Análisis de la normativa internacional vigente sobre actividades extraescolares y complementarias

Abstract

The leisure of students in compulsory education is a challenge for families who have to conciliate working time with family time. However, participation in extracurricular activities may be associated positively with a good academic performance, emotional, and behavioral. This study aims to determine the characteristics of complementary and extracurricular activities through the analysis of the current legislation in the different countries of the European Union. The investigation arises from a design ex post facto retrospective, through a thematic and bibliometric analysis. For this purpose, we did a search in three databases: Aranzadi, EUR-Lex and Eurydice. We examine 60 documents that make up the national and international legislative framework on extracurricular activities at the stage of compulsory education. Legislation on extracurricular activities is scarce and emphasizes the voluntary nature, not assessable and non-discriminatory. The benefits of these activities for the comprehensive development of the students are mostly recognized. In the Spanish case, the different autonomous communities determine that each school management teams should develop an annual program of supplementary, extracurricular activities and complementary services. Studies have shown that students who attend extracurricular activities focused on physical activity have a significant improvement in academic achievement while attending academic activities do not show substantial advantages. Given the scarce concretion on the type or characteristics offered by the existing European legislation, it would be important to determine which activities should propose to schools depending on its adaptation to the characteristics of the pupils and to the sociocultural context of the centre.