# Primary Schools in Madrid



## Grambo (Feb 22, 2015)

Hello All,

I see helpful discussions on Madrid schools but they are from a few years ago. So, hopefully I'm not being redundant here. My wife and I are moving from LA to Madrid in March of next year. I'm an older dad, born and raised in the UK, but many years now living in southern California. Our boys are 5 and 7, one shy and the younger one gregarious. 

We are familiar with the organization of schools, state, concerted, private, international, etc. Advice we've gotten is to go the International School route. British Counsel School, Kensington, King's College, etc., especially given the shyness of my 7 year old, and their rudimentary knowledge of Spanish. 

It's on the surface an easy choice, but I have reservations. First, I don't think the transition would actually be that easy for the kids, unless the British system has changed markedly since I went to school (they attend a private Christian school (not Catholic) here that is like a big family). Also, all the International schools are outside the city, and not wanting to send them on a long bus ride, we would want to live near the school. The outer suburbs of Madrid are not that dissimilar to Southern California. Yes, only 30 minutes into Madrid on the metro, but it's not like we could walk to Retiro, and we'd miss out on the everyday city life that we want the kids to experience.

We are interested in opinions from anyone, either conceptually or with specific recommendations. I mean, is it fair to say that there I'll never find the right school anywhere in the city of Madrid for my shy, spoiled  kids? :confused2:


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## Chopera (Apr 22, 2013)

Hastings and ism are quite central. Also sek santa isobela is very central. Sek is spanish but with an international flavour. Nearly all the international schools will have at least 90% spanish kids, so even though the lessons are in english the kids will speak spanish to each other. This might make it worse for a shy kid because he might be slower at learning spanish and slower to iintegrate.

There are a few small american montessorri schools - could that be an option?


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## snikpoh (Nov 19, 2007)

Out of interest, who recommended International Schools and why?

If you are truly committing to Spain (for the foreseeable future), then I would certainly advise that children of that age go to a state school. Their education will be just as good (if not better) and they will feel much more integrated, and sooner.

Perhaps the transition won't be easy but with parental support, they will soon get through it.

Our children have all gone through this, having arrived with zero Spanish, and are now fully integrated and accepted. In fact, they are now considered Spanish rather than English!

Best of luck.


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## Grambo (Feb 22, 2015)

Chopera said:


> Hastings and ism are quite central. Also sek santa isobela is very central. Sek is spanish but with an international flavour. Nearly all the international schools will have at least 90% spanish kids, so even though the lessons are in english the kids will speak spanish to each other. This might make it worse for a shy kid because he might be slower at learning spanish and slower to iintegrate.
> 
> There are a few small american montessorri schools - could that be an option?


Chopera, thanks so much for these thoughts and suggestions I had not looked at SEK but you're right, it's a very central location, and I like what I see on their website. As you mentioned, it's got more of traditional Spanish look and feel. Do you have additional knowledge about SEK, and how it might differ from a traditional British International School?

I've thought about the Montessori schools. The facilities didn't appear that appealing, understanding of course that availability of space is an issue with most any central location. That may be unfair, as I have not seen them in person. I was just looking at the schools and neighborhoods on Google Maps.

Yes, I'm aware that the vast majority of kids in International Schools are Spanish, and that's likely the language of choice on the playground. But then same for the Spanish schools. He'll have to try and fit in somehow. Maybe I overstated my 7 yr old's shyness issue as well. He has friends at school and is liked by all. He just gets anxious very easily with anything new. Of course next year he'll be a year older, and I think this kind of thing just gets better with age and exposure as well.


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## Grambo (Feb 22, 2015)

snikpoh said:


> Out of interest, who recommended International Schools and why?
> 
> If you are truly committing to Spain (for the foreseeable future), then I would certainly advise that children of that age go to a state school. Their education will be just as good (if not better) and they will feel much more integrated, and sooner.
> 
> ...


Snikpoh, thanks for your thoughts. It's quite encouraging to hear that your situation mirrored mine and that your kids not only got through this, but thrived, apparently. Congrats on this!

Our thought is stay at least two years. At that time we can reevaluate, but my hope is that we all adjust such that we decide to stay indefinitely. In that light, *if* I can get the kids through the first few months of school, they would integrate more quickly in a Spanish school. Were you suggesting a private Spanish school, or concerted bilingual, or a state school? I'm thinking if we did choose to avoid the International Schools, then maybe a private Spanish school might be a good compromise.

