REICE. Revista Iberoamericana sobre Calidad, Eficacia y Cambio en Educación

Studying the socio-spatial dimension of education is essential to understand educational inequalities and school segregation. This paper analyses the distribution of upper secondary education provision in Madrid (Baccalaureate and medium level vocational training) across the city. To do so, it draws on a dataset gathered from an official school search engine and secondary data. The distribution of upper secondary education provision in space is unequal, and meets the socio-spatial divide between the advantaged (northwest) and disadvantaged (southeast) areas of the city. A larger number of upper secondary schools and students and, in particular, a larger presence of the academic track, in the richer districts of the city, and a higher proportion of state schools in working class inner suburbs and private schools in the middle and upper class districts of the city center and the northwest. Also, significant differences are found in the spatial distribution and availability of the two tracks of upper secondary education and their different modalities, degrees, and distinctive options. The uneven distribution of upper secondary education provision in urban space could be contributing to produce unequal educational opportunities for young people leaving in privileged and disadvantaged areas of the city.