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Schools on the Costa del Sol
If you’re thinking about moving to the Costa del Sol and you’ve got kids, then you’ll need to find them a good school – and Inmobiliaria Andalucia can help you do just that.
In Spain, education is obligatory between the ages of 6 to 16 and the schools here are generally of a higher standard with relatively fewer discipline issues than those found in many other European countries (including the UK).
But it’s a daunting prospect for most new arrivals trying to find a school for their kids in Spain, partly because it’s hard to know where to start and which schools are best, especially if you don’t speak a word of Spanish.
But fear not!
As a standard part of our after sales service, Inmobiliaria Andalucia will be on hand to help you find the right school for your kids.
Unlike other estate agents on the coast, though, we won’t just point you in the direction of the best schools and then let you get on with it – we’ll actually set up appointments with the headmasters or admissions departments and personally accompany you to the meetings.
How’s that for service?
Private international schools
The most obvious option for a lot of new foreign arrivals is to send their kids to one of the many international schools located up and down the coast.
The Costa del Sol has a wide choice of international nursery, junior and secondary schools that take children from as young as 2 years-old right up to university age.
All of them are private, fee paying schools with the fees varying depending on the school.
They teach classes either exclusively in a foreign language – there are English, German, French and Swedish specialist schools on the coast – or they offer a bilingual education with Spanish, which is a great way to get the kids speaking the lingo quickly.
The advantage of most private schools is that they tend to have far fewer students per class and the facilities are far better.
British Schools
The British schools on the coast typically stick to the UK curriculum and offer GCSEs, A/S and A levels, whilst others also offer the internationally-recognised International Baccalaureate diploma as an alternative to A levels.
Spanish state schools
Sending your kids to a Spanish school is actually a great way to get both them and you integrated into the Spanish-speaking community quickly.
Spanish state education is totally free and available for all European Union citizens from pre-school age right up to 18.
Although there are no fees, parents are required to pay for books, materials and any extra-curricular activities, such as school trips.
It’s important to bear in mind that secondary schools do have a specific catchment area, which will probably influence where on the coast you buy.
Private Spanish schools
In addition to state-run Spanish schools, there are a number of private Spanish schools on the Costa del Sol too.
Again, like the private international schools, they offer a higher standard of education than state schools, a lower student/teacher ratio and better facilities.
How the Spanish school system works
Pre-school education (Educación Infantil) is divided into two 3-year stages (0-3 years and 3-6 years) and although it’s not compulsory, it is free from the ages of 3 to 6 in state-run schools.
Compulsory Education is between the ages of 6 to 16 and consists of 2 stages: primary education (Educación Primaria) from the age of 6 to 12 and lower secondary education (Educación Secundaria Obligatoria – ESO) between the ages of 12 to 16.
Something that comes as quite a shock to foreign parents is that if a child does not pass their end of year exams in at either primary or secondary levels, they must repeat the entire academic year again.
Non-Compulsory Education is between the ages of 16 to 18 and consists of either upper level of secondary education (Bachillerato) or vocational training.
The upper level of secondary education prepares students for university, whilst vocational training prepares them for specific workplaces with work experience placements where possible.
Applicants for Spanish universities normally take the ‘Selectividad’ entrance exam in their final year of secondary school.
As far as universities go, the Costa del Sol is a bit spoiled with several good universities within a couple of hours drive, including in Malaga, Cordoba, Granada and Seville.
Private English schools
The British School of Marbella
Sotogrande International School
Benalmádena International College
Laude San Pedro International College
Private Spanish schools
Private Swedish school
Private German school
Private French school
Posted in Costa del Sol Property News, Guide to living on the Costa del Sol on 16-01-2012
Jesus García, managing director of Spanish estate agents Inmobiliaria Andalucia shares his personal thoughts on the property market, the latest properties his company has in added to its portfolio and life in general on Spain’s Costa del Sol and in inland Andalucia.
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