So, the recommendation for an International School came from several people. One of the teachers here had her kids in Germany for a few years in an International School. I don't know if she had considered a local school. For most Americans the International school is the default choice as it's usually company-paid, or military, etc. The other and more compelling voices came from two brothers, both Spanish, who attended a private Spanish school rated one of the best in Madrid. One is now a Stanford professor here in California, and the other an investment banker in Madrid. Despite their obvious successes in the Spanish school system, both said that the acclimation into a Spanish school would be too much of a leap for us. The one still in Spain actually sends his kids to an International school in Pozuelo.

Maybe I overstated the shyness thing, and that's swaying the opinion. Also, the one in Madrid has a motivation to get his kids well versed in English, and I don't have that need since my kids are fluent in English already. But it really gave me pause for thought, and prompted me to reach out to this community (where in fact my initial thoughts were similar to yours, to go the Spanish route).

As for the Spanish language, I think both kids will pick it up fast. The older one already has the syntax down, and can make basic conversation already (often answers us in Spanish just to be adversarial!). He's played the last couple of years on a club-level soccer team here, and half the team is Mexican. That has helped a ton, I think.


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## xabiaxica (Jun 23, 2009)

Grambo said:


> Snikpoh, thanks for your thoughts. It's quite encouraging to hear that your situation mirrored mine and that your kids not only got through this, but thrived, apparently. Congrats on this!
> 
> Our thought is stay at least two years. At that time we can reevaluate, but my hope is that we all adjust such that we decide to stay indefinitely. In that light, *if* I can get the kids through the first few months of school, they would integrate more quickly in a Spanish school. Were you suggesting a private Spanish school, or concerted bilingual, or a state school? I'm thinking if we did choose to avoid the International Schools, then maybe a private Spanish school might be a good compromise.
> 
> ...


to me with children that age, especially if the older child already has some Spanish, it's a no-brainer - choose state school 

their classmates will also be their neighbours - which you probably wouldn't get with a private school

my girls were 5 & 8 when they started state school here - the older girl had a little Spanish, but not much

they are now 16 & 19 - totally tri-lingual, & like snikpoh's kids, are part of the community & aren't really thought of as 'foreign'

my older girl speaks English with me & her sister (although not always), & she speaks English part of the time at work - although she got the job because she is both a native English & Spanish speaker 

she doesn't even speak English at home now - she has just moved into an apartment with some friends her own age - all Spanish ...........


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## Chopera (Apr 22, 2013)

Grambo said:


> Chopera said:
> 
> 
> > Hastings and ism are quite central. Also sek santa isobela is very central. Sek is spanish but with an international flavour. Nearly all the international schools will have at least 90% spanish kids, so even though the lessons are in english the kids will speak spanish to each other. This might make it worse for a shy kid because he might be slower at learning spanish and slower to iintegrate.
> ...


We visited sek santa isobela 2 years ago when looking for a shool for our eldest (now 5). We liked it a lot, especially the small class sizes - not much more than a dozen kids per class, but also the ambience and the way it was set up. We didn't choose it in the end because our son got in to the local concertado which, while probably not as good, was good enough and a lot cheaper. Since then our son has done a summer camp with sek and he loved it. I know 2 people who send their kids there and they are very happy with that school.

As others have mentioned, an international school probably isn't necessary and local schools have their advantages. However perhaps the biggest factor for you is actually getting both your kids into the same school. The best state schools fill up, and so do the internationals. The british council school supposedly has a waiting list stretching for years, although some supposedly give priority to british families.

So given that if you went for a state school you won't know which one you'll be given until the last minute, it's worth having a place at a private school as back-up.


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## Grambo (Feb 22, 2015)

xabiachica said:


> to me with children that age, especially if the older child already has some Spanish, it's a no-brainer - choose state school
> 
> their classmates will also be their neighbours - which you probably wouldn't get with a private school
> 
> ...


Xabiachica, thanks for these thoughts. What you describe for your kids would be the perfect outcome for mine. That's amazing that they are trilingual. Combine that with a university degree and they are pretty much set.

