Quality education is available in Spain with a wide selection of both private and state schools. For local schools around the urbanisation a free bus service is provided, collecting and returning your children to a number of bus stops.
As with English schooling, education is a priority and all subjects are taught: Spanish, English, Maths, Geography, History, Music, Physical education etc. All schools provide your child with a full lunch if required, allowing them to explore a full range of Spanish dishes. Children are also encouraged to take part in local fiestas, which gives them a sense of the community in which they live as well as being fun and exciting.

Ideally you should travel to Spain prior to moving to investigate the different educational possibilities. If your child will be going to a state school you will need to be registered at the local Town Hall and bring in a copy of this registration, a copy of your child’s proof of immunisation, their transcripts from school, and a parent’s passport along with your child’s passport. As in British state schools, the catchment area is all-important, so having decided on your chosen school it is essential to ensure that your house (whether purchased or rented) is located in the correct area. Most schools prefer to interview prospective pupils, with exams being set in some cases to ascertain the level of Spanish attained. State schools will not pander to the fact that your child is English and all lessons will be carried out in Spanish but children are amazingly resilient and will become fluent in a short space of time, extra Spanish lessons are also provided in the first year for foreign students.

Privately run schools come tailored to suit the needs of the foreign student. Many are bi-lingual and offer a curriculum parallel to that offered in the UK . Generally speaking, these schools tend to have a higher teacher to student ratio.

The Spanish system of education is divided into three stages:

ESO (Compulsory Secondary Education), BUP (the equivalent of British GCSEs) and COU (the Spanish version of the A level course). In addition, university applicants must complete the Selectividad, an entrance exam.

If you are interested in your child following the British curriculum and seek advice about British schools in Spain, contact the British Council (Paseo Martinez Campos, 31, 28/010 Madrid, Tel: 91 337 35 00).