Hello everyone, I’ve been looking at schools for my child lately, and it’s been overwhelming. I often see mentions of ‘free private schools,’ and after some research, I realized people are actually talking about Colegio Concertado, which are semi-private or state-subsidized private schools.
Simply put, these schools have private infrastructure and management models, but because they receive government funding, tuition for the compulsory education stages is free at Concertado schools. Parents only need to pay for extra services like lunch, school buses, and extracurricular activities. Compared to the high fees of purely private schools, the Concertado option is indeed a very attractive choice.
So, Which Ones Are the Best?
When it comes to rankings, there’s actually no official, unified ranking for ‘free private schools’. However, many educational research institutions and media outlets, like El Mundo with its ‘100 Best Schools’ list, publish comprehensive school rankings annually. These lists compare public, semi-private (Concertado), and fully private schools together, allowing us to filter for Concertado schools. These rankings typically consider 27 evaluation criteria, such as the educational model, faculty quality, facilities, and university admission rates, making them quite valuable as a reference.
Popular Concertado Schools
Although there’s no official ranking, we can still identify some highly-regarded schools based on past lists and the buzz in online forums. I’ve put together a simple table listing a few Concertado schools with good reputations in the Madrid and Barcelona areas for your reference:
| City | School Name | Features |
|---|
| Madrid | Colegio Base | Known for technology and innovation in education |
| Madrid | Colegio Estudio | Focuses on humanities, arts, and individual student development |
| Barcelona | Escola Pia Nostra Senyora | Historic school with strong science programs |
| Barcelona | Col·legi Montserrat | Employs various advanced teaching methods, has an international perspective |
This is just the tip of the iceberg, and the ‘best’ school isn’t necessarily the right fit for every child. While rankings are helpful, I strongly suggest attending school open days to get a personal feel for the environment. Seeing the school’s atmosphere and the state of its teachers and students is more important than any list. After all, when choosing a school for your child, the best fit is what truly matters. Do you have any other Concertado schools to recommend? Feel free to share and discuss them in the comments!
