# Private bilingual Spanish schools



## adinanz

I would like to know more about the private bilingual Spanish schools around Marbella, what are the feels like and what are the entry requirements 

Anyone has information about Colegio San Jose, Estepona?

Colegios en Estepona Málaga - Colegio Privado San José

Many thanks


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## adinanz

Please,
anyone with any information regarding private bilingual Spanish schools ???


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## xabiaxica

adinanz said:


> Please,
> anyone with any information regarding private bilingual Spanish schools ???


I don't want you to feel ignored - but I don't think any of us do

at least, not from 1st hand experience


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## Caz.I

adinanz said:


> I would like to know more about the private bilingual Spanish schools around Marbella, what are the feels like and what are the entry requirements
> 
> Anyone has information about Colegio San Jose, Estepona?
> 
> Colegios en Estepona Málaga - Colegio Privado San José
> 
> Many thanks


Actually, I dont know much re those in Marbella either, although I think that regarding the entry requirements in private schools - normally if you have the money, you are in! 
Don't know anything about Colegio San Jose, Estepona but I think it is a normal private Spanish school, other than that I know nothing. If you google private bilingual schools Marbella, you might find out more.

Aloha College is an international school but has the option of UK or Bachillerato, as do several others. Dont know costs though. I work at a private Spanish school and the fees I think (never asked) are around 400-500e a month - I heard that is what my ex boss was paying a few years ago anyway. The school follows the Spanish curriculum only but the home teachers often give classroom instructions in English, and there are a lot of activities and projects that are done in English, particularly theatre, shows etc. They had an excursion recently to the local English theatre and they also do exchange trips with schools in the US and Canada. This is obviously catering more for Spanish children who want to have a good level of English but I also know of a lot of English/non Spanish children who go there who are fluent in Spanish and are also improving their level of spoken and written English. 

There was a private bilingual Spanish school which opened in Malaga a few years ago (MIT) and another one in Granada (C.U.M.E.) which is quite new too.


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## adinanz

Thank you !!!!!

How many English classes / week in a private bilingual school???

I'm just thinking, if we move to CDS , my husband will be working in Gibraltar and we'll probably live around Estepona, I intend to have a look at the bilingual schools, private or state, and enroll both my 11 year old and my 6 year old and see how my eldest will do...He will be in his last year of primary, will see if he copes with the change and learn the language and enjoys the school ....then he'll have the option to either continue with the bilingual school or go to an international school...


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## Caz.I

adinanz said:


> Thank you !!!!!
> 
> How many English classes / week in a private bilingual school???
> 
> I'm just thinking, if we move to CDS , my husband will be working in Gibraltar and we'll probably live around Estepona, I intend to have a look at the bilingual schools, private or state, and enroll both my 11 year old and my 6 year old and see how my eldest will do...He will be in his last year of primary, will see if he copes with the change and learn the language and enjoys the school ....then he'll have the option to either continue with the bilingual school or go to an international school...


I think it will depend on the school, how many English classes they have, and will vary according to whether they are in Primary or Secondary. A lot of them also have extracurricular English classes for spoken English, and some do the Trinity spoken English exams with an examiner who comes from the UK to test the children. Some are also introducing the Cambridge exams for children this year, which cover all four skills.

I see you are originally from Austria - I dont know if this is relevant, but there is also a German school in Marbella. Down in Fuengirola there are also Swedish, Norwegian and Finnish schools too as there is quite a large Scandinavian population.


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## Pesky Wesky

What's the difference between
Bilingual
International
Bilingual Spanish private
schools?

PS Did you know there are bilingual state schools now? I'm not necessarily recommending them, but they exist.


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## xabiaxica

Pesky Wesky said:


> What's the difference between
> Bilingual
> International
> Bilingual Spanish private
> schools?
> 
> PS Did you know there are bilingual state schools now? I'm not necessarily recommending them, but they exist.


my kids go to bilingual schools - spanish & valenciano!! in primary it's about 50:50 each language

not what you meant though, sorry

I would guess that in a truly bilingual school it would be like that - although we are clearly talking english & spanish

in my experience the international schools aren't, reallly - they teach the UK curriculum in English, with only the legally required number of hours in spanish

the only thing international about them is that they attract students from many countries

I dare say that the French/German/Swedish/American International schools are along the same lines


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## adinanz

Pesky Wesky said:


> What's the difference between
> Bilingual
> International
> Bilingual Spanish private
> schools?
> 
> PS Did you know there are bilingual state schools now? I'm not necessarily recommending them, but they exist.


From what I think ( but I may be wrong ?)
Bilingual : have classes in another language than Spanish and for more hours than a non-bilingual school
International ( English) : follow a British curriculum 
Bilingual Spanish private : could be better ( better facilities, more modern teaching techniques?) than the state ones as you have to pay fees


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## xabiaxica

adinanz said:


> From what I think ( but I may be wrong ?)
> Bilingual : have classes in another language than Spanish and for more hours than a non-bilingual school
> International ( English) : follow a British curriculum
> Bilingual Spanish private : could be better ( better facilities, more modern teaching techniques?) than the state ones as you have to pay fees


private in spain doesn't necessarily mean better -one private school I know has the worst facilities of any school I've ever seen 

also, did you know that British/International school teachers don't HAVE to be qualified teachers

I don't know about other 'nationality' schools

however the private bilingual schools in spain sould be better than the state ones, if only because they have more experience - it is still a new concept for state schools


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## jojo

Maybe not quite what you are asking, but my experience of Spanish NON private bilingual schools is that they simply have a few lessons in English for a few chosen students and the teachers at the school are asked to learn English (to whatever standard they can - but they dont have to be bilingual), The ESO (Secondary) school my daughter used to attend claimed it was "bilingual"! Well, what that actually meant was that a few Spanish children with an aptitude for languages were given a few lessons a week in English by a teacher who could speak a bit of English. My daughter wasnt allowed to attend these classes because she didnt need to learn it. 

