Alma Forest School vs Colegio San José

	A Alma Forest School Malaga, Spain	C Colegio San José Malaga, Spain
Snapshot	Snapshot
Fees / year	Fees / year €7,500 - 13,750	Fees / year €1,242 - 8,400
Age range	Age range 3 - 14 years	Age range 3 - 18 years
Type	Type Co-educational	Type —
Curriculum	Curriculum IB (PYP), IB (MYP), Bespoke Curriculum	Curriculum IB (PYP), IB (MYP), IB (DP), Spanish Curriculum
Pupils	Pupils 112	Pupils 1,233
Typical class size	Typical class size 15	Typical class size 20
Instruction language	Instruction language English	Instruction language English, Spanish
Opened	Opened 2019	Opened —
Bus service	Bus service No	Bus service No
Essentials	Essentials
Location	Location Located on a Spanish finca just outside Sotogrande, Spain. Expansive views across to Gibraltar and Morocco, with fields to play on, trees to climb and animals to care for. Surrounding natural parks and beaches are used to immerse learning in the natural environment. The school is internationally accredited and staffed by experienced educators.	Location —
Stages	Stages Escuela Bosque Ages 3-6; Primary School Ages 6-11; Middle School Ages 11-14.	Stages —
School type	School type Microschool; intentionally small school; internationally accredited and staffed by experienced educators.	School type —
Pupil nationality mix	Pupil nationality mix 24 nationalities represented; 80% of families relocated to join Alma Forest School.	Pupil nationality mix —
Additional learning support	Additional learning support —	Additional learning support —
Country affiliation	Country affiliation Spain	Country affiliation —
Religious affiliation	Religious affiliation —	Religious affiliation —
School day structure	School day structure —	School day structure —
Bus service details	Bus service details —	Bus service details —
Fees	Fees
Fee details	Fee details Application and inscription fees - Inscription (application) fee: EUR 500. This is a one‑off charge invoiced at the time of application and only one payment is invoiced per family. This fee is non‑refundable. - Deposit: a deposit is charged when an application is processed to secure a place. Deposits are refundable only if the school is notified in writing with a full term's notice of the student's intention to leave (see deadlines below). Tuition fees by year group (annual and per‑term figures) - Escuela Bosque (ages 3–6): EUR 750 per month (membership fee). Per‑term and annual figures below are calculated from the published monthly amount using the school's monthly billing basis. (See calculation note below.) - Published: EUR 750 per month. - Calculated annual (example, based on a 10‑month billing basis): EUR 7,500 per year (EUR 750 × 10). - Calculated per term (annual ÷ 3): EUR 2,500 per term (calculated). - Grade 1 (age 6 turning 7): EUR 10,500 per year — Per term (calculated): EUR 3,500. - Grade 2 (age 7 turning 8): EUR 10,500 per year — Per term (calculated): EUR 3,500. - Grade 3 (age 8 turning 9): EUR 11,750 per year — Per term (calculated): EUR 3,916.67. - Grade 4 (age 9 turning 10): EUR 11,750 per year — Per term (calculated): EUR 3,916.67. - Grade 5 (age 10 turning 11): EUR 11,750 per year — Per term (calculated): EUR 3,916.67. - Grade 6 (age 11 turning 12): EUR 13,750 per year — Per term (calculated): EUR 4,583.33. - Grade 7 (age 12 turning 13): EUR 13,750 per year — Per term (calculated): EUR 4,583.33. - Grade 8 (age 13 turning 14): EUR 13,750 per year — Per term (calculated): EUR 4,583.33. (Calculation note: per‑term amounts shown above are calculated by dividing the published annual tuition by three to produce termly figures consistent with the school's term structure; where the school publishes a monthly fee (Escuela Bosque) the annual and per‑term figures shown are calculated using the school's published monthly billing basis. These per‑term/annual figures are provided for clarity and are calculated from the published amounts. ) Billing schedule and payment terms - Payment frequency options: monthly, termly, or annually. - Monthly payments: due before the 5th of each month. - Termly payments: a 2% discount is applied to fees paid termly. Termly payments are due before 15 August, 20 December and 20 April. - Annual payments: a 5% discount is applied to fees paid annually. Annual payment is due before 15 August. - Sibling discount: EUR 500 annually for each sibling after the first; the discount is calculated according to the family's preferred payment terms. - Residentials and school trips: these incur additional charges invoiced during the year. Boarding fees - Boarding provision or boarding fees are not listed in the school's published fee document. No boarding fee schedule is published. Other costs and optional extras - Catering (lunches): - Escuela Bosque catering: EUR 93 per month. - Grades 1–7 catering: EUR 110 per month. - Per‑meal rates: Escuela Bosque EUR 5.50 per meal; rest of school EUR 6.50 per meal. The monthly catering fee is averaged over 10 academic months. Parents must still provide a daily snack. Cancellation rules apply (see refunds/cancellation). - After School Club (for ages 3–6 and Grade 1; until 4:30pm Mon–Thu): monthly rates by number of days per week: - 1 day per week: EUR 55 per month. - 2 days per week: EUR 96 per month. - 3 days per week: EUR 125 per month. - 4 days per week: EUR 155 per month. - Other optional charges: transport nominal fees for day trips, residential and excursion charges, and other extras which are invoiced as they arise. Fees and extras are subject to annual review. Refunds