AIS International School vs Montessori British School Murcia

	A AIS International School Alicante, Spain	M Montessori British School Murcia Alicante, Spain
Snapshot	Snapshot
Fees / year	Fees / year €6,600 - 7,350	Fees / year €3,500 - 20,000
Age range	Age range 6 - 18 years	Age range 3 - 18 years
Type	Type Co-educational	Type Co-educational, Co-educational (boarding)
Curriculum	Curriculum British Curriculum, Cambridge IGCSE, Cambridge A Levels, Waldorf Steiner Curriculum	Curriculum British Curriculum, BTEC Qualification, Montessori Curriculum, Pearson Edexcel IGCSE
Pupils	Pupils 270	Pupils 70
Typical class size	Typical class size 16	Typical class size 10
Instruction language	Instruction language English	Instruction language English
Opened	Opened 2012	Opened —
Bus service	Bus service Yes	Bus service No
Essentials	Essentials
Location	Location AIS Altea International School is located at Camí de l'Ermita 12, Alfaz del Pi 03580, and Cautivador 18, La Nucía 03530, Alicante, Spain. It sits in the inland Costa Blanca area near Altea and Jávea, accessible by road. A bus service serves the school from Jávea, Calpe and Alicante, with stops in Villajoyosa, Cala Finestrat, Finestrat, Alfaz del Pi, Albir, Benissa, Altea, Mascarat, Villa Gadea and Teulada, subject to demand.	Location Murcia, Spain; Campus de Murcia, 26B Calle Ermita Vieja, Murcia, 30006, Spain.
Stages	Stages Primary and Secondary levels for ages 6 to 18.	Stages Primaria (6–12 years); Secundaria (12–16 years, flexible); Bachillerato (16–18 years, flexible); Erdkinder (adolescent Montessori community with a residence).
School type	School type Private British school with Steiner-Waldorf inspired educational model.	School type Private international school offering Montessori-inspired education with British curriculum elements; Official Pearson Edexcel exam center for iGCSE, BTEC and A-Levels; Erdkinder boarding program.
Pupil nationality mix	Pupil nationality mix —	Pupil nationality mix —
Additional learning support	Additional learning support Special and Additional Learning Needs Policy.	Additional learning support —
Country affiliation	Country affiliation British	Country affiliation British School Overseas; follows UK education standards.
Religious affiliation	Religious affiliation —	Religious affiliation —
School day structure	School day structure —	School day structure —
Bus service details	Bus service details There are three buses that serve the school. They come from/go to Jávea, Calpe and Alicante. Stops include Villajoyosa, Cala Finestrat, Finestrat, Alfaz del Pi, Albir, Benissa, Altea, Mascarat, Villa Gadea and Teulada; subject to demand.	Bus service details —
Fees	Fees
Fee details	Fee details Application / Registration and Entry Fees - Annual registration fee (new and returning): EUR 525 (Primary, due by 5 March for 2026/27 places). - Annual registration fee (Secondary / A‑level): EUR 609 (where stated for Secondary and A‑Level). - One‑time administration fee at enrolment: EUR 100. - Refundable enrolment deposit for new students (when not exempted by pre‑payment): Primary: EUR 1,320; Secondary: EUR 1,470 (deposit amount applied at enrolment; deposit is refundable after withdrawal subject to deductions). Primary tuition (Class 1–5 / Year 2–6) - Standard monthly plan (Direct Debit SEPA only): EUR 660 per month, paid over 10 months (September–June) = EUR 6,600 per academic year. - Annual single‑payment option (early payment discount): example shown — EUR 6,270 (5% discount when paid by the specified early deadline). Alternative single‑payment deadlines and discounts are offered (different deadlines yield different percentage discounts). - Registration and extra enrolment charges: Annual registration EUR 525 (due by the school deadline) plus for new students the refundable deposit EUR 1,320 and the one‑time administration fee EUR 100 when applicable. - Summer school: one week of Summer School is included in the annual school fees for registered Primary families; additional weeks of Summer School are charged (standard published Summer School fee: EUR 135 per week). Secondary tuition (Class 6–10 / Year 7–11) - Annual tuition (standard): EUR 7,350 per year, payable in 10 monthly instalments from September to June (Direct Debit). - Annual registration fee: EUR 609. One‑time enrolment deposit: EUR 1,470 for new students (deposit refunded on withdrawal after deductions). One‑time administration fee: EUR 100. - Summer school: one week included in the annual fee for registered families. A‑Level tuition (Class 11–12 / Year 12–13) - Tuition is charged per subject: EUR 3,087 per subject per year. - Payment schedule for A‑Level tuition per subject: payable in 3 trimester instalments (due September, January and April). - Concessions shown: 10% reduction for the 2nd subject, 20% reduction for the 3rd subject. Annual registration fee for A‑Level: EUR 609. One‑time administration fee: EUR 100. Billing schedule and payment terms (general rules applied across programmes) - Monthly plan: 10 instalments, September through June; monthly instalments are taken by Direct Debit (SEPA) on the 1st of each month. Parents who do not use Direct Debit are required to pay at least a whole term in advance. - Trimester payments: accepted by bank transfer where offered; trimester due