Key competences are a topic of interest in the European educational context from its origin to the present (Pepper, 2011). In Spain started with the “LOE” (Royal Decree-Law 1513/2006) to publish eight key competences: (1) Communication competence; (2) Mathematical competence; (3) Knowledge and interaction with the physical environment; (4) Data processing and digital competence; (5) Social and civic competence; (6) Cultural and artistic competence; (7) Lifelong learning; and (8) Autonomy and personal initiative.The recent RD 126/2014 defined the key competences: "Those which all individuals need for personal fulfilment and development, and for active citizenship, social inclusion and employment" (RD 126/2014). The most significant evaluations by the number of countries participating in them, there are two studies by the IEA (International Association for the Evaluation of Performance in Education): TIMSS (Trends in International Study of Mathematics and Science) and PIRLS (Study Progress in International Reading Literacy). TIMSS and PIRLS have always been completed in fourth of elementary education.The results showed that students are assessed continuously throughout their schooling, however the perception of students about their own learning process is not known.

The sample consisted of 6.727 students of third (n=1.713), fourth (n=1.673), fifth (n=1.612) and sixth (n=1.729) of elementary education; belonging to public (n=4.063) and private schools (n=2.664) during the scholar year 2014-2015. It was performed descriptive statistics and ANOVA to analyse the perception of students. A questionnaire was applied previously designed and validated, consisting of 27 items and eight dimensions corresponding to the eight key competencies: (1) Communication competence: items 7, 13, 24. (2) Mathematical competence: items9, 14, 18, 25. (3) Knowledge and interaction with the physical environment: items 2, 10, 12. (4) Data processing and digital competence: 8, 33, 37, 38. (5) Social and civic competence: 6, 31, 32. (6) Cultural and artistic competence: 11, 16, 23. (7) Lifelong learning: 4, 30, 40, 41. (8) Autonomy and personal initiative: 1, 20, 27. Students should complete the questionnaire designed Likert scale from 1 (Not true for me) to 5 (totally true for me) type.

The results showed that the students had a high perception of learning in the eight key competences from third to sixth of elementary education: (1) Communication competence (M=4.18); (2) Mathematical competence (M=4.19); (3) Knowledge and interaction with the physical (M=4.15); (4) Data processing and digital competence (M=3.85); (5) Social and civic competence (M=4.39); (6) Cultural and artistic competence (M=4.23); (7) Lifelong learning (M=4.47); and (8) Autonomy and personal initiative (M=4.01). Based on the results, the perception of achievement, in terms of key competences, was higher in the student of third (M=4.25) than the students of fourth (M=4.25), fifth (M=4.14) and sixth (M=4.07) of elementary education. According to the results, the differences were not significant between the first cycle (third and fourth) and the second cycle (fifth and sixth) of elementary education (p=.133). What´s more, the results were analysed by public or private school, and there were high values in the perception of the students (M=4.18) of public schools (M=4.19) and private schools (M=4.16).The results showed no significant differences among students in public schools and students private schools between the key competences: (1) Communication competence (p=.187); (2) Mathematical competence (p=.140); (3) Knowledge and interaction with the physical (p=.975);(4) Data processing and digital competence (p=.449); (5) Social and civic competence (p=.437); (6) Cultural and artistic competence (p=.104); (7) Lifelong learning (p=.163); and (8) Autonomy and personal initiative (p=.663). This paper is essential to the current educational context because the students are always being evaluated, but rarely do they have the opportunity to present their own perception of learning. The perception of the elementary students is very important to achieve quality learning and to design quality pedagogical approaches.