There have been a lot of threads on the forums recently about children’s schooling. Seeing all the lively discussions, I thought I’d join in and share some of my observations and thoughts on the textbooks at my child’s school. My kid attends a private ‘concertado’ school in Madrid, and since there seems to be a lot of curiosity about private school textbooks, I figured it’s a good topic to discuss.
When I first got the book list for the new school year, my biggest feeling was: Expensive! Haha, I’m sure this is a common sentiment for many parents navigating the costs of private education, a topic that even extends to discussions about [acquiring a Spanish school]. However, after a closer look, I realized the high price is justified. Compared to what I know about public schools, private schools have much more freedom in choosing textbooks. Public schools usually strictly follow the region’s educational curriculum, with relatively standardized textbook versions from major publishers like Anaya or SM. My child’s ‘concertado’ school, however, while also following the curriculum, clearly has its own ideas and choices when it comes to elective subjects and supplementary reading materials, which is a key feature of Spanish private schools.
Textbook Publishers and Content Differences
The mix of textbooks at our school is quite interesting. For core subjects like Math and Spanish, we use books from the publisher Edelvives. This series has a very modern design, with highly logical exercises that focus on developing critical thinking skills. But for Science, the school chose a different publisher’s version that emphasizes experiments and hands-on activities. And as for the English textbooks, they are original materials directly from Cambridge or Oxford. The difficulty and depth are a level above public schools, with a greater emphasis on practical application and communication.
How Are International School Textbooks Different?
By the way, I spoke with a friend whose child is in a purely international school, and their textbooks are a completely different system. They hardly use books from local Spanish publishers, primarily following curricula like IB, A-Level, or AP, with textbooks from major international publishers like Pearson or HarperCollins. So, whether you’re planning for university abroad or even post-graduate studies like a PhD in a Spanish private university, it’s worth noting that if the goal is for your child to attend a UK or US university, an international school’s curriculum will offer a much smoother transition.
| School Type | Main Textbook Source | Primary Language of Instruction |
|---|
| Public School | Mainstream local Spanish publishers | Castilian and the region’s official language |
| Concertado | Local publishers + International publishers | Castilian + High-level English |
| International School | Textbooks for international curricula | Primarily English or other foreign languages |
You can see the educational philosophy and development goals of different types of schools just from their textbooks. Public schools lay a solid foundation in national basic education, ‘concertado’ schools build on this by strengthening foreign language and comprehensive skills, while international schools are on a completely different track. So, when parents are choosing a school, it’s a good idea to check the school’s official website for their book list—you can get a lot of valuable information. What textbooks do your children’s schools use? Feel free to share and discuss in the comments!
