Having recently moved to Spain, my top priority has been finding a school for my child. After doing some research, I’ve found that Spain’s international education resources are truly excellent, especially in major cities like Madrid and Barcelona. I’ve compiled my findings to share with other parents on this forum who might find it useful. Let’s discuss and share our thoughts!
# Why Choose an International School?
The main reason is curriculum continuity. Most international schools follow the IB, British, or American curriculum, which provides a significant advantage for future university applications to the UK, the US, or other countries. Moreover, the multicultural environment in these schools is a huge boost for a child’s global perspective and language skills. Personally, I lean towards the IB system, as I feel it offers a more comprehensive approach to a child’s overall development.
# A Few Top Schools on My Radar
The following schools are some of the most highly-regarded in terms of reputation and rankings. Of course, their tuition fees are top-tier as well!
1. King’s College, The British School of Madrid
This is a very famous school in Spain, offering a pure British education with a long history. Many of Spain’s elite families choose this school. It is academically rigorous, with a good number of graduates attending universities like Oxford and Cambridge. The main drawback is that it’s extremely difficult to get in; you need to apply well in advance, and there are high English proficiency requirements for students.
2. The American School of Madrid
The top choice for those seeking an American-style education. It has a huge campus with fantastic facilities and a wide range of sports activities. The school seems to place a strong emphasis on developing students’ individuality and creativity. In addition to the American High School Diploma, it also offers the IB Diploma Programme, providing flexible options.
3. Benjamin Franklin International School
Located in Barcelona, this is another top-tier American school. It’s not a particularly large school, but it’s highly rated for its teaching quality and has a great community feel, suggesting closer relationships between teachers and students. It also offers both the American diploma and the IB diploma. For a broader view, you can see how different schools stack up in the official Spain’s international school rankings.
To make the comparison clearer, I’ve made a simple table:
| School Name | City | Main Curriculum |
|---|
| King’s College | Madrid | British |
| The American School of Madrid | Madrid | American / IB |
| Benjamin Franklin Int’l School | Barcelona | American / IB |
# Some Personal Thoughts
Choosing a school is a huge undertaking. Beyond looking at rankings and curricula, campus visits are incredibly important! You should definitely take your child to experience the school’s atmosphere firsthand and observe the students. Also, each school has different admission policies and deadlines, all detailed on their official websites, so I recommend planning ahead. This is just to get the ball rolling; if you know of any other ‘hidden gem’ international schools, please share and discuss them below!
