Applications of Computer Science
Geology and Management of Natural Resources
Greek and European Culture
Art Education

General Lyceum- General High School
The subjects for:
2nd Grade of General Lyceum (The curriculum is based on the 2013 curriculum, for the school season
2014-2015):
Subjects of General Education
Ancient Greek (2 hour/week) Modern Greek Language (2 hours/week)
Modern Greek Literature (2 hours/week) Algebra (3 hours/week)
Geometry (2 hours/week) Physics (2 hours/week)
Chemistry (2 hours/week) Biology (2 hours/week)
History (2 hours/week) Philosophy (2 hours/week)
Political Education (2 hours/week) Religion (2 hours/week)
Project (1 hour/week) Physical Education (1 hour/week)
Introduction to the Principles of Science of Computers (1 hour/week)
Foreign Language (English or French or German) (2 hours/week)
Subjects of selection
The students can choose 1 of the 2 Orientation Groups:
Basic Principles of Social Science (2 hours/week) Physics (3 hours/week)
Ancient Greek Language and Literature (3 hours/week) Mathematics (2 hours/week

General Lyceum- General High School
The subjects for:
3rd Grade of General Lyceum (The curriculum is based on the 2013 curriculum, for the school season
2014-2015):
Subjects of General Education
Religion (1 hour/week) History of Social Sciences (1 hour/week)
Physical Education (2 hours/week) History (2 hours/week)
Greek Language (2 hours/week) Greek Literature (1 hour/week)
Biology (2 hours/week) Mathematics and Statistics (2 hours/week)
Foreign Language (English or French or German) (2 hours/week)
Subjects of selection
Every students can select one subject:
2nd Foreign Language Drawing (Free or Linear) History of Art
Business Management and Organization (all 2 hours/week)
The students can choose 1 of the 3 Orientation Groups
Subjects of the Humanities Orientation Group:
Subjects of the Economical and Computer Studies Orientation Group:
Subjects of the Science Studies Orientation Group:

Tertiary education in Greece
Higher Educational Institutes are consisted of two parallel sectors: the Technological Universities
(T.E.I.) and the Universities. In addition, colleges collaborating with foreign universities can offer
undergraduate and postgraduate UK foreign programmes of study in Greece, under the proper
registration with the Greek Ministry of Education. Usually, these programmes are provided
following franchise or validation agreements with universities established in other European Union
countries, primarily in the UK, leading to degrees which are awarded directly by those universities.
In some cases these institutions are wholly owned and operated branch campuses of foreign
institutions, as in the case of the University of Indianapolis, Athens Campus. List of universities in
Greece
According to the European University Association, austerity measures imposed after the 2010
bailout halved public funding for higher education in real terms between 2009 and 2014; Greece
now spends an average of €545 per student. Spending cuts were such that eight Greek universities,
including the University of Athens, had to close down temporarily in fall 2013 because they lacked
the staff to keep the university running. [2]
Prospective students do not have to take entrance exams in Greece. Admission is based on one’s
high school results.