dates are the start of each term (example deadlines noted: 1 September, 1 January, 1 April). - Annual single payment: a single annual payment option is available with an early‑payment discount (example: 5% discount when paid by the school's stated early deadline). Families paying the whole year in advance may be exempt from the deposit requirement for new entrants. Other costs and what is not included in tuition - Not included in tuition: reading books, workbooks and specialised materials for maths and art (compass, ruler, calculator, specialised art supplies) — these are charged separately. - Lunch service: a hot vegetarian lunch service is available; lunch registration and charges are handled through the school's chosen lunch provider. - Bus / transport: bus fees are charged separately and calculated by distance from the school; routes are operated subject to demand and paid in addition to tuition. - Extra‑curricular activities and selected packages (sports, music, arts, clubs) are additional and may be offered as discounted yearly packages if chosen. - Summer School (additional weeks beyond the included week): standard published rate EUR 135 per week (sibling discounts may apply). Refunds and deposit handling - Enrolment deposit: the deposit taken at enrolment is refundable on request after the student's withdrawal from the school; any outstanding fees or other payments owing to the school are deducted from the deposit before refund. - Deposit exemption: families who pay the whole year in advance (within the school's stated early‑payment window) are typically exempt from paying the deposit at enrolment. - Fees and withdrawal: the school's Fee Agreement contains the full withdrawal and refund schedule and the application of any discounts; the deposit refund procedure and deductions are administered in accordance with that agreement. Boarding - Boarding is not provided; the school operates as a day school with optional bus transport and on‑site lunch. Accepted payment methods and practical payment notes - Direct Debit (SEPA) is the required method for the monthly 10‑month plan. Trimester and single annual payments are accepted by bank transfer to the school account. For parents who decline Direct Debit, a whole term in advance payment is required. Specific bank account details and exact payment instructions are supplied in the school's Fee Agreement and payment forms. Notes on discounts and sibling concessions - Early‑payment discounts are applied for single annual payments (examples: 5% and other tiered discounts depending on payment date). Sibling discounts apply as stated in the school's Terms & Conditions and Fee Agreement; parents are required to follow the school's deadlines to secure discount rates.	Fee details Application / enrolment fees - Umbrella programme: a one-off administrative/registration fee of EUR 350 is charged and is paid with the first installment. - Microschools / franchise-type projects: an initial advisory/application payment of EUR 100 is charged. - Admission process: a completed registration form, required documentation and the first payment are required to confirm and reserve a place. Tuition fees by programme / year group - Umbrella (virtual programme, Key Stage 2/3 — approx. ages 6–14): EUR 170 per month; annual cost stated as within the range EUR 1,500 to EUR 2,800 for the 2024/2025 academic year (monthly payment option available). - Umbrella Key Stage 4 (International GCSE preparation): EUR 310 per month; annual cost falls within the overall Umbrella range given for 2024/2025. - Other modalities (Early Years / Day School Campus / Primary / Secondary / Baccalaureate / BTEC / A‑Levels): no published per-term or per-academic-year tuition schedule for each specific year group or cohort was found. The school operates Campus (Day School), Online and Erdkinder (residential) modalities but a complete, year-group-by-year-group fee table is not published. Billing schedule and payment terms - Umbrella billing options: monthly payments are available; a single full payment is accepted with a 3% discount applied for single-payment settlement. The stated annual price range for Umbrella (EUR 1,500–2,800) corresponds to the monthly plans and single-payment option for 2024/2025. An administrative fee of EUR 350 is charged with the first instalment. - Admissions confirmation requires submission of documentation and payment of the first instalment to reserve a place. Details of instalment schedules beyond the Umbrella programme (for campus or boarding tuition) are not published. Boarding fees (Erdkinder) - Boarding options offered: individual and group rooms; full board (including weekends) or week-board (Sunday evening to Friday evening) options; campuses may be in Murcia or in Ireland depending on dates and availability. No published numeric boarding fees (per week, per term or per year) were found. Other costs and extras - Administrative / registration: Umbrella administrative fee EUR 350 (paid with first instalment). Microschools initial fee EUR 100. - Exams: Pearson Edexcel examination sessions and private-candidate arrangements are listed (future exam sessions announced), but specific exam-entry fees are not published on the fee pages. - Camps and holiday programmes (summer/winter/half-term) and