Primary School

Primary school is compulsory, lasts five years and is part, together with secondary school, of the first cycle of education. 
The purpose of the first cycle is the acquisition of fundamental knowledge and skills to develop basic cultural competencies in the perspective of the full development of the person.
Primary school aims at the acquisition of basic learning as the first exercise of constitutional rights. It offers girls and boys who attend it the opportunity to develop cognitive, emotional, affective, social, bodily, ethical and religious dimensions and to acquire indispensable knowledge. Through the knowledge and languages characteristic of each discipline, elementary school lays the groundwork for the development of the reflective and critical thinking necessary to become knowledgeable and responsible citizens.
State and peer elementary school are part of the National System of Education.

Enrollment

Primary school attendance is compulsory for all girls and boys in the national territory, regardless of citizenship, who have reached the age of six by December 31 of the reference year.
Children who turn six years of age by April 30 of the reference school year may also be enrolled in elementary school, at the request of their families: in this case, for an informed choice, it is advisable to ask the kindergarten teachers for guidance.
Enrollment in state elementary school is done by filling out an online form available during the period communicated each year through the enrollment circular that is usually published in November. Parish schools may voluntarily join the online enrollment system; otherwise, enrollment is done in paper form directly at the institution.

Organization and operating hours

Presidential Decree no. 89 of 2009 governed the reorganization of the first cycle of education and kindergarten.
The weekly class schedule in elementary school may vary according to the prevalence of families' choices from 24 to 27 hours, extending up to 30 hours depending on the availability of teacher staffing. In order to activate a 24-hour class, a minimum number of 15 enrolled students must be reached.
Families may also apply for full-time classes of 40 hours per week; it is authorized based on the availability of places, teacher staffing and services available in the individual school.
Individual educational institutions, based on the resolution of their school boards, define the organization of the school schedule in six or five days per week, with or without afternoon returns for 24-, 27- and 30-hour classes.

Classes

Primary school classes are formed, as a rule, with a minimum number of 15 pupils and a maximum number of 26 (elevatable up to 27 if only one class is formed or enrollment cannot be transferred to another school).
If the number of enrollments does not allow the formation of a class of 15 pupils, it is possible to activate multi-classes (sections with pupils attending different years of classes) that must accommodate between 8 and 18 enrolled pupils.
In schools located on small islands, in mountain municipalities and in areas inhabited by linguistic minorities, it is possible to form classes with at least 10 pupils.
Primary school classes that accommodate pupils with disabilities in a serious situation are formed, as a rule, by no more than 20 pupils (Presidential Decree No. 81 of 2009).

What is studied

The National Directions for the Curriculum, set the goals for the development of skills and learning objectives for each discipline:

• Italian
• English Language
• History
• Geography
• Mathematics
• Sciences
• Music
• Art and Image
• Physical Education
• Technology

To these disciplines is added the teaching of Civic Education, introduced by Law no. 92 of 2019.
In addition, for pupils who make use of it, the teaching of Catholic religion is provided for two hours per week. Pupils who do not avail of this teaching can choose between studying an alternative subject, assisted individual study, or can request delayed entry or early exit.
The 2012 National Directions were updated in 2018 with the provision of "new scenarios" that place particular emphasis on education for citizenship and sustainability, with reference to the Recommendations of the European Parliament and the Council of the European Union and the goals set out by the UN in the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development.

The assessment of learning

Ministerial Ordinance No. 172 of 2020 has regulated the procedures for the assessment of pupils' learning by providing for the assignment of a descriptive judgment to the degree of achievement of the learning objectives of each of the disciplines of study provided by the National Directions, including the cross-curricular teaching of civic education. The descriptive judgments are related to four levels: in the process of first acquisition, basic, intermediate, advanced.
Each school develops and incorporates in its Plan of Educational Offer the evaluation criteria.
Legislative Decree No. 62 of 2017 provides that the Evaluation Document also contains a description of the process and overall level of learning development and a summary judgment on behavior.
Assessment referring to Catholic religion or alternative activity is made on a separate note with a summary judgment on the interest shown and the levels of learning achieved.
In classes 2^ and 5^ pupils participate in the national surveys on learning in Italian and mathematics (in 5^ also in English) in coherence with the National Directions. These surveys are important for the school to self-evaluate and plan actions for progressive improvement of teaching.
The transition to secondary school, at the end of 5th grade, no longer requires pupils to take an exam. Pupils receive a Certification of skills acquired during the five-year period.