High school students fail in English, Math, and Science and Technology

Last high school grade students in Catalonia, known as 4th ESO and aged 16 years old, fail in English, Math, and Science and Technology, according to the end-of-school exams.

These three subjects are among the five subjects students must pass during their final year of high school before entering higher education. The other two exams, in Catalan and Spanish, were passed with good grades.

Meanwhile, 12-year-olds in their final year of primary school failed Science and Technology but passed Catalan, Spanish, English, and Math.

Compared to data released in 2024, grades are lower in Catalan, math, and science and technology for 12-year-olds, and higher in English and Spanish. However, ESO students worsened their results in Spanish, English, and science but improved in math and Catalan.

Exams started in 2012 for high school and in 2009 for primary school, and while results are based on 100 points, students need 70 points to pass.

These are named 'Competències Bàsiques' in Catalan, as are used to test the basic knowledge of students.

The 4th ESO had 79,142 students take the exams, and the grades are 69.1 in English, 69.8 in Math, and 67.9 in Science and Technology. While English is lower than 2024's 73.1, it is higher than the previous year's 64.9. 

Science recorded lower data compared to last year's 72.6, but higher than 2022's 63.6.

For the Catalan test, students graded 75.1, compared to last year's 70.7. while in Spanish it drops from 75.6 to 74.2.

Meanwhile, 6th-grade primary school students recorded lower grades in Catalan, Math, and Science, compared to 2024. While results improved in Spanish from 73.9 in 2024 to 76.5, and English from 73.2 to 75.7.

Science is the only test failed, below 70 points, with 66.3. Similarly, results in the Math exam are the lowest in its history, standing at 70.4.