# Licence to teach English and Spanish



## Raquers2 (Nov 26, 2013)

Hi all

I am new to this forum and the red tape of Spain.
My family has just moved here and are planning to open a language centre to initially teach English and Spanish. I am qualified to teach both in the UK, and looking at trying to get certified by the Cambridge Examination, so I am in it for the long haul and want to do it properly first time round. Can someone please point me in the direction of how to obtain a licence to open the doors as an academy.

Thanks in advance

Raquel & Harry


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## xabiaxica (Jun 23, 2009)

Raquers2 said:


> Hi all
> 
> I am new to this forum and the red tape of Spain.
> My family has just moved here and are planning to open a language centre to initially teach English and Spanish. I am qualified to teach both in the UK, and looking at trying to get certified by the Cambridge Examination, so I am in it for the long haul and want to do it properly first time round. Can someone please point me in the direction of how to obtain a licence to open the doors as an academy.
> ...


:welcome:


the first port of call for this would be the ayuntamiento to find out the local rules about licences for the premises

most people would use a gestor for this

I guess to get Cambridge certification you'd need to contact them


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## Cazzy (Nov 23, 2008)

Once you have put 15 people forward for Cambridge exams in 1 year to get accreditation. They don#t have to pass the exam.


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## thrax (Nov 13, 2008)

A friend tried to set up such an academy and sadly failed as the town hall refused to licence her on two counts. One was that she didn't have disabled toilets which had to measure 6m x 4m each (she was told two class rooms meant two such toilets). Secondly she had to have a fire safety report. The problem was that in this region, fire safety reports which are conducted by the local fire station are only ever given on whole buildings not just part of a building which hers would have been. The fire station told her they had no idea how to do it and told her to ask the town hall. The town hall said it wasn't up to them and they didn't know either but it was up to her to sort it out. The academy was open for one year and then, in frustration, she closed it. Another academy in a nearby town did open successfully although I don't know if it was successful. But it took her three years to get the licences required. She didn't have any of the nonsense the other lady had it just took a long time.


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## jojo (Sep 20, 2007)

Raquers2 said:


> Hi all
> 
> I am new to this forum and the red tape of Spain.
> My family has just moved here and are planning to open a language centre to initially teach English and Spanish. I am qualified to teach both in the UK, and looking at trying to get certified by the Cambridge Examination, so I am in it for the long haul and want to do it properly first time round. Can someone please point me in the direction of how to obtain a licence to open the doors as an academy.
> ...


The "red tape" in Spain isnt the same as it is in the UK and can be slow. So you need to study it all long and hard - knowledge is king!! Before you start to make plans, spending money etc., you need to understand how and do a thorough study on the feasibility/need in your area.

So lotsa research and digging around is needed???

Jo xxx


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## kalohi (May 6, 2012)

thrax said:


> A friend tried to set up such an academy and sadly failed as the town hall refused to licence her on two counts.


The owner of the academy that I work at went through a similiar ordeal with similiar results when she tried to open up a branch academy in a nearby town. The town hall there was unbelievably uncooperative and they came up with one impediment after another to granting the license. After a full year of running in circles and sinking money into the project the owner of the academy gave up. And this is a woman who has 30 years of experience opening and running language academies. After that she tried again in another town, and although it took 9 months she did end up getting a license to open an academy in that town.

I agree that you need to do LOTS of market research because right now language academies are mushrooming everywhere so there's tons of competition. Also feel out other businesses in town to see how coorperative the town hall is toward new business owners. 

Good luck!


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## xabiaxica (Jun 23, 2009)

kalohi said:


> The owner of the academy that I work at went through a similiar ordeal with similiar results when she tried to open up a branch academy in a nearby town. The town hall there was unbelievably uncooperative and they came up with one impediment after another to granting the license. After a full year of running in circles and sinking money into the project the owner of the academy gave up. And this is a woman who has 30 years of experience opening and running language academies. After that she tried again in another town, and although it took 9 months she did end up getting a license to open an academy in that town.
> 
> I agree that you need to do LOTS of market research because right now language academies are mushrooming everywhere so there's tons of competition. Also feel out other businesses in town to see how coorperative the town hall is toward new business owners.
> 
> Good luck!


and that is why, although I have more students than the two academies here, I do my adult group classes in bars......


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## 213979 (Apr 11, 2013)

Unfortunately, it all depends on the town hall. Some are totally wonderful whereas others are... interesting.


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## baldilocks (Mar 7, 2010)

Make sure that there aren't already a number of established academies. SWMBO works for an instituto that has academies in half a dozen towns teaching English from age 1½-2 up to, and including, B1 and B2. Where there is a demand French is also available.


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