and cancellation terms - Inscription fee (EUR 500) is non‑refundable. - Deposit refund: deposits are refundable only when the school is given written term's notice of intent to leave. The published notice deadlines for refund eligibility are: - On or before 1 September if leaving at the end of December. - On or before 31 December if leaving at the end of March. - On or before 31 March if leaving at the end of June. - Catering cancellation: canceling catering must be provided in writing before the 25th of the next month and cannot be cancelled in the middle of a month; adjustments may be charged if joining or cancelling partway through the year. - After School Club: changes or cancellations to selected days must be notified before the 25th of the next month and cannot be cancelled mid‑month. Spaces are limited and allocated on a first‑come, first‑served basis. Fee payment options (methods) - The school's published fee schedule specifies payment frequency, due dates and discounts but does not list specific accepted payment methods (for example: bank transfer, credit card, PayPal). For information about accepted payment methods or to arrange a payment, contact the school directly via the published school contact channels. Short practical summary (key numbers) - Inscription fee: EUR 500 (non‑refundable). - Escuela Bosque: EUR 750 per month (published). Calculated example: EUR 7,500 per year; EUR 2,500 per term (using 10‑month monthly basis). - Primary / Middle (published annual tuition): Grade 1 & 2 EUR 10,500; Grades 3–5 EUR 11,750; Grades 6–8 EUR 13,750. Per‑term figures for each grade are published annual ÷ 3 (calculated values shown above). - Catering: EUR 93/month (Escuela Bosque) or EUR 110/month (Grades 1–7); per‑meal rates EUR 5.50 / EUR 6.50. - After School Club: EUR 55–155 per month depending on days per week. - Discounts: 2% termly payment discount; 5% annual payment discount; sibling discount EUR 500 per additional sibling. (Where per‑term or annual totals are shown as calculations, they were derived from the published monthly or annual figures and the school's published billing structure.)	Fee details Application / Registration fee - No fixed application fee figure is published in the school's public information. Local school listings and guides indicate that private schools in this area charge a one‑off registration or matrícula fee, but the Colegio San José does not publish a detailed numeric value for the application/registration fee. Tuition fees by year group (per term / per year) - The school does not publish a fully itemised, grade‑by‑grade fee table in publicly accessible pages. Available local school guides and directories list the Colegio San José among private bilingual schools whose monthly tuition generally ranges from about EUR 700 up to EUR 1,600 depending on stage and services, but those sources show a general range rather than a breakdown by year group or term. No per‑term or per‑grade numeric schedule was found in the school's published materials. Billing schedule and payment terms - A detailed billing schedule (for example: number of instalments per year, exact due dates, or prompt‑payment discounts) is not published in accessible public materials for this school. Local listings that show monthly cost estimates imply that tuition is charged on a monthly basis, but the exact number of instalments and the school's formal payment terms are not published publicly. Boarding fees (if applicable) - Some directory summaries list the school as providing a partial boarding/residencia option, but no public fee schedule for boarding (weekly or full‑board fees) is published. No numeric boarding fees could be located. Other costs and recurring charges - Uniforms, school supplies, transport (school bus) and catering (comedor) are listed among offered services; specific prices for uniforms, transport routes or meal plans are not published in the school's public information. Any extra‑curricular or termly activity fees are organised by term but specific per‑activity prices are not published. Refund information - No public, itemised refund policy or refund amounts for deposits/registration fees is published in the school's accessible materials. There is no publicly available numeric refund schedule for withdrawal, early termination or non‑attendance. Fee payment options - The school's public pages provide contact and admissions request forms but do not publish a definitive list of accepted payment methods. Payment channels commonly used by comparable private schools in Spain (bank transfer, direct debit/SEPA domiciliation and card payments) are widely used locally; however, the specific payment methods the Colegio San José accepts are not published in an itemised list. Summary of availability of numeric details - The school's public information provides descriptions of stages, languages, transport and complementary services but does not publish a complete, graded fee schedule showing per‑term or per‑year amounts, nor a public, detailed boarding tariff. External guides and directories give estimated monthly ranges (approximately EUR 700–1,600/month) as a general indicator for the school's tuition level, but they do not replace a formal, itemised fee schedule. (Notes: attempted access to the primary domain produced a verification/forbidden response for some pages; the overview above is compiled from the school's public brochure pages and local educational guides and directories that list the school and give general price ranges.)
