In the 80s of the last century pre-school education started to become relevant in Portugal, supported by new legislation and facilities created by the Ministery of Education.Later, in the 90s, pre-school was recognized as the first step of school life (step 0). Nevertheless it still remains non compulsory to the present day.Pre-school education in Portugal is ministrated in public schools, cooperative schools (private owned but partially supported by the state) and private schools.

Coverage rate of pre-school education

1985/86

1995/96

2000/01

2001/02

2002/03

2003/04

2004/05

2005/06

29,3% 58,0% 75,6% 77,2% 77,3% 77,9% 78,3% 78,4%Source: GEPE

The immediate goal of the Ministery of Education is to achieve a coverage rate of 80%.

In public schools, pre-school education comprehends two

components: one educational, which is the responsibility of the

Ministery of the Education, with a daily lenght of five hours and another

of family support which is the responsibility of the municipalities, with

a daily lenght that may vary from school to school (according to the

family needs).

The educational component is ministrated by pre-school

teachers with contratual link with the Ministery of Education. The

family support component is ashured by school staff (monitors or

school servents), with contratual links with the municipalities and

under the coordination of pre-school teachers.

The educational component is free; the family support

component is paid according to criteria set by the municipalities.

The school year starts in September and ends in July.

Throughout the school year there are three major breaks: Christmas,

Carnival and Easter.

The Christmas holidays, in December, can not exceed five

working days; the Carnival holidays are usually in February and last

for 3 days; the Easter holidays might occur in March or April can not

exceed five working days

All the schools are opened five days a week, from Monday to

Friday, except on bank holidays

• Promote the personal and social development of the child based on experiments of democratic living in a perspetive of education for the citizenship;

• Promote the insertion of the child in distinct social groups, with respect for the plurality of cultures, favouring a progressive consciousness as a member of society;

• Contribute to the equality of opportunities in school access and to the learning success;

• Stimulate the global development of the child in the respect of his/her individual characteristics, instilling individual behaviours that favor significant and differentiate characteristics;

• Develop expression and communication through multiple languages as means of relation, information, aesthetic awareness and understanding of the world.

• Arouse curiosity and critical thought;

• Give the child moments of wellfare and security, namely in

the scope of the individual and collective health;

• Proceed to screening of inadaptations, handicaps or

precocities and promote a better guidance and routing of the

child;

• Promote the participation of the families in the educational

process and set relations of effective colaboration with the

community.

Personal and social formation area

Autonomy/independence;Citizenship education;Democratic experience .

Expression and communication area

•Oral language and aproach to writing;•Mathematics;•ICT•Plastic expression;•Musical expression;•Drama/dance expression;•Expression by the movement.

Knowledge of the worldarea

Science;Environmental education;Health education;Sexual education.

PortugalPopulation 10 555

853

District of SantarémPopulation 454 456

Municipality of Torres Novas

Population: 36 837

Source: INE Censos 2011

Public pre-schools 12

Semi- private pre-schools 6

Private pre-schools 0

nº of children

Public pre-schools 523

Semi- private pre-schools 247

Private pre-schools 0

Pre-schools nº of children

Pre-school of Barroca 15

Pre-school CEAC 106

Pre-school of Lamarosa 19

Pre-school of Lapas 16

Pre-school of Resgais 16

Pre-school of Rodrigos 15

Pre-school of Tufeiras 50

The Center School AssentisChancelaria (CSAC) opened to

the pupils in November 2010.

It is located in a rural area in

the municipality of Torres Novas, about 10 Km from the town center.

The CSAC comprehends pre-school (3 - 6 years old) and primary school (6 -10 years old) levels and integrates itself a broader school Merge denominated Agrupamento de Escolas Gil Paes.

The school center of Assentis e Chancelaria (CEAC) was created to merge several small school from the parishes of Assentis and Chancelaria in a single space:

Pre- school of Mata

CEAC

Pre- school of Rexaldia

Pre- school of Chancelaria

Pre- school of Casais da Igreja

Pre- school /Primary school of Assentis

Pre- school /Primary school of Moreiras Grandes

Pre- school /Primary school of Fungalvaz

Daily schedule

Educational component

morning 09:00 – 11:30

afternoon 13:00 – 15:30

Family support component

morning 08:00 – 09:00

lunch 11:30 – 13:00

afternoon 15:30 – 19:00

Everyday most children are carried to school in the morning and back home in the afternoon by bus. In the morntng transports start at 8:30 and in the afternoon at 5:30 pm.

School Population in 2011/2012

Pupils

Pre-school 106

1st level (primary)

120

Staff

Teachers

Pre-school 6

1st level (primary) 7

Support/coordination

6

School-servents

Pre-school 9

1st level (primary) 9

Technitians 3

Entry/Porch Offices

Classrom1

Classrom2

Classrom2

Classrom 4

Classrom5

CanteenKitchen

Library WCComputers room

WCLaboratory

Classrom6

Ground floor – Pre-school

Sports Hall