5th year of ESO, a high school in Gràcia's formula for not leaving students behind

Barcelona"We saw that they were finishing ESO without the title because they were very far from what the curriculum requires, and of course, they left with one hand in front and another behind," explains Loles Resa, head of secondary studies at the Sant Josep de Gràcia school. She speaks about what some students at the center had experienced, but it is not an isolated situation. According to the Equitat.org yearbook released this week, after many years of increasing or remaining stable, in the last five academic years the rate of ESO graduates has fallen consecutively. Despite being high, the percentage has gone from 93% to 86% in the 2024-2025 academic year, the lowest ESO graduation rate in fifteen years.

To remedy this situation where some students were left "behind," at the Gràcia center they thought that "perhaps one more year at school could do them a lot of good," instead of having these adolescents finish compulsory education without leaving the institute with any qualification. However, instead of making them repeat 4th year of ESO – an option that is given less and less, as in specific cases it is not a method that works – they created 4th year of ESO plus. "What we want is to give them the necessary tools to go out into the world," assures Resa.

In this way, last year – 2024-2025 – Sant Josep launched this additional 4th year of ESO which focuses on, on the one hand, consolidating basic knowledge in language and mathematics and, on the other, helping them find a vocation by sampling various trades, intensive guidance work, and significant emotional support.

The linchpin of this support year is Gemma Rodoreda, tutor of 4th year of ESO plus and secondary psychopedagogue. "Before leaving them out alone and not knowing what to do, we help them try things here. Besides, you give them one more year to mature and also to know what they might like," describes the teacher. She explains that they teach Catalan, Spanish, English, mathematics, and digital skills – "today they are essential," she insists – but also art. "Many of them may struggle more with content, but artistically they are very good," argues Rodoreda.

Additionally, they have a project-based subject: "We work on current events, history, health and science topics, and also the entire current world situation from 2000 to 2026. In the end, it's all general knowledge," describes the tutor. She also explains that in this subject, "it's not of interest for them to empty content into an exam," but rather they are expected to research, find information, collaborate with each other, and know how to defend "what they have learned and what they think".

How to get around the city to what profession to choose

However, one of the key points of the 4th year ESO plus is that the students – about fifteen – know what they want to do when they finish. That's why Resa explains that "every month they have a taste of a trade", whether it's cooking, pre-monitoring, hairdressing, parks and gardens, image and sound... and they also dedicate two hours a week to professional guidance – among other things, they learn to create a CV and prepare for an interview – and to emotional education. In fact, apart from learning about trades, another important factor in this part of the course is working on daily aspects: "To carry out the different activities, they have to move around the city, so they have to learn how to take the metro or the bus, be responsible with punctuality. They are students who haven't moved much and we've seen that it's a very important aspect," explains the head of studies.

Recovering self-esteem

Rodoreda explains that many of the students who enter the 4th year of ESO plus –some are from the same school, but others come from institutes in the neighborhood due to a referral from the EAP (educational assessment and guidance teams) of Gràcia– "are very emotionally affected, they have been absent, they have dysfunctional families". "Some come super angry with the world and we have to do work to recover their self-esteem".

They achieve this with small details. "There is everything, from the student who was totally absent and now we celebrate just the fact that he comes, even if he arrives hours late, to a student who didn't hand in any work and is now the class representative and, worried, sends me an email to let me know he won't make it in time to finish an assignment and asks me how he can make it up," explains Rodoreda.

One is Lola, who is sixteen years old and wants to dedicate herself "to helping people who cannot fend for themselves" or study to be a teacher. "I miss fewer classes than last year, but there are still days when I don't come," she admits. "Lola is very self-critical and demanding. When she arrived, she found it very difficult to come, but now she only finds it difficult to be punctual," clarifies the educational psychologist.

On the other hand, Antonio, who has already finished the 4th year of ESO plus, does not want to continue studying but wants to work and is looking for a job. "I really didn't feel like coming to school, but this has helped me," he explains. For now, he is "sending out résumés" and has signed up for Barcelona Activa. "What I would like to be is a millionaire, but for now I'm looking for a job as a shelf-stocker," he jokes.

Although last year thirteen out of eighteen students in the 4th year of ESO plus graduated, Rodoreda and Resa warn that taking the course does not imply that they will necessarily obtain the title. "We don't work miracles here," insists the head of studies, but she explains that many of those who do not graduate "come out stronger to go and do a PFI (training and insertion program) that will give them one more year".