I am going to consider this further. I understand (I think) the points system and the idea that one never really knows what school your child will get into. That's a bit of a factor for us, managing that level of uncertainty. Also, if they were in a state school here it would be less of a leap to a state school there. They are spoiled a bit here in private school. But then it really helps to know that your kids were able to get through this and do so well.


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## Grambo (Feb 22, 2015)

Chopera said:


> We visited sek santa isobela 2 years ago when looking for a shool for our eldest (now 5). We liked it a lot, especially the small class sizes - not much more than a dozen kids per class, but also the ambience and the way it was set up. We didn't choose it in the end because our son got in to the local concertado which, while probably not as good, was good enough and a lot cheaper. Since then our son has done a summer camp with sek and he loved it. I know 2 people who send their kids there and they are very happy with that school.
> 
> As others have mentioned, an international school probably isn't necessary and local schools have their advantages. However perhaps the biggest factor for you is actually getting both your kids into the same school. The best state schools fill up, and so do the internationals. The british council school supposedly has a waiting list stretching for years, although some supposedly give priority to british families.
> 
> So given that if you went for a state school you won't know which one you'll be given until the last minute, it's worth having a place at a private school as back-up.


Chopera, thanks for this. I took another look at SEK's website this morning. Outside, you might walk past and not even see it, but it looks really nice inside (there's a virtual tour), and being on multi-levels seems to make good use of that inner-city space. Was there a wait list when your kids attended? If we did choose SEK, I would want to see whether or not I can wait until we move out in March to secure a place for next fall, or whether we will have to do that now, if this is even possible of course. 

SEK says on the website that 50% of the classes are in English, and that's maybe the norm for bilingual schools. How do these schools deal with kids like mine that might not understand the teacher dialog. I mean do they take the time out to explain the assignment in English as well, or would it be expected that they simply have to keep up?


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## Chopera (Apr 22, 2013)

Grambo said:


> Chopera said:
> 
> 
> > We visited sek santa isobela 2 years ago when looking for a shool for our eldest (now 5). We liked it a lot, especially the small class sizes - not much more than a dozen kids per class, but also the ambience and the way it was set up. We didn't choose it in the end because our son got in to the local concertado which, while probably not as good, was good enough and a lot cheaper. Since then our son has done a summer camp with sek and he loved it. I know 2 people who send their kids there and they are very happy with that school.
> ...


When we applied there wasn't a waiting list for my son's year, but that was the entrance year. It gets harder to enter subsequent years because they are more likely to already be full. I think sek santa isobela might be easier because most families paying for private schools want the facilities, playing fields, etc that come with schools further out of town.

Regarding the spanish lessons, i imagine they'll adapt them a bit or at least take into account your kids aren't fluent. It can't be a very unusual situation.

Regarding places and waiting until march i would just phone them. They may accept a deposit to hold a place for you. They are a business after all.


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## Grambo (Feb 22, 2015)

Chopera said:


> When we applied there wasn't a waiting list for my son's year, but that was the entrance year. It gets harder to enter subsequent years because they are more likely to already be full. I think sek santa isobela might be easier because most families paying for private schools want the facilities, playing fields, etc that come with schools further out of town.
> 
> Regarding the spanish lessons, i imagine they'll adapt them a bit or at least take into account your kids aren't fluent. It can't be a very unusual situation.
> 
> Regarding places and waiting until march i would just phone them. They may accept a deposit to hold a place for you. They are a business after all.


I sent SEK an email, but likely they are still all out until schools starts up again next week. I might wait a week or two to call, given that they are likely have tons of issues with this school year, not next year's. I think I will do the same with Hastings and ISM, so at least I will know if they have projected availability.

As for the state schools, I'm going to reconsider this as well. This unnerves me a bit though, even given the admirable successes noted by xabiachica and snikpoh.

At least I have city options now, and for this I thank you all.


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## Grambo (Feb 22, 2015)

I thought I should update this thread if only for the benefit of others in the future. Not hearing anything from SEK Santa Isabel via its contact portal, I got the name of a senior admin staffer (turns out he's a teacher there as well) from a promo video on the school's website, and I emailed him directly, getting a same-day response. We emailed back and forth a bit, always very timely and informatively on his part, and then actually did a video Skype with him, in English. They are being incredibly flexible with our schedule (entry into school mid-year), and so we are highly impressed, to say the least.


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