“ACE” Project Active Citizenship in Europe

Educational Levels  Portuguese educational system is formed by pre school, three cycles and secondary level.  Pre school: it is optional and lasts until one is five or six years old.  First cycle: it is mandatory and begins by the age of five or six years old and it is divided in four school years( 1st, 2nd, 3rd and 4th grade).

Educational Levels  Second cycle: it is mandatory, it comes after the first cycle and it is divided in two school years (5th and 6th grade).  Third cycle: it is mandatory, it is a continuation of the second cycle and it is divided in three school years( 7th, 8th and 9th grade).  Secondary: it was not mandatory until some time ago but it is now, and it is divided in three school years(10th, 11th and 12th grade).

School Subjects  First cycle subjects: math, portuguese, study of the environment, music and physical education.  Second cycle subjects: math, portuguese, english, sciences of nature, history and geography, visual and tecnological education, music, project area, study skills, physical education, chemical physics and civics.

School Subjects  Third cycle subjects: math, portuguese, english, french or spanish, sciences of nature, history, technology education, theater, project area, study skills, chemical physics, visual education, catholic religious and moral education(optional), civics, geography and information and communication technologies(only at 9th year).

Secondary  At the secondary level we must choose one of the several courses that the school offers, which are:  - course of science and technology;  - languages and humanities;  - technical course of sports;

School Subjects  Course of science and technology subjects: physical education, philosophy, biology and geology, portuguese, physical and chemestry, math, english, spanish and catholic and moral education (optional). 

School Subjects  Languages and humanities subjects: physical education, philosophy, geography, history, mathematics applied to social sciences, portuguese, english, german, spanish and catholic and moral education (optional).

School Subjects  Technical course of sports subjects: human biology, physical education, spanish, philosophy, english, math B, organization and sports development, sports and leisure pratice, portuguese, psychology and information and communication technologies.

 After the secondary whoever wants to continue his/her studies goes to university and chooses a course related with the choices made in secondary level.