Montessori British School Murcia vs Phoenix International School

	M Montessori British School Murcia Alicante, Spain	P Phoenix International School Alicante, Spain
Snapshot	Snapshot
Fees / year	Fees / year €3,500 - 20,000	Fees / year €3,950 - 6,150
Age range	Age range 3 - 18 years	Age range 3 - 18 years
Type	Type Co-educational, Co-educational (boarding)	Type Co-educational
Curriculum	Curriculum British Curriculum, BTEC Qualification, Montessori Curriculum, Pearson Edexcel IGCSE	Curriculum British Curriculum, EYFS (Early years foundation stage), Pearson Edexcel IGCSE
Pupils	Pupils 70	Pupils 130
Typical class size	Typical class size 10	Typical class size 15
Instruction language	Instruction language English	Instruction language English
Opened	Opened —	Opened —
Bus service	Bus service No	Bus service No
Essentials	Essentials
Location	Location Murcia, Spain; Campus de Murcia, 26B Calle Ermita Vieja, Murcia, 30006, Spain.	Location Phoenix International School is located in San Miguel de Salinas on the Costa Blanca in Alicante, Spain. It serves San Miguel and surrounding communities including Torrevieja, Orihuela Costa, Los Montesinos, Quesada, Rojales, Villamartín, Cabo Roig, Campoamor, Mil Palmeras and San Pedro. The address is Calle Albacete, Urb Las Comunicaciones, 03193 San Miguel de Salinas.
Stages	Stages Primaria (6–12 years); Secundaria (12–16 years, flexible); Bachillerato (16–18 years, flexible); Erdkinder (adolescent Montessori community with a residence).	Stages The school is divided into Primary, Secondary and College, serving pupils from age four to eighteen.
School type	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.	School type A British international school; teaches the British National Curriculum; NABSS-accredited; Edexcel Approved Centre; Cambridge English exam preparation centre; small class sizes (no more than fifteen).
Pupil nationality mix	Pupil nationality mix —	Pupil nationality mix —
Additional learning support	Additional learning support —	Additional learning support —
Country affiliation	Country affiliation British School Overseas; follows UK education standards.	Country affiliation United Kingdom
Religious affiliation	Religious affiliation —	Religious affiliation —
School day structure	School day structure —	School day structure School hours are 8.45am to 4.00pm with registration at 8.45am for all students.
Bus service details	Bus service details —	Bus service details —
Fees	Fees
Fee details	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.	Fee details Registration and application fees - Registration fee (per family): €500. - Deposit (per child) at enrolment: Early Years €395; Primary €635; Secondary €635; College (3 A Levels) €465; College (4 A Levels) €615. - Both the registration fee and the deposit are non-refundable. Tuition fees by year group (monthly, annual total, deposit and termly material fee) - Early Years: Monthly tuition €395. Annual tuition (10 months) €3,950. Deposit €395. Material fee (termly) €38. - Primary: Monthly tuition €595. Annual tuition (10 months) €5,950. Deposit €635. Material fee (termly) €38. - Secondary: Monthly tuition €635. Annual tuition (10 months) €6,350. Deposit €635. Material fee (termly) €38. - College (3 A Levels): Monthly tuition €465. Annual tuition (10 months) €4,650. Deposit €465. Material fee (termly) €38. - College (4 A Levels): Monthly tuition €615. Annual tuition (10 months) €6,150. Deposit €615. Material fee (termly) €38. Billing schedule and payment terms - Annual tuition is divided into ten equal instalments payable for the ten months of the academic year (September–June). Payments are expected monthly. - Payment must be received in the school's bank account before the end of each calendar month. Late payments entering the following month incur a 10% administration charge and may result in exclusion from school. - A retention fee of €100 is payable in May to reserve a child's place for the next academic year; this retention fee is deducted from the invoice in September and is non-refundable if the child does not attend in September. One full calendar month's written notice is required when leaving the school; the deposit will be used to cover the next payable month (if notice is given in July/August the deposit covers September fees). Boarding fees - Boarding is not applicable; the school operates as a day school with standard daytime hours for pupils. Other costs and fees - School equipment and booklist: Parents must purchase all required textbooks, uniform and items on the pencil-case list; these are additional to tuition. Material fee is charged termly at €38 per pupil. - External examination fees: International GCSE/GCSE and A Level exam fees are charged per subject and are payable in addition to tuition; the school indicates the current approximate charge is €150 per International GCSE/GCSE or A Level unit. Examination fees are invoiced separately and must be paid by the due date. - School lunches: Optional and paid separately to the restaurant each month. Costs are €5 per month for Early Years, €6 per month for Primary and €8 per month for Secondary and College students. - Sibling discount: Families with two or more children (excluding Early Years and College) receive a 10% discount on monthly school fees; this discount can be withdrawn if terms are defaulted. Refund information - The registration fee and the deposit are non-refundable. The retention fee paid in May is non-refundable if the child does not attend in September. Other refunds are governed by the school's notice and payment terms (one full calendar month's written notice required on leaving; the deposit will be applied as described). Fee payment options and bank details - The school requests payment by bank transfer via a monthly standing order, arranged to credit the school account on the first of every month; include the child's name as the payment reference. The account details provided are: Bank: Cajamar; IBAN: ES05 3058 2589 5327 2000 5846; Account name: Phoenix International School / Refael Revach. Payment must be received by the end of each calendar month to avoid late charges.
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 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.	Curriculum details British National Curriculum is taught; ages 3–18; the school is organized into Early Years/Preschool, Primary, Secondary, and College; NABSS recognition; Edexcel/Pearson examination centre.
Student teacher ratio	Student teacher ratio —	Student teacher ratio Small class sizes; not more than 15 students per class.
Exam results	Exam results —	Exam results A Level results: 94% overall pass rate (August 2018); the school is registered with Pearson Edexcel and is an Edexcel Approved Centre; exam results have consistently surpassed the UK national average for several consecutive years.
Higher education progression	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.	Higher education progression —
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.	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 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.	Admissions Entrance is not determined by an entrance exam; the school assesses students within the first few days after joining so they can settle in and make friends. Class sizes are kept small to provide individualized attention. For Primary, Secondary and College, use the application form provided to begin the admissions process. Registration requires a completed application form and supporting documents. Include one passport-sized photograph; copies of the pupil's passport/NIE/residencia; copies of the parents' passport/NIE/residencia; a copy of the SIP card (social security) or private medical insurance; a copy of Certificado Medico Escolar; a copy of Padron dated within 3 months; and a copy of the previous school report. These documents accompany the application to proceed with enrolment. Financial terms and conditions include a non-refundable registration fee payable on completing the application form and a deposit of €575 payable on enrolment. The deposit is used should you default on payment. Monthly fees are due by the 5th of each month; after the 5th a 5% surcharge applies, and non-payment by the 12th can result in exclusion until payment is made. A 10% sibling discount is available for families with two or more children; a €100 retention fee is charged in May to guarantee a place in September; textbooks and uniforms are purchased by parents; external examination fees are charged prior to exams; and the registration fee is non-refundable.
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.	Scholarships —
Waitlist	Waitlist —	Waitlist —
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