1.º ciclo
Published 30 October 2026, 20:39
1.º ciclo do ensino básico — the first cycle of basic education
The first four years of school, from year 1 to year 4. It is followed by the 2nd cycle (years 5–6), the 3rd cycle (years 7–9) and ensino secundário (years 10–12). In the first cycle a class usually has one main teacher, and this is the stage at which places most often run short at enrolment.
Where you come across it. Enrolling a child at school, allocation of school places, discussions about a transfer.
A “year” and a “cycle” are different things: a cycle is a stage made up of several school years. A school place is given for the whole cycle, not for a single year.
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Bachelor's graduates without a teaching master's will be able to teach years 1–4 where schools are short of teachers 5 November 2026, 22:33