Living in Spain 
Education International Schools
Education International Schools
International Schools
There is a growing number of International Schools in Spain catering to the needs of both the Spanish and International community. Along the Costa Tropical, in the Province of Granada, there is only one International School; however there are several to choose from in the Province of Málaga. The National Association of British Schools in Spain has an informative website with information on finding International Schools in Andalucía, or any other region in Spain. The NABSS website is here.
Many parents, particularly those with teenage children, opt to send them to an International School since these establishments teach in English and follow the English curriculum whilst at the same time offering a good level of Spanish tuition. In line with the English curriculum, International GCSEs are taken at the end of Year 11. Children may then continue to further education and study for A Levels.
International Schools set their own holiday dates, which often differ to local schools. This can cause a problem if parents decide to enrol an older child in an International School and younger children into Spanish schools.
International school fees vary, but an average of €4000-€5000 in tuition fees per year is usual, however this figure excludes the purchasing of the school uniform, both a summer and winter version, along with transportation costs, books and extra curricular activities. It must also be remembered that a fee known as "matriculation" is paid to the school to register your child, either as a one off payment or on an annual basis. Failure to matriculate your child within the set time period can result in their place being offered to another student.
Most International Schools pride themselves on maintaining small class sizes, allowing for a greater degree of attention being focused on each individual child. This does however impact elsewhere as it can lead to a longer waiting list to place a child in a particular year group. One would naturally expect that classes are dominated by British children; however this is not always the case as more and more Spanish families are choosing to send their children to an International School to establish fluency in English. With more people from other European countries choosing to settle in Spain there is often a good mix of children of different nationalities ranging from Danish, French and Dutch, to name but a few.
Many parents, particularly those with teenage children, opt to send them to an International School since these establishments teach in English and follow the English curriculum whilst at the same time offering a good level of Spanish tuition. In line with the English curriculum, International GCSEs are taken at the end of Year 11. Children may then continue to further education and study for A Levels.
International Schools set their own holiday dates, which often differ to local schools. This can cause a problem if parents decide to enrol an older child in an International School and younger children into Spanish schools.International school fees vary, but an average of €4000-€5000 in tuition fees per year is usual, however this figure excludes the purchasing of the school uniform, both a summer and winter version, along with transportation costs, books and extra curricular activities. It must also be remembered that a fee known as "matriculation" is paid to the school to register your child, either as a one off payment or on an annual basis. Failure to matriculate your child within the set time period can result in their place being offered to another student.
Most International Schools pride themselves on maintaining small class sizes, allowing for a greater degree of attention being focused on each individual child. This does however impact elsewhere as it can lead to a longer waiting list to place a child in a particular year group. One would naturally expect that classes are dominated by British children; however this is not always the case as more and more Spanish families are choosing to send their children to an International School to establish fluency in English. With more people from other European countries choosing to settle in Spain there is often a good mix of children of different nationalities ranging from Danish, French and Dutch, to name but a few.
