EUROPE ...Education in Spain


(which follow their country’s curriculum) and foreign- language schools (which teach in a foreign language but follow the local curriculum). Although the latter are described as ‘international’, most of their students are Spanish, so foreign children will be exposed to Castilian (the official language across the whole of Spain) and Catalan (the co-official language of the region of Catalonia) through their classmates. The schools follow a variety of education systems and teach in a number of languages, including German, English, French, Hebrew, Italian and Japanese. Ten of them currently offer the IB. Most of Barcelona’s international schools are in the districts of Sarrià Sant-Gervasi and Les Corts, but there are also schools in parts of the wider metropolitan area that have significant foreign communities, such as Sant Cugat, Sitges and La Garriga.


Says Beatriz Carro de Prada, “Most of the families who


move to Spain are sent by an employer. However, Barcelona is a very cosmopolitan city, and its location by the sea, the lifestyle and climate it offers, and the fact that it has an international airport mean that a lot of families want to move there independently.”


EMBRACING THE CULTURE


Sotogrande International School (SIS) is located in the Cadiz region of southern Spain. Headteacher James Kearney believes that environment and climate are among its attractions for parents and students, as the Mediterranean pattern of hot summers and mild winters allows for an active outdoor lifestyle all year round.


Mr Kearney points out that international schools are a great way for parents and children to integrate into the community and learn the Spanish language.


“The highest percentage of pupils at SIS are Spanish,” he says, “and, although our main language of tuition is English, the opportunity to practise Spanish and embrace the culture is present every day, through everything from language lessons and making new friends to cultural events, trips and after-school activities. From a global citizen perspective, being able to speak Spanish and English opens up opportunities to work and study in many countries around the world. “A specific benefit to SIS is our proximity to Gibraltar, where many international companies are based, providing our students with fantastic links and opportunities to work and travel with them around the globe.”


Sotogrande offers all three IB programmes. Explains


James Kearney, “The focus of the IB on the wider world and internationalism is critical for us as an international school.


Sotogrande International School 160 | relocateglobal.com | Keep Informed


We feel the IB framework allows our students to be prepared for life after school. Having a curriculum that spans the age range from three to 18 is powerful. For students, it aids consistency of language, concepts and skills.”


ADVICE FOR RELOCATING FAMILIES Beatriz Carro de Prada points out that high numbers of foreign residents have put pressure on international schools in Spain, to the point where places have become scarce in recent years. To ensure places at the school of a relocating family’s choice, planning as far ahead as possible, and seeking the assistance of relocation experts with local knowledge, is vital. “Timing can be a major challenge for parents,” Ms Carro de Prada says, “as schools in Spain have a very strict calendar of holidays in the summer and winter, dates during which it is very difficult to contact them. Finding a middle ground between school location, home location and work can also be a challenge, as multinational companies don’t always base themselves in the same areas as the international schools.” Relocating parents, Beatriz Carro de Prada believes, should look for a school that provides ‘welcome’ sessions designed to help students and their families forge connections as early as possible.


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