The best international private schools in Marbella11 Aug, 2021 Manolo Alarcon

The best international private schools in Marbella are among the best schools in Spain. Marbella means quality of life: a privileged climate, the sun, the sea, an exquisite gastronomy, exclusive residential areas and also a great educational offer for the residents’ children. It comes as no surprise that new groups of students leave the international private schools in Marbella each year  to continue their education at the best universities in the world, where they will be prepared to join the elite of dozens of countries.

San José de Guadalmina

Colegio San José de Guadalmina is one of the best international schools in Marbella. Proof of this is its inclusion in the prestigious Forbes list of the 50 best private schools in Spain. The Colegio San José has another center in Estepona town. Its curriculum includes all stages of education.

The San José International Private School offers a bilingual English-Spanish education. In addition, their students receive an excellent French and German language instruction, including specific preparation for the DELF tests of the Alliance Française and those of the Goethe Institut.

In Colegio San José, new technologies are a must. Their methodological program, called STREAMING (Science, Technology, Radio and multimedia, Engineering, Arts and Maths), is a good example.

Soccer School and Music School for students

The sports facilities at San José school stand out among all educational centers. They include an olympic pool, basketball courts and tennis. The school has its own football school and teams of different categories, which participate in local championships. Also noteworthy: its prestigious Professional Conservatory of Music, where students receive musical training.

Swans International School

Established in 1971, Swans International School is one of Marbella’s most traditional private international schools. Swans International School has two teaching centers: a primary school in the El Capricho urbanization (just outside the urban area of ​​Marbella, on the famous Golden Mile); and a secondary school in Sierra Blanca, one of the most exclusive urbanizations of luxury villas in Marbella, located on the foothills of the mountains bordering the city.

Swans International School combines the best British schools programs with avant-garde Singapore’s educational systems, admired by specialists for their excellent results. Its language teaching system stands out. Apart from the more traditional languages, such as English, French, Spanish and German, it includes Chinese and Arabic.

The primary curriculum begins at age three and extends to age six. It places great emphasis on vocabulary, mathematics and new technologies, with a focus on participation and “cooperative learning”.

In secondary school, pupils aged 7-11 follow a program based on the UK National Curriculum, ending in public examinations to obtain the International General Certificate of Secondary Education (IGCSE).

Spaniards and those with a native Spanish language level also follow the Spanish system (EP and ESO). Baccalaureate students (ages 12 and 3) follow the International Baccalaureate Diploma Program.

Swans International School offers excellent sports facilities, with soccer and basketball courts, as well as a wide range of extracurricular activities, including cooking, painting, music and various sports.

English International College

The English International College is another of the best international private schools in Marbella. Founded in 1978, the English International College Marbella sends sending dozens of students each year to the best universities in the world (including Oxford, Cambridge, Harvard and Yale).

Its program incorporates elements taken from the best English educational institutions. It is one of the few schools offering specialized education in Computer Science, Music and Physical Education to all students from 3 years of age. These same students also receive training in foreign languages, ​​including Spanish, French and even Mandarin Chinese.

Few students are as familiar with the use of new technologies as those at the English International School of Marbella. Looking to the future, students receive lessons in virtual reality, 3D printers, and artificial intelligence.

However, this comes together with an emphasis on the fundamental pillars of learning, such as a passion for reading or mental math. All this from a strictly humanistic perspective, focused on the person and his/her socialization.

Located in Marbella East, in the prestigious Elviria area, the English International College has modern sports facilities that include a swimming pool and soccer and basketball courts.

Aloha College Marbella

Aloha College is another of the international schools in Marbella with a great prestige and tradition. Open since 1982 and located in Nueva Andalucía, next to the famous Aloha Golf Club, it offers a British-style education to students of all stages. The Aloha College Marbella curriculum simultaneously provides training in the Spanish language and culture, which enables students to certify their education both in the United Kingdom and in Spain.

Students start in Primary following a very comprehensive program, based on the International Primary Curriculum (IPC). After completing their secondary education, most finish their school curricula at the center, with the International Baccalaureate (IB) program, and from there a large number go on to join some of the most prestigious universities in the world.

Aloha College Marbella boasts an educational center of 30,000 m2, which allows ample space for each of the groups of students. Having small classes is a priority, to maximize a personalized attention to students, a hallmark of this teaching center. Aloha International College welcomes students of more than 50 nationalities.

German School of Malaga

The German School of Malaga is located in the municipality of Ojén, 20 minutes by car from Marbella city. The German School of Malaga is an educational center supported by the German State. This means an access to financial aid for the best infrastructure and equipment, and also for maintaining a large staff of teachers. This guarantees small classes and a close teacher-student relationship.

