Students at British schools increase by 16%, 87% being Spanish-born

The number of students at British schools across Spain has increased by 16% in the last five years, according to a report by the ISC Research and unveiled on Thursday by the British Council, the National Association of British Schools in Spain, and the British Chamber of Commerce in Spain.

Spain has 143 schools across almost 180 campuses and hosts 75,000 students. According to the report, 87% of these are Spanish-born. In terms of cities, Madrid leads the charts with almost one quarter of the students there, followed by Valencia's 7%.

Meanwhile, Barcelona, Las Palmas, Palma, Marbella, and Malaga all have between 4% and 5%.

The report points out that 87% of these are Spanish-born, almost 10% are British pupils, and the remaining nationalities are just over 3%. However, the data only represent just over one quarter of all pupils in British schools, and therefore, the percentage figures have limited reliability.

British schools across Spain tend to have around 400 pupils on roll, although there are 20 schools with fewer than 100 students, and one with more than 2,000. The British School of Barcelona is the "biggest" in terms of the number of students.

The number of British schools in Spain is greater than that in all the other European Union member states combined. Compared to France, Italy, and Portugal alone, Spain has just over twice the number of the three neighboring countries.

The report says that British schools "play a vital role in fostering cultural exchange and bilingualism."

"We really do value having a British and Spanish-Catalan identity. I think that joint identity is important," Neil Tetley, Executive Principal of the British School of Barcelona, told Catalan news on Thursday.

"We don't just want to be a bubble of international Britishness that sort of ignores the whole context of where we live. So the history, the language, and the culture are a really important part of what we do. It's not just all about the UK," Tetley added.

The report suggests that British schools are "widely respected for their rigorous curricula and examination systems." However, it highlights several key factors contributing to the "success."

The text says families choose British schools for their English proficiency and the British curriculum, which is focused on critical thinking, problem-solving, and creativity, contrasting with the content-heavy, memory-based approach of traditional Spanish education systems.

While initially established in the early 20th century to serve the expatriate community, particularly families of British diplomats, education centers have begun to attract international but also local residents.

"You find a lot of local families in our schools, but you also find people who, you know, mum is Spanish, dad is German. You find those kinds of people, or Spanish families who've lived in London for a while and moved back, or New York. So it's a big mix of people. But it really isn't just international families," Tetley told Catalan News.

Based on this, the report suggests that British schools in Spain "significantly bolster local economies," as these sites "attract expatriate families, leading to increased demand for housing, local services and retail businesses."

When asked about recent backlash against the expat community and international tourists, Tetley said that the school he leads has over 71 nationalities, and that the "level of integration, of cultural understanding, of how nations get on is fantastic."

He said that "The reality of it is most people in Catalonia and Barcelona, are incredibly welcoming."

British schools' fees range from €6,500 to €11,500 per year.

Rise of international schools in Catalonia

According to official figures, 1.3 million Catalans have started or returned to classrooms in September, noisy schoolyards, and the routine of heavy backpacks and homework. While the vast majority of Catalan students attend public schools, a growing number are enrolled in private institutions, particularly international schools. Over the past decade, Catalonia has become an international hub, increasing the demand for international schools, which are private institutions where the curriculum differs from the Catalan one.  

Press play below to listen to our Filling the Sink podcast on the rise of international schools in Catalonia or subscribe on Apple Podcasts, YouTube or Spotify.