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 Escuela Bosque is the pre-school for ages 3-6, and the Primary School serves ages 6-11 with Middle School for ages 11-14. The curriculum is built around three overlapping strands: the Imposed strand of Literacy and Numeracy workshops; the Emergent strand of class- or school-wide Explorations that integrate Science, Humanities and the Arts; and the Explorations framework that is co-created with students and guided by their interests. The curriculum draws from international, self-directed, democratic, project-based and outdoor education models, adapting these strengths to Alma Forest School's unique learning environment. Academic workshops align with international standards and use materials developed by leading international schools; most subjects are taught through Explorations rather than in isolated lessons. About 25% of school time is spent on self-directed projects chosen and planned with peers and teachers. Learning emphasizes outdoor, nature-based contexts and mixed-age group work, with a focus on intrinsic motivation and real-world application across disciplines.	Curriculum details —
Student teacher ratio	Student teacher ratio In the Escuela Bosque, the teacher-to-student ratio is 1:8. In the Primary School, younger groups are supported by a teacher and teaching assistant while older groups have a class teacher; class sizes do not exceed 15 learners.	Student teacher ratio —
Exam results	Exam results Academically, students achieve at par with counterparts in other international schools. Teaching materials are drawn from curricula used by leading international schools globally. Graduates depart Alma Forest School with skills that empower independent, self-directed learning and the ability to apply knowledge across contexts.	Exam results —
Higher education progression	Higher education progression —	Higher education progression —
Gifted and talented	Gifted and talented —	Gifted and talented —
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 Step 1: Get to Know Us. A video call or a physical tour of Alma Forest School is arranged to walk you through our approach and ethos. Before the meeting, read the website and our social media pages to understand the school's ethos and activities. This helps families determine if the environment aligns with their expectations. Step 2: Complete an Application Form. After the tour, complete the Application Form to apply for a free space or to join the waitlist. Provide as much information as possible about the prospective student and family, and include supporting reports and assessments with the completed forms. Create an account to view your application after submitting it. Step 3: Student Trials. When logistically possible, prospective students are invited to attend trial days before an offer can be extended. This ensures Alma Forest is the best environment for the child. Step 4: Invitation to Join the Alma Tribe. Following the successful outcome of the above steps, an offer to enrol with Alma Forest is issued.	Admissions —
Scholarships	Scholarships —	Scholarships —
Waitlist	Waitlist Waitlist overview: A waitlist is used for enrolment at Alma Forest. Completion of the Alma Forest Waitlist Enrolment Form entitles the Applicant to be added to the waitlist. A separate form is required for each child. The form collects Child Details, Parental Details, and the intended enrolment dates, along with Additional Information. The form includes an Agreement between Parent/Guardian and Alma Forest Primary outlining commitments such as active parent participation, ensuring the child is well nourished and rested, and outdoor learning in all weather. Completion of the form entitles the Applicant to the waitlist. A separate Application for Enrolment and a registration fee are required for each child when moving from waitlist to enrolment. Return completed form to info@almaforestschool.com.	Waitlist —
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