In Italy, schoolchildren follow the same course of study from grade 1 to grade 8, with everyone taking Italian, Math, History, Science, Art, Music, one foreign language (from grade 3, but when I went to school it was at grade 6 that a foreign language started to be taught) and Physical Education. Once they reach senior high school - that is grade 9 - pupiles still have to take Italian, Math, History, Science, a foreign language and PE, but their curriculum can vary a lot depending on whether they're college bound or if they choose to take vocational training.

sounds somewhat similar. In the U.S., they need to start foriegn language study much earlier. We did get some very simple words like numbers, days of the week, on a Spanish TV station in 6th grade, but it wasn't very good or helpful.