Aloha College Marbella vs The Ark Christian School

	A Aloha College Marbella Malaga, Spain	T The Ark Christian School Malaga, Spain
Snapshot	Snapshot
Fees / year	Fees / year €4,825 - 18,940	Fees / year €4,545 - 9,005
Age range	Age range 3 - 18 years	Age range 3 - 18 years
Type	Type Co-educational	Type Co-educational
Curriculum	Curriculum IB (DP), IPC (International Primary Curriculum), British Curriculum, Cambridge IGCSE, Cambridge A Levels, EYFS (Early years foundation stage)	Curriculum British Curriculum, Cambridge IGCSE, Cambridge International AS Levels, Cambridge A Levels, Catholic Curriculum, EYFS (Early years foundation stage)
Pupils	Pupils 840	Pupils 350
Typical class size	Typical class size 20	Typical class size 20
Instruction language	Instruction language English	Instruction language English
Opened	Opened 1982	Opened 2009
Bus service	Bus service Yes	Bus service No
Essentials	Essentials
Location	Location Urb. El Angel, Nueva Andalucia, 29660 Marbella, Málaga, Spain. The campus is in Urbanización El Ángel, Nueva Andalucía, Marbella.	Location Calle Río Darro, 1, 29651 Las Lagunas de Mijas, Málaga, Spain. The Ark Christian School serves students aged 3–18 and operates in the Fuengirola area on the Costa del Sol.
Stages	Stages Early Years (Nursery & Reception, ages 3–4); Primary (Key Stage 1 & Key Stage 2, ages 5–10); Secondary (Key Stage 3 & Key Stage 4, ages 11–15); Sixth Form (IB Diploma & A-Levels, ages 16–18).	Stages Early Years; Primary; Secondary; A-Levels
School type	School type International school	School type British international school; independent, charitable (non-profit) organisation
Pupil nationality mix	Pupil nationality mix —	Pupil nationality mix —
Additional learning support	Additional learning support SEN is supported within the mainstream classroom; families must provide full written documentation of any known SEN at registration.	Additional learning support —
Country affiliation	Country affiliation British international education (UK curriculum elements such as English National Curriculum and IPC).	Country affiliation British
Religious affiliation	Religious affiliation —	Religious affiliation Christian
School day structure	School day structure Primary day runs 9:00–15:40 (with supervision from 8:30 and until 16:00); Secondary day runs 9:00–16:00.	School day structure Primary: 9:00am–3:00pm (Mon–Fri); Secondary: 9:00am–4:00pm (Mon–Fri)
Bus service details	Bus service details Yes. Supervised bus routes from Fuengirola and Estepona.	Bus service details —
Fees	Fees
Fee details	Fee details Application and Admissions Prepayments - Application fee (non‑refundable): EUR 200, payable on submission of the application. - Reservation (firm offer) fee: EUR 2,500, payable on acceptance of a firm offer and deducted from the first invoice. - Waiting list holding fee: EUR 1,250 — refundable only if a place is not offered; once a firm place is offered this becomes part of the reservation fee and non‑refundable. - Administration fee (one‑time, non‑refundable): EUR 195, payable with the first invoice. - Inscription (enrolment) fee for new pupils / re‑enrolment after an absence (one‑time, non‑refundable): 1st child EUR 3,000; 2nd child EUR 2,250; 3rd child EUR 1,800. - Chromebook (required for all students joining Secondary): EUR 599, payable with the first invoice; the device is supplied and configured by the school and is assigned to the pupil. Tuition fees — Primary (per term and annual total) Invoices and payments are issued termly. Payment due dates shown in the schedule are: 1st Term due by 15/06/2025; 2nd Term due by 01/12/2025; 3rd Term due by 02/03/2026. (Below each line shows the three term amounts followed by the calculated annual total.) - Nursery (Half Day): 1st Term EUR 1,925; 2nd Term EUR 1,450; 3rd Term EUR 1,450. Annual total: EUR 4,825. - Nursery (Full): 1st Term EUR 3,115; 2nd Term EUR 2,345; 3rd Term EUR 2,345. Annual total: EUR 7,805. - Reception: 1st Term EUR 3,495; 2nd