When she had her usual English lessons, she had one or two run ins with the teacher becasue the teacher had learnt English in America and told my daughter off for her mispronunciation of "Chemist" The teacher insisted it was chemist, not Kemist!

As for International schools, they dont have to use qualified teachers and there is rumour that some of their teachers are teachers who couldnt "cut" it in the UK!? However, there is a couple of organisations who have strict rules to be adhered to, so schools that belong to those organisations do adhere to using the correct quality teachers NABSS is one and a good one Welcome to Nabss | Nabss If a school belongs to them, then it can be considered good!!???!

Jo xxx


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## Caz.I

Pesky Wesky said:


> What's the difference between
> Bilingual
> International
> Bilingual Spanish private
> schools?
> 
> PS Did you know there are bilingual state schools now? I'm not necessarily recommending them, but they exist.


It is all a bit complicated, isn't it? It seems to me, that the "International" schools teach subjects in English and teach the UK curriculum but sometimes have some aspects of the Spanish curriculum alongside it (ie the option to do A levels, or Bachillerato.) Plus, some may hold other private examinations like the American SAT exams for those who want to go to university in the US.
I assume the German, Swedish, Finnish and Norwegian schools also teach their native language along with their native curriculum. (with varying amounts of Spanish thrown in.)
The Bilingual Spanish private schools, like MIT and CUME, and others, I think teach mainly in Spanish and teach the Spanish curriculum but also have certain subjects and activities in English too, with the option of taking certain English examinations. (Maybe only English as a foreign language but maybe other qualifications like A levels, the American SAT exams, depending on the school.)

The bilingual state schools, as JoJo has pointed out, have varying degrees of bilingualism. My son's state school is classed as bilingual - they start English at 3, at about six, I think, they have subjects like Art & Crafts (and one other?) in English as well as English as a foreign language. And later on (in year 5? they also learn French). My son's English conversation teacher is American, he has another English teacher who is Spanish (dont know what her level of English is like). But I have to say , my son doesnt want to speak English! And I speak to him in English and give him English classes too. 

In my mind, it is not a bilingual school as such because although i do see one or two signs in English I have never heard anyone actually speak it outside of class lol! Whereas the private Spanish school I work in doesnt actually advertise itself as Bilingual but nearly all the teachers can speak English and I hear the staff use it all the time when I am there (to the students not necessarily to me) and they are constantly doing activities in English.


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## adinanz

Caz.I said:


> I
> 
> 
> In my mind, it is not a bilingual school as such because although i do see one or two signs in English I have never heard anyone actually speak it outside of class lol! Whereas the private Spanish school I work in doesnt actually advertise itself as Bilingual but nearly all the teachers can speak English and I hear the staff use it all the time when I am there (to the students not necessarily to me) and they are constantly doing activities in English.


If a private school does not advertise itself as Bilingual, how can we find out whether it is or is not truly bilingual, other than take a look at the school and speak to the teachers??

Is there a website or a forum, English or Spanish, where I can find information about private Spanish schools ( bilingual)( in Estepona area)?


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## Caz.I

adinanz said:


> If a private school does not advertise itself as Bilingual, how can we find out whether it is or is not truly bilingual, other than take a look at the school and speak to the teachers??
> 
> Is there a website or a forum, English or Spanish, where I can find information about private Spanish schools ( bilingual)( in Estepona area)?


Whatever the case maybe, it is always advisable to take a look at the school and speak to the teachers direct anyway, then you will get more of an idea.

I dont know of any particular forum or website for these schools, all I have seen are lists of the names of schools with tel. no. and email address and/or website (sometimes).
But if you Google private Spanish schools then if they have a website, and many do, the website should come up in the search list. Or sometimes, you will find a forum discussion about the school in the search list.


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## jojo

The only school I can think of thats apparently truly bilingual in this area (a bit far away from Estepona - sorry) is this one, and its new, so the jury is still out on how good it is, but its getting rave reports so far

MIT School - Bilingual School MIT

Jo xxx


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## lynn

There is also this one in Torrequebrada (again, not really the area you are looking at)
Bienvenidos al Colegio Internacional Torrequebrada

I called them before we made the move, but they were dismissive of my three because of their ages (16, 12 and 10 at the time).


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## adinanz

Than you Lynn, unfortunately it's not close to the area we'll be living 

San Jose I understand it's very hard to get into, apparently you have to start them from nursery there:confused2:

I found this Grupo Attendis Grupo Attendis. They have colleges in Marbella, one for boys and one for girls, Ecos and Las Chapas.
Anyone has info about them, is it hard to get into???
Maybe I should start another thread about this one in particular ???


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