Public school
Publicly owned, managed and funded. Admission follows the procedure set by the competent public authority.
Public education guidePrivate education · Spain
Freedom to design.
A duty to demonstrate.
Private education can offer distinctive projects, continuity, innovation and a close family partnership. Its value does not come from ownership alone, but from the quality and coherence of the experience delivered every day.
An essential distinction
Private and state-funded private are not the same.
State-funded private school
Privately owned, with public funding and specific obligations for the teaching covered by the funding agreement.
Private school
Privately owned, managed and funded. Families support the project through fees and should understand the total cost and services included.
Directory & average costsWhere value can be created
Four potential strengths. None is automatic.
Families should look for visible evidence at the exact campus: stable teams, coherent decisions, contextualised outcomes and daily life aligned with the promise.
Educational autonomy
The ability to build a recognisable project with a coherent methodology, culture and priorities across stages.
Continuity & belonging
Teams, families and students can share a stable culture and a sustained educational relationship over time.
International perspective
Languages, international curricula, exchanges and global guidance can be integrated into the student journey.
Meaningful personalisation
Organisational flexibility can support monitoring, extension, learning support and guidance around each pathway.
Resources & services
What to ask before choosing.
A service list is not enough. Ask who delivers it, how often, how it is evaluated and whether it is included in the fee.
01
Onboarding & family partnership
A clear joining process, named tutor, communication rhythm and meaningful family participation.
02
Languages & global experiences
Language model, certifications, exchanges and continuity between stages.
03
Academic guidance
Pathway decisions, university access and sustained vocational guidance.
04
Safeguarding & support
Protection, coexistence, additional needs and clear intervention routes.
05
Sport, health & food
Movement, habits, facilities, menus and wellbeing brought into one educational strategy.
06
Life beyond the classroom
Art, technology, projects, clubs and opportunities to discover interests and talent.
Tools for families
Verify. Compare. Then visit.
These links help locate schools and check the fundamentals. No directory replaces a conversation with the school or a visit to the campus.
Official
State school register
Find authorised schools by territory, ownership and stage.
Open searchCICAEMember private schools
National directory of the association of private and independent schools.
Open directoryBest Schools in SpainExplore projects
Information published by private schools across different territories.
Explore schoolsIBVerify IB authorisation
Check the authorised programme and exact campus in the official finder.
Find an IB schoolDecide with care
The best school is the one that works for that learner.
Fit
Does the school's everyday culture fit the learner's character and needs?
Evidence
Can the school demonstrate how it teaches, supports, safeguards and assesses?
Continuity
Which pathways, qualifications and transitions exist at the exact campus?
Total cost
Does the written proposal include every compulsory and optional service?
Brains International Schools
When every element becomes one complete educational project.
At Brains, academics, languages, international outlook, sport, health, technology, values and guidance are designed as one experience. Five campuses in Madrid and Gran Canaria support different stages with one ambition: help every learner be themselves and go further.
Conversations that build
Let’s talk about the education
the next generation deserves.
Families, educators, institutions and purpose-led projects: if we share an important question, it deserves a direct conversation.
Luis Manuel TolmosDirector General · Brains International Schools