Term EUR 2,620; 3rd Term EUR 2,620. Annual total: EUR 8,735. - Year 1: 1st Term EUR 3,805; 2nd Term EUR 2,850; 3rd Term EUR 2,850. Annual total: EUR 9,505. - Year 2: 1st Term EUR 3,895; 2nd Term EUR 2,930; 3rd Term EUR 2,930. Annual total: EUR 9,755. - Year 3: 1st Term EUR 4,240; 2nd Term EUR 3,180; 3rd Term EUR 3,180. Annual total: EUR 10,600. - Year 4: 1st Term EUR 4,345; 2nd Term EUR 3,265; 3rd Term EUR 3,265. Annual total: EUR 10,875. - Year 5: 1st Term EUR 4,575; 2nd Term EUR 3,440; 3rd Term EUR 3,440. Annual total: EUR 11,455. - Year 6: 1st Term EUR 4,630; 2nd Term EUR 3,470; 3rd Term EUR 3,470. Annual total: EUR 11,570. Tuition fees — Secondary (per term / invoice and annual total) Invoices and payments are made termly for Years 7, 8, 9, 10 and 12; Years 11 and 13 are invoiced twice a year. Payment due dates shown in the schedule are: 1st Term / 1st Invoice due by 15/06/2025; 2nd Term due by 01/12/2025; 3rd Term due by 02/03/2026; second invoice for Year 11/13 due by 05/01/2026. (Below each line shows the invoice/term amounts followed by the calculated annual total.) - Year 7: 1st Term EUR 5,290; 2nd Term EUR 3,975; 3rd Term EUR 3,975. Annual total: EUR 13,240. - Year 8: 1st Term EUR 5,430; 2nd Term EUR 4,075; 3rd Term EUR 4,075. Annual total: EUR 13,580. - Year 9: 1st Term EUR 5,520; 2nd Term EUR 4,140; 3rd Term EUR 4,140. Annual total: EUR 13,800. - Year 10: 1st Term EUR 5,980; 2nd Term EUR 4,495; 3rd Term EUR 4,495. Annual total: EUR 14,970. - Year 12: 1st Term EUR 7,495; 2nd Term EUR 5,630; 3rd Term EUR 5,630. Annual total: EUR 18,755. - Year 11: 1st Invoice EUR 7,640; 2nd Invoice EUR 7,640. Annual total: EUR 15,280. - Year 13: 1st Invoice EUR 9,470; 2nd Invoice EUR 9,470. Annual total: EUR 18,940. Optional services and recurring extras - School lunch (Primary): Nursery–Year 2 — 1st Term EUR 615; 2nd Term EUR 450; 3rd Term EUR 440. Years 3–6 — 1st Term EUR 650; 2nd Term EUR 480; 3rd Term EUR 470. - School lunch (Secondary): Year 7–10 & 12 — 1st Term EUR 650; 2nd Term EUR 480; 3rd Term EUR 470. Year 11 — 1st Invoice EUR 795; 2nd Invoice EUR 795. Year 13 — 1st Invoice EUR 700; 2nd Invoice EUR 700. - School bus (priced by geographical zone): for Years 7–10 & 12 the per‑term amounts are: Zone A EUR 480 / EUR 350 / EUR 350; Zone B EUR 605 / EUR 445 / EUR 445; Zone C EUR 685 / EUR 505 / EUR 505; Zone D EUR 760 / EUR 560 / EUR 560. Bus charges for Years 11 and 13 are invoiced per the two‑invoice schedule with amounts varying by zone (see the invoice schedule). - Chromebook: Secondary students EUR 599 (one‑off, payable with first invoice). - The tuition and optional service fees listed include accident insurance, textbooks and exercise books, subject materials and all compulsory curricular day trips and enrichment events unless otherwise noted. Billing schedule and payment terms - Invoices are issued according to the term/ invoice schedule shown above (1st term/invoice in mid‑June; further invoices in December, March or early January for two‑invoice year groups). - For Years 7–10 and 12 invoicing is termly; Years 11 and 13 are invoiced twice a year. - A surcharge of 5% is imposed on fees not fully paid by the due date stated on the invoice. - Inscription, administration and Chromebook charges are payable with the first invoice or as stated in the enrolment prepayment terms. Boarding - Aloha College Marbella operates as a day school; boarding is not provided. Refunds and non‑refundable items - Application fee (EUR 200): non‑refundable. - Reservation fee (EUR 2,500): non‑refundable once a firm offer is accepted (the reservation fee is deducted from the first invoice). - Waiting list holding fee (EUR 1,250): refundable only if a place is not subsequently offered; once a firm place is offered it becomes part of the reservation fee and is non‑refundable. - Administration fee and inscription fee: one‑time and non‑refundable, payable with the first invoice. - Other refund entitlements for tuition after a