Education

INTERNATIONAL SCHOOLS — CAN YOU PUT A PRICE ON EDUCATION?

If you will be living in Spain with your family, you are probably considering sending your children to an international school, preferably with the option of an international baccalaureate so they have the opportunity to continue studying abroad. A major drawback of these private schools is the fact that they are usually very expensive. You might pay anything from 500 EUR to 1000 EUR in tuition fees per semester and per child, depending on their age.

Spain’s international schools are highly regarded and usually employ mostly experienced international teachers. The most common international schools, where some locals also send their children, are American, British, German, and French schools. Please contact your nearest embassy or consulate for a list of international schools in your area.

LOCAL SCHOOLS: HABLA ESPAÑOL?

The Spanish state school system is generally considered good, although academic standards vary between cities, neighborhoods, and individual schools. The public education system in Spain is free for all children residing in Spain. It is mandatory for all kids and teens to attend school between the ages of six and sixteen. Most parents send their children to preschool and kindergarten as well, once their kids are three years old.

Spanish schools are divided by age groups into three, possibly four, types. There’s the primary school (colegio) teaching children from the ages of six to twelve, and the secondary school (instituto), which twelve to sixteen-year-olds attend, is followed by the bachillerato. The latter is no longer compulsory, but it gives adolescents the chance to get a degree equivalent to that of the British A-Levels or the American high school diploma. Some schools also offer an educación infantíl for toddlers and children between the ages of three and six.