short-stay Erdkinder residencies are offered; fees for camps or short residential stays are not published on the programme pages. - Uniforms, textbooks, lunches, transport, extracurricular activity fees and other typical ancillaries: no published line-item amounts for uniform or routine ancillary costs were found. Refunds and cancellation - No published refund or cancellation policy for tuition, boarding or programme fees was found on the public programme and FAQ pages. Admission requires an initial payment to reserve a place; the school does state the admission steps but does not publish a standard refund schedule. Fee payment options - The school lists monthly and single-payment options for the Umbrella programme and notes that financing of course fees is available as an option, but explicit payment method details (credit card, bank transfer, direct debit) are not published on the programme or FAQ pages. Parents should expect that at least monthly instalments and single lump-sum payment choices are supported; financing arrangements are available. Brief summary of what is available and what is not published - Available and published: Umbrella programme monthly rates (EUR 170/mo for Key Stage 2–3; EUR 310/mo for KS4), the Umbrella annual range for 2024/2025 (EUR 1,500–2,800), a EUR 350 administrative fee (Umbrella), a EUR 100 initial advisory fee for Microschools, boarding options (full board or week‑board) and the admission requirement that the first payment accompanies documentation. - Not published (no line-item figures located): a full per-term or per‑year tuition table by specific year group for on-campus Day School (Early Years, Primary, Secondary, Baccalaureate), numeric boarding fees (weekly/term/year amounts), itemised costs for uniform, meals, transport, extracurriculars, explicit exam entry fees, a formal refund/cancellation schedule, and explicit payment-method options (card / bank-transfer details). If you require these missing line-item figures on record, they are not published in the public programme and FAQ pages for the current academic year; the published items above are the definitive fee figures and billing rules that are publicly available.
Diving deeper	Diving deeper
Boarding arrangements	Boarding arrangements —	Boarding arrangements —
Uniform requirement	Uniform requirement —	Uniform requirement —
Food options	Food options —	Food options —
House system	House system —	House system —
Governance and ownership	Governance and ownership —	Governance and ownership —
Academics	Academics
Curriculum details	Curriculum details British National Curriculum taught with Steiner-Waldorf orientation and mindfulness integration; English is the medium of instruction. The primary curriculum offers a balanced mix of academics, art, music, drama, handwork and movement; Main Lesson blocks are used and the learning is holistic rather than fragmented. Subjects include maths, English, science, Spanish, Valenciano, German, music, art, crafts, ICT and PSHE, with language development support as needed. The transition to secondary maintains the Main Lesson style and introduces more formal study; the secondary program follows the English National Curriculum with Steiner-Waldorf and mindfulness influences, preparing students for IGCSE at age 16 and A levels at age 18, with subject options across core and arts subjects; English remains the medium of instruction and assessments include external examinations such as IGCSE and A levels.	Curriculum details The school uses personalized learning journeys instead of a standardized curriculum. Secondary (12–16) follows Pearson Certification: IGCSE and BTEC L2. Sixth form (16–18) offers Pearson Certification: A-Levels and BTEC L3. The school is an Official Pearson Edexcel Examination Center enabling international exams (IGCSEs, BTECs, A-Levels) with flexible paths, including university entry without exams through portfolios. Academic results are important to prepare students for college, career and life. Online classes run in synchronous blocks no longer than 50 minutes, led by Montessori-trained and/or English-speaking or bilingual teachers; Nomad Programs offer virtual and on-campus options, including Earth Children Erdkinder and on-campus Murcia activities.
Student teacher ratio	Student teacher ratio —	Student teacher ratio —
Exam results	Exam results IGCSE results are published annually. In 2025 overall 71% of entries achieved grades 9-4, with 67% in Science and 77% in Maths; 100% achieved 9-4 in English 2nd language. In 2024 overall 92.4% achieved grades 9-1, with 100% achieving 9-6 in German and 9-5 in English 1st language. (Subject and year specific figures are reported for multiple subjects in recent years.)	Exam results —
Higher education progression	Higher education progression In secondary, graduates are adaptable and well-prepared for diverse higher education paths with opportunities within Spain and across the globe.	Higher education progression Students are guided toward higher education, with pathways to university through official UK exams (IGCSEs, BTECs, A-Levels). There are also options for university entry without exams by developing professional portfolios in vocational areas. The school emphasizes preparing graduates for college and future careers.
