International schools in Valencia

In Valencia, just like elsewhere in Spain, the education system is divided into four levels, each of which has several stages:

1) Early education (educación Infantil): 

   - Preschool for children until 3 years old; 

   - Kindergarten for children aged 3–6; 

2) Primary education (educación primaria) for children aged 6–12; 

3) Secondary education: 

   - Compulsory secondary education (educación secundaria obligatoria) for children aged 12–16; 

   - Spanish baccalaureate (bachillerato) or vocational training for students 15–18 years old. At this stage, students focus on particular subjects and prepare to enter a university; 

4) Higher education: university studies.

Only two levels of education are compulsory: primary education and the first stage of secondary education, at the end of which children obtain the secondary school certificate. Upon passing exams in the next stage, students obtain the Bachiller certificate (an alternative to the International Baccalaureate), which allows them to enrol in any Spanish university.

All schools are either public (free) or private (the latter may also be partly funded by the state). The academic year starts the first week of September and ends in late June. Classes are usually held Monday through Friday for 7–8 hours a day, but the schedule depends on the particular school's programme and the age of the student. Studying Spanish is compulsory at all schools, including the international schools, and English is typically taught as a foreign language.

International schools

The advantages of Spanish schools include free education in most cases and a deeper integration into the local community. In turn, international schools provide their students with an education meeting the standards of the International Baccalaureate programme (the diploma is recognised by universities around the world) or the British national curriculum (ending with the A-level exams).

Most international schools in the province of Valencia are located 10–20 km north of its capital. All of them have school buses to fetch the children to school and back home. These schools are private and fee-charging. They accept children between 2–18 years of age. The language of instruction at most schools is English.

Private schools usually have smaller classes than public ones and may have waiting lists depending on their popularity. In such cases, applying early is recommended.

To do so in Valencia, an application form, the child's birth certificate, copies of both parents' passport, a NIE (foreign tax identification number), as well as Spanish residence and domicile details are required. Schools may also request information on the child's academic performance.

Along with tuition fees, parents must also pay for school meals, transport services, study materials, insurance, school uniforms, physical education kits and extracurricular activities.

Private schools usually have smaller classes than public ones and may have waiting lists depending on their popularity. In such cases, applying early is recommended.

To do so in Valencia, an application form, the child's birth certificate, copies of both parents' passport, a NIE (foreign tax identification number), as well as Spanish residence and domicile details are required. Schools may also request information on the child's academic performance.

Along with tuition fees, parents must also pay for school meals, transport services, study materials, insurance, school uniforms, physical education kits and extracurricular activities.

Author: Yulia Kozhevnikova