Oak House School vs The British School of Barcelona - Castelldefels Campus

	O Oak House School Barcelona, Spain	T The British School of Barcelona - Castelldefels Campus Barcelona, Spain
Snapshot	Snapshot
Fees / year	Fees / year €10,995 - 14,495	Fees / year €11,200 - 20,250
Age range	Age range 3 - 18 years	Age range 3 - 18 years
Type	Type Co-educational	Type Co-educational
Curriculum	Curriculum British Curriculum, Cambridge IGCSE, IB (DP)	Curriculum British Curriculum
Pupils	Pupils 1,118	Pupils 1,200
Typical class size	Typical class size 23	Typical class size 24
Instruction language	Instruction language English, Spanish	Instruction language English
Opened	Opened 1968	Opened 1958
Bus service	Bus service Yes	Bus service Yes
Essentials	Essentials
Location	Location Sant Pere Claver 12-18, 08017 Barcelona. The school is located in the Sarrià neighbourhood of Barcelona and sits next to the Collserola natural park, facing the Mediterranean.	Location The school operates across three campuses in the Barcelona metropolitan area: City Campus in Barcelona, Castelldefels Campus, and Sitges Campus. City Campus is at Carrer de l'Esperança, 32, 08017 Barcelona. Castelldefels Campus is at Carrer Ginesta, 26, 08860 Castelldefels. Sitges Campus is at Passeig Isaac Albéniz, s/n, 08870 Sitges.
Stages	Stages Early Years (3-4 years); Primary School (5-11 years); Secondary School (12-16 years); Bachillerato + / International Baccalaureate (16-18 years).	Stages City Campus and Castelldefels Campus serve ages 2-18; Sitges Campus serves ages 2-11.
School type	School type Private, non-profit school in Barcelona offering British, local and International Baccalaureate education.	School type Private, co-educational international day school.
Pupil nationality mix	Pupil nationality mix —	Pupil nationality mix —
Additional learning support	Additional learning support Inclusion & Wellbeing with a dedicated team; safeguarding; inclusive teaching; PSHE; exam accommodations and support for students with additional needs.	Additional learning support The school provides for students with special educational needs and disabilities.
Country affiliation	Country affiliation Spain	Country affiliation UK curriculum; British international school in Spain.
Religious affiliation	Religious affiliation —	Religious affiliation —
School day structure	School day structure —	School day structure —
Bus service details	Bus service details —	Bus service details The Summer School 2024 bus route runs Barcelona to Castelldefels with morning and afternoon services; it stops at central Barcelona locations (e.g., Av. Marquès de l'Argentera, Passeig de Gràcia) and Castelldefels (Passeig de la Marina) with morning departures around 7:40–8:28 and returns around 17:15–18:25.
Fees	Fees
Fee details	Fee details Admission / Application fee - One-time admission process fee: EUR 3,500. This fee is paid only when a place is offered and is non‑refundable. Tuition fees by year group (annual) and instalment amount - Kindergarten (Age 3 – K1): Annual tuition EUR 10,995. Total for the first year of enrolment for a K1 pupil including the one‑time admission fee: EUR 14,495. - Kindergarten (Age 4 – K2): Annual tuition EUR 10,995. - Kindergarten (Age 5 – K3): Annual tuition EUR 10,995. - Grade 1 (Age 6): Annual tuition EUR 11,054. - Grade 2 (Age 7): Annual tuition EUR 11,054. - Grade 3 (Age 8): Annual tuition EUR 11,054. - Grade 4 (Age 9): Annual tuition EUR 11,054. - Grade 5 (Age 10): Annual tuition EUR 11,054. - Grade 6 (Age 11): Annual tuition EUR 11,054. - Grade 7 (Age 12): Annual tuition EUR 11,567. - Grade 8 (Age 13): Annual tuition EUR 11,567. - Grade 9 (Age 14): Annual tuition EUR 11,272. - Grade 10 (Age 15): Annual tuition EUR 11,272. - Grade 11 (Age 16): Annual tuition EUR 13,409. - Grade 12 (Age 17): Annual tuition EUR 13,409. - Instalment (billing) detail: Tuition fees are annual and are normally paid in 11 equal instalments. The first instalment is taken in July and the remaining ten instalments are taken from September through June. To calculate the typical monthly instalment, divide the annual tuition above by 11 (for example, Kindergarten annual tuition EUR 10,995 ÷ 11 = EUR 999.55 per instalment). Billing schedule and payment terms - Billing schedule: Annual fees are invoiced on an 11‑instalment schedule (first payment in July; subsequent