Gifted and talented	Gifted and talented —	Gifted and talented The Nomad Program is described as suitable for talented students seeking a personalized approach. The program supports flexible online and on-campus learning to accommodate travel and other commitments.
Academic calendar	Academic calendar —	Academic calendar —
Wellbeing & support	Wellbeing & support
Social & emotional learning	Social & emotional learning —	Social & emotional learning —
Special educational needs (SEN)	Special educational needs (SEN) —	Special educational needs (SEN) —
English as an additional language	English as an additional language —	English as an additional language —
Mental wellbeing	Mental wellbeing —	Mental wellbeing —
Safeguarding	Safeguarding —	Safeguarding —
Safeguarding policy	Safeguarding policy —	Safeguarding policy —
Facilities	Facilities
Facilities overview	Facilities overview —	Facilities overview —
Sports facilities	Sports facilities —	Sports facilities —
Academic facilities	Academic facilities —	Academic facilities —
Extra curricular facilities	Extra curricular facilities —	Extra curricular facilities —
Parent experience	Parent experience
History	History —	History —
Community	Community —	Community —
Parent teacher association	Parent teacher association —	Parent teacher association —
Extra-curricular	Extra-curricular
Academic & intellectual	Academic & intellectual —	Academic & intellectual —
Arts & creative	Arts & creative —	Arts & creative —
Cultural & language	Cultural & language —	Cultural & language —
Social & hobbies	Social & hobbies —	Social & hobbies —
Community & service	Community & service —	Community & service —
Leadership & professional	Leadership & professional —	Leadership & professional —
Lifestyle & wellbeing	Lifestyle & wellbeing —	Lifestyle & wellbeing —
Language provision	Language provision
Language provision	Language provision —	Language provision —
Bilingual teaching	Bilingual teaching —	Bilingual teaching —
Immersion programs	Immersion programs —	Immersion programs —
Reputation	Reputation
Awards	Awards —	Awards —
Accreditations	Accreditations —	Accreditations —
Admissions	Admissions
Admissions	Admissions 1. Complete the online Enquiry Form. The school will respond with an invitation to a personal or online interview. The enquiry form is available online or by request from the administration office. 2. After submitting the application form, parents are invited for a visit to the school for more information and continuation of the admission process. This visit provides an opportunity to learn more about AIS and the next steps in the admissions process. 3. AIS welcomes children aged 6-18 years. Children can enrol at AIS up to Class 6 without needing to know English, but they must have a basic level of spoken and listening English when entering Class 7. If they enter Class 8 with a low level of English, intensive after-school classes are required, and progress will be assessed at the end of the first term to decide whether they can reach the level required to enter Year 9 and prepare for GCSE. 4. All classes are taught in English, except for languages, gardening and crafts.	Admissions 1. Registration form is the initial step in the admissions process. An online registration form is provided for interested families to begin the process. The form helps understand the student's needs and the family's expectations. Completing the form starts the admissions journey. 2. Documentation Request follows registration. An email requests the necessary documentation, including ID or Passport, Birth Certificate, Enrollment Contract, and other relevant forms. Providing complete documentation is essential to move forward. This step ensures the school has the information required to assess the application. 3. Return of Documentation and First Payment confirms commitment. Families return all completed and signed documentation and make the first payment. This step reserves the student's place at the center. The submission of documents and payment enables the school to proceed with the registration review. 4. Review and Confirmation occurs after submission. The submitted documentation and first payment are reviewed to ensure they are complete and correct. A copy of the registration contract stamped by the center is issued as confirmation of admission. This provides formal confirmation of the student's place and guides the next steps. 5. Information for the Start of Classes is provided once admission is confirmed. An email is sent with information and instructions needed to connect to the classes. The guidance covers whether the student will participate in person, online, or at the residence. Start details may include login instructions, timetables, and orientation materials.
Scholarships	Scholarships —	Scholarships Scholarships or financial aid are not offered. The school is funded entirely through tuition fees and the services provided. Financing options are available to spread the course fee over time.
Waitlist	Waitlist —	Waitlist —
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