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Primary education
Primary education consists of Nursery school which provides optional pre-school education and Elementary school which provides the first level of compulsory education.
Nursery School (isced level 0)
The goal of the Nursery school is to support and strengthen the education process and the family socialisation process. The aim is to reinforce the psychokinetic, social, emotional, intellectual and moral development of young children, both at personal and group level. The focus is on the aesthetic dimension, mental development and the overall development of motor and intellectual skills.
There are also all-day Nurseries with longer hours for the creative occupation of young children from 08:00 until 16:00 and these are gradually being
expanded. Besides, special Nurseries are available for children with special education needs.
Children attend Nursery school for two years, from the age of four to six, as a preparatory stage which contributes to integrating the children in the Primary school system.
Elementary School (isced level 1)
The Elementary school belongs to the Compulsory Education. Attendance is compulsory and lasts six years, from the age of 6 to 12.
The basic goal of the Elementary school is to ensure the children's all-round, harmonious and balanced mental and physical development. Such that, regardless of sex or origin, they have an opportunity to develop their personalities and live a creative life.
The Elementary school emphasizes and fosters the link between creative activity and the study of specific subjects, situations and phenomena, while also developing mechanisms to promote the acquisition of knowledge. The Elementary school helps children grasp basic concepts and gradually familiarise themselves with abstract thought and master the written and spoken language.
In Greece, all-day Elementary schools with longer hours and an enriched curriculum are gradually being put in place. Priority is given to children of working parents and to remedial teaching for pupils with learning difficulties and foreign pupils. Besides there are
special schools and induction courses for children with special education needs. Finally, since 1996 is adopted
Multicultural Education designed to meet the educational needs of social groups with a particular social, cultural or religious identity.
Pupils in Elementary school are promoted from one class to the next without examinations, provided they have attended at least half of the classes and, in the teacher's judgment, have acquired the level of knowledge appropriate to their class. At the end of each year the pupils are given a progress certificate.
Elementary school comes to an end on completion of the sixth class and the pupils are given a study certificate which is forwarded to the local Gymnasium by official channels so that they can continue their education there.
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