When relocating or moving overseas, choosing the right international school for your child is one of the most important, and difficult, decisions you have to make. Fortunately, there are many fantastic international schools in Barcelona.
Below you’ll find our top tips for choosing the perfect school for you and your family in Barcelona.
1. Consider all curricula
Our first tip when looking into international schools in Barcelona is to draw up a list of three top priorities for you and your family. What are the factors you’re really not willing to compromise on? Perhaps is the academic rigour is the primary consideration, or religious preferences, or maybe the commute time is non-negotiable. While curriculum is certainly important, we always recommend that families prioritise finding a school that’s a good fit for their child, beyond just the curriculum they offer. Many expat families narrow their search based on what curriculum the school offers. It makes sense, particularly if your child has already started school, or you plan to move home before they complete their studies. However, sometimes a school that offers your curriculum of choice, isn’t necessarily the perfect school for your family. Set your child up for success and choose a school that fits their individual personality and goals. The American, the IB and British curricula are all strong options and, whilst there are some differences, knowledge is often transferable between them.
2. Research international schools in Barcelona
When researching international schools in Barcelona, it’s important that you look into each school’s entrance criteria; often schools make admissions decisions based on grades, religious background, language, and whether siblings will be applying together. If you think your child might not meet the admissions criteria, don’t panic! Ring the school directly to find out more. Other valuable things to look out for when researching include: the school’s vision or motto; the school’s official learning languages; the school’s recent examination results; the curriculum in areas that are especially important to you and your child; extracurricular opportunities, and the examinations / qualifications that your child will work towards. If you know of any families who have experience with the school in question, it’s also very helpful to get personal testimonies and reflections at this stage.
3. Enrol ahead of time
Private and international schools in Barcelona are popular with local families as well as international families and places are limited. Be sure to put your child’s name down in advance to secure your place. Before filling out an admissions form, why not ring the school directly? Speaking to someone at the school is the quickest way of determining if there are still school places available, and what you need to do next. If you can arrange a visit or tour, even better! Some schools offer year round enrolments, and other schools will only accepted students at the beginning of the school year. Our school offers year round enrolment, dependent upon successfully meeting our entry requirements.
4. Shop around
We recommend that you take a look at a few different international schools in Barcelona. Keeping your options open, and getting a feel for a number of options, might open your mind to factors you hadn’t previously considered. If you can, visit the schools’ campuses to get a better idea of the facilities and atmosphere. While you’re there, ask lots of questions and try to speak to students and staff where possible. It’s also a great idea to ask to view a timetable so you can get a feel for a typical day!
5. Trust your gut
Ultimately, after completing your research, visiting the school, and speaking to as many people as you can, you’ll have a strong sense about which school is the right fit for you and your child. Trust your gut instinct – only you can decide what’s best for you and your family. If you’d like to experience what learning is like at our school, please reach out to our director to organise a trial day at The Learn Academy,