The school is also recognized by the Spanish Ministry of Education and therefore all its degrees are automatically validated.

The German School of Malaga has a long history, of more than a century. Founded in 1898, it had to be closed due to the Second World War. Later it was reopened, in 1966, already in its current location.

Since then, the development of the school has been spectacular. In fact, it was the first German school abroad to receive the highest educational distinction in Germany, as “College of Excellence”.

Atalaya International School

Atalaya International School is located in the municipality of Estepona, but right on the border with Marbella (next to Guadalmina area). Its location is therefore very convenient for students who reside in Marbella, especially on the Golden Mile, Puerto Banús, Nueva Andalucía or San Pedro de Alcántara.

Atalaya International School includes all stages of education: infant, primary, compulsory secondary, baccalaureate and International Baccalaureate (IB). It also offers preparation courses for the University Entrance Exams (PAU). It is a bilingual English / Spanish school, although its program also includes the teaching of other languages, such as French and German.

Atalaya International School boasts a complete sports club, with facilities such as a soccer field and basketball courts. In addition to these sports, students can practice volleyball, karate, yoga and other specialties.

The wide range of extracurricular activities at Atalaya School includes possibilities for all tastes: music, cooking, creative writing …

Alborán School

The Marbella East area has a wide range of schools. Another of the most prominent is Alborán School (Colegio Alborán), with a curriculum covering the entire educational cycle.

The Alborán School methodology combines the traditional magisterial method (the teacher explains the lesson to the students) with the most innovative and participatory ones. Examples of the latter are: the “cooperative learning” system, with techniques such as “Research Group” or “I help you, you help me”; “Learning by Playing” or “Gamification” (use of games in usually formal contexts); or “Learning by Teaching” (in which students have to learn and then teach what they know).

Colegio Alborán attaches great importance to new technologies. Thus, the school has launched a project to implement the teaching of computer programming, robotics and 3-D design. The project will be implemented at all levels, from elementary to high school, adapting it to each of the stages.

In terms of languages, the Alborán school is strongly committed to English as an essential tool to access the labor market. The school prepares its students to pass the various Cambridge ESOL Examinations. At the end of the course, the exams are carried out in the center itself, by Cambridge ESOL Examinations teachers who come to the school and give the certificates.

The British International School of Marbella

Among the best international private schools in Marbella, we cannot forget to mention the British International School of Marbella. Founded more recently than the others (2010), it has nevertheless gained an important reputation.

Its new campus is located in the exclusive area of ​​Nagüeles, on the Golden Mile, with a privileged location offering views of the sea and La Concha mountain.

The educational philosophy of the British International School of Marbella is based on personalized teaching. Small classes allow teachers to monitor students individually and pay attention to their particular needs.

The educational program of this school is based on the English National Curriculum (ENC), enriched over more than a decade with the experience of the global network of schools that are part of the British Schools Foundation.

The modern facilities of the British International School of Marbella include a large sports field, a 25-meter heated swimming pool, an auditorium with a capacity for 400 people, a music school, an art studio, a large library, laboratories and specialized classrooms.

Laude San Pedro International School

Located in Nueva Alcántara (on the sea side of San Pedro de Alcántara), Laude San Pedro is one of the most prestigious international private schools in Marbella. It includes the British national curriculum (the International Curriculum for Primary Education, the GCSE and A-Level exams) and the Spanish curriculum (ESO and Selectividad).

Laude San Pedro International School has a detailed curricular policy, in which it differentiates the academic learning, the acquisition of values ​​and off-classroom activities. The effectiveness of the Laude San Pedro school system is demonstrated in the UK GCSE and A-Level examinations, as well as in the Spanish “Selectividad”: the results of its students are above the national average in both countries.

Laude San Pedro school also offers a wide program of extracurricular activities, including football, basketball, tennis, karate, fencing, gymnastics, artistic dance, chess, robotics, electronics, cooking…

Calpe School

Also in San Pedro de Alcántara, specifically in the Linda Vista area (very close to the beach), we highlight Calpe School. This is a preschool and primary school, for students from 2 to 11 years old.

The younger children (2 to 5 years) follow the program called the Early Years Foundation Stage. By means of different games (“Happy to Learn” technique), students are introduced in four main areas: Language, Mathematics, Understanding the World and Artistic Expression.

In the following stages, the students follow a very complete program, with specialized teachers. Calpe School places special emphasis on English and mathematics, without forgetting subjects such as history, geography, science, music, French and physical education.

Calpe School utilizes modern equipment to familiarize its students with the use of new technologies. Classes are small, to guarantee a personalized attention to each of the students at this crucial stage.

Villas for sale near schools in Marbella: if you want information or for visiting properties, we are at your disposal at info@libehomes.com and +34 951 386 117.