payments September–June). There is a prompt annual payment discount when the annual tuition is paid by bank transfer before the start of the academic year. - Payment terms: The school requires the admission process fee to be paid when a place is offered. Annual insurance is included in the July instalment. Specific invoice due dates follow the 11‑instalment calendar above. Boarding fees - Boarding is not applicable. Oak House School operates as a day school for ages 3–18. No boarding fees apply. Other costs and recurring charges - Mandatory annual school insurance: charged annually and included in the July instalment. Typical options shown are for insurance covering one parent (EUR 165.95) or both parents (EUR 272.65). - Included in tuition (no extra charge): lunch service (compulsory), wrap‑around care from 08:00–09:00 and 16:20–18:15, day trips and excursions (not overnight), and official first‑sitting exam fees (Cambridge, Instituto Francés, Goethe Institut, IGCSE, IB DP, EBAU within established timing). - Not included (additional costs billed separately or paid directly by families): uniforms; bus service; extracurricular activities; AFA annual membership (EUR 15 per year, per family); yearbook (EUR 38 per year, per family); school materials (varies by year group); overnight excursions and trips; certain university application services. The school lists the annual insurance amounts above separately (EUR 165.95 or EUR 272.65). Refund information - The one‑time admission process fee (EUR 3,500) is non‑refundable. No full public refund schedule for tuition instalments or other fees is published alongside the fee summary. Fee payment options - Bank transfer is used for prompt annual payments (a prompt‑payment discount is offered for payments received by bank transfer before the start of the academic year). Specific additional payment channels (for example, credit card acceptance) are not specified in the published fee summary. Summary of material not published in the fee statements reviewed - The school's published fee information does not include a separate three‑term (Autumn/Spring/Summer) fee breakdown; fees are presented as annual amounts with an 11‑instalment billing schedule. The published materials do not include a detailed, public refund policy for tuition beyond the stated non‑refundability of the admission process fee, nor do they list all accepted payment methods beyond bank transfer for prompt payment.	Fee details Application fees and first-year joining fee - Matriculation (one-time, first-year) fee: EUR 3,200. Subsequent siblings' matriculation fee: EUR 1,600. Tuition fees by campus and year group (annual and per term) Note: where the school operates different campuses the published annual fees differ by campus. Per-term figures below are calculated as the published annual fee divided by three (Academic year split into three terms) and are shown for convenience; the school invoices on an annual basis and provides instalment options (see Billing schedule). - BSB Sitges / BSB Castelldefels / BSB Nexus (Academic year 2025–2026; annual fee — per term [annual ÷ 3]): - Pre-Nursery (3 full days): EUR 6,300 — Per term: EUR 2,100.00. - Pre-Nursery (4 full days): EUR 7,600 — Per term: EUR 2,533.33. - Pre-Nursery (5 half days): EUR 5,705 — Per term: EUR 1,901.67. - Pre-Nursery (full-time / 5 days): EUR 8,150 — Per term: EUR 2,716.67. - Nursery (3 full days): EUR 8,800 — Per term: EUR 2,933.33. - Nursery (4 full days): EUR 11,000 — Per term: EUR 3,666.67. - Nursery (5 half days): EUR 8,260 — Per term: EUR 2,753.33. - Nursery (full-time): EUR 11,800 — Per term: EUR 3,933.33. - Reception (full-time): EUR 11,800 — Per term: EUR 3,933.33. - Year 1 and Year 2: EUR 13,420 per year — Per term: EUR 4,473.33. - Year 3: EUR 15,900 per year — Per term: EUR 5,300.00. - Years 4–6: EUR 16,050 per year — Per term: EUR 5,350.00. - Years 7–8: EUR 17,700 per year — Per term: EUR 5,900.00. - Year 9: EUR 15,850 per year — Per term: EUR 5,283.33. - Years 10–11: EUR 16,650 per year — Per term: EUR 5,550.00. - Year 12 A-Levels: EUR 18,550 per year — Per term: EUR 6,183.33. - Year 12 IB: EUR 19,050 per year — Per term: EUR 6,350.00. - Year 13 A-Levels: EUR 18,550 per year — Per term: EUR 6,183.33. - Year 13 IB: EUR 19,050 per year — Per term: EUR 6,350.00. - BSB City (Esperança and Lucà campuses — Academic year 2025–2026; annual fee — per term [annual ÷ 3]): - Nursery and Reception: EUR 12,800 per year — Per term: EUR 4,266.67. - Year 1 and Year 2: EUR 14,700 per year — Per term: EUR 4,900.00. - Year 3: EUR 17,440 per year — Per term: EUR 5,813.33. - Years 4–6: EUR 17,540 per year — Per term: EUR 5,846.67. - Years 7–9: EUR 19,175 per year — Per term: EUR 6,391.67. - Years 10–11: EUR 20,250 per year — Per term: EUR 6,750.00. - Years 12–13 (Pre-University): EUR 20,000 per year — Per term: EUR 6,666.67. Billing schedule and payment terms - Fees are published as annual amounts. The school issues annual invoices and offers instalment options for payment; published guidance indicates fees are commonly paid across instalments during the school year (the school also publishes a prompt-payment discount deadline). A prompt-payment discount of 2% applies for payment by bank transfer made before the published date (example: before 1 September 2025 on the 2025–2026 schedule). - The school communicates instalment options on its fee documents; families should expect the annual fee to be broken into multiple invoices/instalments rather than a single one-off payment. Boarding fees - Boarding is not applicable. The British School of Barcelona is a day school operating multiple day campuses (Sitges, Castelldefels, City, Nexus); no boarding fees are published. Other costs and optional charges - School lunch (where optional or not included): BSB publishes cafeteria charges; examples from the published schedules for 2025–2026 show monthly lunch menus priced at approximately EUR 210–EUR 210 (varies by campus) and per-day lunch options (e.g., EUR 13–EUR 15/day depending on campus). - External examination fees (IGCSE, A-Level, IB) are not included in tuition and are charged separately. - School uniform: charged separately (uniform costs vary by item and year group). Uniform costs are listed as an additional expense and are not included in the published tuition. - After-school activities and extra-curricular clubs: charged separately (individual activity fees apply). - School transport (bus): charged separately; routes and fees vary by distance and campus. - Locker maintenance fee: EUR 20 per year (from Year 7 to Year 11) is published as not included in the tuition for the 2025–2026 documents. Refund information - The matriculation fee is published as a first-year joining fee; the school's published materials refer to the matriculation amount in the first-year joining section and third-party captures of the school's fee schedule describe it as non-refundable. For the 2025–2026 schedules the matriculation figure is EUR 3,200 (siblings EUR 1,600). Specific refund rules for tuition or deposits (for mid-year withdrawal or deferred entry) are handled under the school's formal terms and conditions; the published fee sheets state the matriculation amount and sibling rates but do not list general tuition-refund tables on the fee schedule itself. Fee concessions, sibling discounts, and reductions - Sibling concessions apply to tuition only. Published sibling tuition discounts for 2025–2026 are: 10% for the third child, 15% for the fourth child, and 20% for the fifth child and any subsequent children. The matriculation fee reduction for subsequent siblings is EUR 1,600 (i.e., a reduced matriculation figure). A prompt-payment discount of 2% is published for full-year payment by bank transfer before the deadline. Fee payment options - Bank transfer: accepted — a prompt-payment discount is specifically linked to payment by bank transfer in the published fee documents. - Instalments: the school issues annual fees with instalment options; the published guidance shows families commonly pay the annual amount across multiple instalments during the school year. Summary (what these fees cover) - Published tuition figures for each year group include core tuition plus the items specifically listed for that year group (examples: lunch & snack for Early Years and many Primary year groups, morning childcare/“guardería” from 8:30am for Early Years where indicated, school materials and books or licences for online textbooks, school insurance and education-continuity insurance). External exam fees, uniform, transport, after-school clubs, some lunches for older year groups, and specific extras are charged separately.