pupil has started are governed by the school's enrolment and payment terms (specific conditions such as refunds on withdrawal or term‑time changes are set out in the school's policy documents). A 5% late payment surcharge applies for late settlement. Fee payment notes and options - Fees are invoiced in EUR according to the billing schedule above; invoices must be settled by the due dates shown. - The published fee documents present the invoicing schedule, fee amounts and the late‑payment surcharge. For the available payment channels (for example bank transfer, card payment via the parent portal or other methods) families should use the school's invoicing and parent‑portal arrangements when settling invoices. Other practical costs - Uniform: the school operates a second‑hand uniform shop and maintains uniform guidance; costs for new uniform items are not listed in the fee schedule and vary by item and supplier. - External optional activities (some trips, examinations, external providers or certain co‑curricular items) may carry separate charges where explicitly stated. - The fee documents include details of compulsory items (textbooks, subject materials) in the fee inclusions; additional discretionary costs (private tuition, optional external programmes, non‑compulsory trips) are billed separately where applicable.	Fee details Registration / Application Fees - Non‑refundable registration fee for a new student: EUR 500.00. - Registration fee for renewal: EUR 295.00. - If registration for Year 10 or Year 12 is completed after the first term, the registration fee is increased by EUR 400.00. Tuition fees by year group (annual and monthly breakdown) - Pre‑reception and Reception: Annual fee EUR 4,545.00 — billed as 10 monthly payments of EUR 454.50. - Years 1 and 2: Annual fee EUR 4,829.20 — billed as 10 monthly payments of EUR 482.92. - Years 3 and 4: Annual fee EUR 5,446.70 — billed as 10 monthly payments of EUR 544.67. - Years 5 and 6: Annual fee EUR 5,820.00 — billed as 10 monthly payments of EUR 582.00. - Years 7, 8 and 9: Annual fee EUR 7,003.00 — billed as 10 monthly payments of EUR 700.30. - Year 10: Annual fee EUR 7,850.00 — billed as 10 monthly payments of EUR 785.00. - Year 11: Annual fee EUR 8,829.00 — billed as 9 monthly payments of EUR 981.00 (special billing period applies). - Year 12: Annual fee EUR 8,883.50 — billed as 10 monthly payments of EUR 888.35. - Year 13: Annual fee EUR 9,005.40 — billed as 9 monthly payments of EUR 1,000.60 (special billing period applies). Billing schedule and payment terms - Standard billing: school fees are payable monthly, due before the 10th of each month. - Standard billing period runs from September to June. - Exception for Year 11 and Year 13: fees are billed from September to May (9 months). - Receipts are issued between the 1st and the 10th of each month. - On acceptance a deposit of EUR 1,000.00 is required. Boarding fees - The school operates as a day school (no boarding provision); no boarding fees apply. Other costs and routine extras - Early morning care (08:30–09:00): EUR 3.00 per day or EUR 45.00 per month. - After‑school club (15:00–16:00): EUR 6.00 per day or EUR 72.00 per month. - Examination fees for Year 11, Year 12 and Year 13 are charged separately and are payable in January of the year the examinations are taken. - Textbooks and materials are included in the published school fees. Discounts that affect fees - Sibling discount: 5% for the second child; 50% for the third child; 50% for the fourth child. - Full‑year payment discount: a percentage discount is applied if the full year is paid by the specified early‑payment deadline (discount deadlines and rates apply; check billing communications for the current deadline). Deposit and refund information - The acceptance deposit is EUR 1,000.00. - The deposit will be refunded when a student leaves after Year 11, Year 12 or Year 13 provided all fees have been paid in full. - The deposit will be