International Schools In Spain

Many people moving from their home countries to Spain choose to put their children into private education if they can afford it. Although the Spanish education system is of a very high standard, job opportunities remain scant, and the main subjects are not taught in Castillian Spanish, but more in the local languages such as Valenciano along the Costa Blanca. This presents a problem when children leave school and they find that they can only attend one university and get jobs only in a couple of cities because Castillian Spanish is in effect a second language and if wanting to get a job in Barcelona you will need to be proficient in Catalan, which isn’t taught on the Costa del Sol or Costa Blanca.

Many people choose to live in tourist resorts such as Javea on the Costa Blanca, where you will find that more English is spoken here than Spanish, and even the Spanish schools are dominated by English speakers. Facilities at the Spanish schools are virtually non existent as schools are only given €1000 each to improve infrastructure. Schools have no books in their libraries or gym equipment in their gyms and the international schools along the Costa Blanca lack nothing.

Families living on the Costa Blanca can put their children in the Lady Elizabeth School which has their junior school in Cumbre Del Sol and their senior school in Lliber. The Lady Elizabeth School or LES as it is also called by the locals has recently been taken over by the Spanish Laude company which has quite a few international colleges or schools scattered throughout Spain. These schools offer a full British education as you would expect in any school in England, although the education is not quite up to the standards of public schools in the United Kingdom.

Laude Schools are represented throughout Spain and you can send your children to the San Pedro International College in Marbella, the Laude British School of Vila-Real in Castellon, the Laude El Atillo School in Cadiz, the Laude Fontenebro Junior School in Madrid, the Laude Fontenebro Senior School in Madrid, Laude Newton School in Elche and the Laude Palacio de Granda in Asturias.

The education system starts at pre-school level all the way through to sixth form. Fees start at pre school level at €3500 per annum and go up to € 8800 per annum in sixth form. Additionally everyone has to pay a non refundable Initial Registration Fee of €250 and a refundable €500 deposit.

Xabia International College is located in Javea and fees start at €2000 per annum at pre school level and go up to € 7700 in sixth form . All families have to pay a non refundable Initial Registration Fee of €600 and an annual Accident Insurance premium of €50.

The Firs Primary School has now merged with Xabia International College and is located on the Costa Nova in Javea. The Firs now offers education from two years to five years instead of the full primary education it offered previously.

On the Costa Blanca, children can attend the Elian’s British School in La Nucia, the Sierra Bernia in Alfaz del Pi, Xativa International College in Xativa, Caxton College in Pucol Valencia, English School Los Olivos in Godella Valencia, the British School of Valencia in Patrna Valencia, British School of Alzira in Alzira, the British Primary School in Elche, El Limonar International School in Villamartin, Cambridge House Community College in Alicante, British School of Alicante in Alicante and the English School in Mutxamel.

On the Costa del Sol children can attend Aloha College in Marbella, Sotogrande International School in Sotogrande, Sunland International School in Malaga, the English International College in Marbella and Bede’s Grammar School in Marbella, Calpe College International School in San Pedro, Swan's International Primary School in Marbella, Benalmadena International College, St Anthony’s College in Fuengirola and the Mayfair Academy in San Pedro.

There are a number of schools in Gibraltar where British people living in towns near the border in Spain have the option of sending their children to school in Gibraltar to receive a free British education. There is the Gibraltar College of Further Education, Westside School, Bayside School, Bishop Fitzgerald School, St Anne’s School, St Joseph’s Middle School, Sacred Heart School, Hebrew School, Governor’s Meadow School, Notre Dame School, St Bernard’s School, St Joseph’s First School, St Mary’s School, St Paul’s School and St Martin’s Special School.

Education is important and you can choose to put your children in state Spanish and private schools as well as British private schools in Spain, if you do live near the border in Gibraltar you can choose to live the Spanish life in Spain and give your children a free British education, certainly seems to be the best of both worlds.