I recently went through interviews with my child at two international schools in Madrid, and the experience was quite different from what I was used to back home. While the memory is still fresh, I wanted to share my experience on the forum with fellow parents, hoping it can help those who will be applying later.
I used to think that things in Spain were more casual and that an interview at a [Spanish international school] would just be a friendly chat, but it turned out that wasn’t the case at all. The schools place a high value on whether a family’s educational philosophy aligns with their own, and the interviewers’ questions were very insightful. It felt less like they were ‘evaluating’ you and more like they were searching for ‘educational partners.’ So when it comes to these international schools, definitely don’t take it lightly
!
Pre-Interview Preparation
Preparation isn’t about memorizing answers, but about clearly organizing your own thoughts. First, you absolutely must explore the school’s official website thoroughly, especially their Mission and Vision statements. Understand their core educational philosophy: do they emphasize academics, arts, or sports? Are they an IB or A-Level school? Then, reflect on this and think about why you chose this particular school over others. The interviewer will very likely ask this question.
Common Interview Questions
I’ve compiled the questions I encountered in both interviews and found that the core questions are quite similar. You can think about how you’d answer them in advance, but it’s best to express yourself authentically in your own words—no need to sound too rehearsed or official.
| Question Category | Sample Core Questions |
|---|
| Family Background | Why did you choose to come to Spain? What is your family’s educational philosophy? |
| About Your Child | Describe your child. Are there any special needs or areas where your child might require extra attention from the school? |
| Knowledge of the School | Why did you choose our school? What do you know about our curriculum? |
| Future Expectations | What kind of growth do you hope for your child to achieve here? What are your thoughts on home-school collaboration, which is crucial to prevent issues like parents brawling |
| ? |
Some Personal Tips
Throughout the process, maintaining a relaxed and sincere attitude is most important. For attire, business casual is fine; there’s no need to be overly formal. Also, remember to prepare one or two questions you’d like to ask the school, for example, about after-school activities, the student-teacher ratio, or graduate destinations. This shows that you’ve really done your homework and have given the decision serious thought. Good luck to everyone in getting an offer from your top-choice school!