refunded when a student leaves earlier if a full term's notice has been given and all fees have been paid in full. - If a student leaves without having given one term's notice, the deposit is forfeited. - If fees are in arrears when a student leaves, the deposit will be used to cover arrears and any remaining balance will be returned. - If the full year's fees are paid in advance and the student leaves early, the pre‑paid months are not refundable. - The registration fee is non‑refundable. Fee payment options and related terms - Payments can be made by bank transfer or by credit/debit card. - Receipts are issued monthly (between the 1st and 10th). - When paying by bank transfer, the student's full name must be provided and the payment concept specified. - The school reserves the right to withhold admission, notes, reports, or student records until financial obligations are met.
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 The school offers a British international education for students aged 3 to 18. From Early Years to Year 6, the English National Curriculum is followed with the International Primary Curriculum. In Years 10–11, students prepare for IGCSEs. In Sixth Form (Years 12–13), they can choose between the International Baccalaureate (IB Diploma) or the International A-Level programme.	Curriculum details British National Curriculum for ages 3-18, leading to IGCSE and A Level examinations; British and Spanish Curriculum.
Student teacher ratio	Student teacher ratio Average class size: Years 7–11, 16 pupils; Years 12–13, 10 pupils.	Student teacher ratio —
Exam results	Exam results 2024 Exam Results: the school achieved a 100% pass rate across IB, A-Level and IGCSE examinations. In the IB programme, the average score was 35.56 points, with nine students exceeding 40. In A-Level, 31% of examinations were awarded A* to A, with a 100% pass rate. In IGCSE, 93% of examinations were graded 4–9, with 46% achieving 7–9, and all early-entry Spanish candidates earning top grades (8–9). 2025 Exam Results: published with continued strong achievements.	Exam results —
Higher education progression	Higher education progression 96% of the 2024 cohort progressed to their first-choice universities. 17 graduates pursued UK universities including Oxford, Manchester, Edinburgh and Bristol. About 69% studied abroad in the US, Canada, Europe and beyond. 77% chose Arts and Humanities degrees and 23% pursued STEM fields.	Higher education progression Graduates have access to universities in the United Kingdom, Spain, and globally. Students typically choose four A Level subjects and must pass at least three to gain direct access to Spanish public universities. In the United Kingdom, admissions follow the UCAS points system. The school assists with university entry, including EVAU-related registration through UNEDasiss in Malaga.
Gifted and talented	Gifted and talented —	Gifted and talented The curriculum develops each child's individual talents.
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. Enquiry Stage. The process starts with an enquiry on the school's site. OpenApply provides access to upload documents, track progress, and complete the application. The most recent school reports, copies of passports (child and both parents), and proof of English proficiency for Year 1 and above (if English is not the first language) are requested. There are two application periods: 1 November–31 January for entry in the following academic year and 1 March–31 May; applications outside these periods may be considered subject to availability.	Admissions —
Scholarships	Scholarships —	Scholarships —
Waitlist	Waitlist Waiting list. If no place is available, an offer is made on the waiting list. To accept, pay €1,250 within one week; this payment is refundable if no place is offered. If a place becomes available, the remaining €1,250 must be paid within 48 hours to secure the spot.	Waitlist —
	View full profile →	View full profile →