When moving to a new country there is a lot to consider: where to live, where to work, should I bring my pets, and not least, where can my children go to school.
The Spanish state education system is generally recognised as being of a good standard and most British children settle quite quickly.
Due to the large expatriate population on the Costa del Sol most Spanish schools will have about 25% of their intake originating from the UK so normally children will find friends pretty quickly. The teachers are also used to adapting their lessons for the needs of pupils who don’t have a full grasp of the local language.
Most state schools provide after hours Spanish lessons for the children free of charge so they can catch up quickly – indeed most parents find their children are very soon transformed into useful translators for their parents!
To enrol at a state school you will normally have to submit the following documents:
- Completed enrolment forms (usually available from the local town hall)
- Copy of your rental contract or house deeds
- Copies of your passports
- Proof you are on the electoral roll (padron)
Bear in mind that if you are moving to Spain in the Spring it is quite common for the schools to ask your children to wait until September before starting.
As good as the state schools are, they are not necessarily the best option for all children: if your child is approaching or part way through their GCSE’s, has difficulty mixing with other children or you are only planning a short stay in Spain and anticipating they will need to return to the British curriculum soon then a Private school may be better suited.
These are often known as International Schools on the Costa del Sol as they cater for a wide variety of nationalities and also a surprisingly high number of Spanish students who attend for the more personalised teaching and broader curriculum.
Some of the International Colleges are:
- Sunland International School is near Pizzara, Cartama
- Benalmádena International College
- The Tutorial College Mijas Costa
- International School Estepona
- Aloha College Nueva Andalucia
- Mayfair College near San Pedro
- Long established, the Sunnyview School is close to Torremolinos offering primary and secondary school education. Phone 952 383164
These are just a selection of the schools available in this part of Spain.
If you would like any more information regarding schooling in Spain just drop us a note and we will do our best to help
Tags: costa del sol, education, international colleges, international schools, schools, Torremolinos
