Spanish government class size reductions will transform secondary education across the country, with new limits set to improve learning conditions.
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The Spanish government approved a draft law on Tuesday that will progressively reduce maximum classroom sizes in schools and high schools throughout Spain.
Consequently, primary school classes will be capped at 22 students instead of the current 25, while secondary education (ESO) will see limits drop from 30 to 25 students per classroom.
Spanish Government Class Size Reductions: Implementation Timeline
The new ratios will be implemented gradually across different educational stages.The changes will begin in infant and primary education during the 2027-2028 academic year. Furthermore, secondary education will follow in 2028-2029, with the final implementation in baccalaureate levels scheduled for 2029-2030. According to the Ministry of Education, full implementation across all levels is expected by the 2031-2032 academic year.
The ministry states that modifying Law 4/2019 aims to correct inequalities detected between autonomous communities, improve teachers’ working conditions, and achieve more individualised attention for students. Additionally, the legislation introduces significant changes for students with special educational needs (NEE). Each student with special needs will count as two places in publicly funded centres, a move that could particularly impact Catalonia where approximately 43,300 students have special educational requirements.
Catalan Education System Adaptation
Government sources in Catalonia indicate the changes will particularly affect secondary education groups. Meanwhile, the regional government has been significantly reducing ratios in early childhood education for four years. However, Education Councillor Esther Niubó admitted in September that current projections for the 2025-2026 academic year showed 85% of public groups in 1st ESO would have ratios of 29 students or fewer, with 97% at 30 or fewer – figures higher than those proposed in the new draft law.
The Federation of Associations of Families of Students of Catalonia (AFFAC) calculated that achieving the central government’s objectives would require opening up to 169 new groups: 109 in public institutes and 60 in subsidised schools. This expansion represents a significant logistical challenge for educational authorities across the region. The legislation also establishes that teachers’ weekly teaching hours will generally be 23 hours in infant, primary and special education, and 18 hours in other teachings.
Education Minister and government spokesperson Pilar Alegría described this as “the legislature of teaching staff,” emphasising the government’s commitment to improving educational conditions. The Ministry of Education is also collaborating with the National Statistics Institute to develop a socio-economic vulnerability index that will identify centres with special complexity due to student type or location. This comprehensive approach to educational reform reflects broader social policy initiatives happening across Catalonia.
The draft law has passed its first reading, meaning the Spanish government can still include modifications before the official text is approved and sent to Parliament. During processing, it will be subject to negotiation with trade unions and autonomous communities. This progressive implementation of Spanish government class size reductions represents one of the most significant educational reforms in recent years, potentially transforming the learning experience for millions of students nationwide while addressing long-standing concerns about educational quality and teacher workload.
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