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 Primary is taught in English, Spanish and Catalan; the primary curriculum covers sciences, computer science, history, geography, drama, arts, music, PSHE and physical education. It meets the English National Curriculum standards and prepares pupils to transition to the Secondary's tri-lingual system. Secondary is officially a Catalan school with a tri-lingual system; in 1st ESO a fourth language is introduced (French or German) and a fifth language is coding. The aim is to master English, Spanish and Catalan at native level, and at age 16 students sit Cambridge IGCSE/GCSE exams. Post-16 options include Bachillerato Nacional and the International Diploma Programme (IB). The Enriched Curriculum includes An Oracy School, Library & Literature, Mathematics; Arts (Music, Art, Drama); Duke of Edinburgh; CAS (for IB students); Debate and MUN; Work Experience.	Curriculum details The curriculum is firmly rooted in the English National Curriculum and is delivered across three campuses (Castelldefels, City, Sitges) with an inquiry-based approach. In Early Years, learning follows the Curiosity Approach, while primary uses a transdisciplinary model that connects core and foundation subjects. The secondary and sixth form offer 18 A Level programmes, the International Baccalaureate Diploma Programme (IBDP), and BTEC Music and BTEC Sport, with pathways designed to meet local university entrance requirements.
Student teacher ratio	Student teacher ratio —	Student teacher ratio —
Exam results	Exam results IB Diploma Programme results 2024-2025: 44/45 points; 97% pass rate; average IB Diploma score 36 points; Diploma Subject Grade average 5.7/7. Bachillerato (2024-2025): 100% pass rate; average 7.21/10; 33% of students scored above 8/10; two students achieved 13.72/14 and 13.28/14; one student received the Premi Generalitat.	Exam results GCSE results (2024) show an overall pass rate of 95%, with 98% achieving 5 or more passes; 60% of grades were 7-9 in 2024 and 98% were 4-9. In English Language, 59% of students achieved 7-9 in their first or second language, and 98% achieved 9-4. KS5 results are strong, with IB results consistently above the global average (average over 34 points; 19% achieving 40+), and both IB and A Level students achieving a 100% pass rate in 2024; A Level grades include 46% A*/A.
Higher education progression	Higher education progression 100% of Oak House School students go to Russell Group universities. Destinations include King's College London, Warwick, Bath and Manchester.	Higher education progression 29% of BSB graduates go on to UK universities and 65% access English-medium tertiary courses in other countries.
Gifted and talented	Gifted and talented The Inclusion & Wellbeing team identifies students with exceptional abilities and provides opportunities to nurture their talents; exam accommodations are offered based on individual profiles.	Gifted and talented A strong leadership programme is pervasive across all departments and phases, offering opportunities for students to lead and follow their passions; house captains and science ambassadors spoke of their roles with confidence. The Duke of Edinburgh Silver Award is available and used by students to develop leadership and project skills. From year 10, a career guidance programme with Unifrog helps high-achieving students explore careers, courses and university destinations.
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 The school provides online admissions. After submitting an application, a confirmation email is issued by the admissions department. Getting to know Oak House School includes online information sessions for each educational stage and group guided tours of the campus. Admissions Process: apply online; the admissions department will confirm whether a place is available or the application will be included on the waiting list. From Year 3 onwards, candidates take three entry tests (English, Spanish and Mathematics); tests can be completed online if the candidate lives abroad. A personal interview with the Inclusion & Wellbeing department occurs during the entry tests session. A formal offer follows a successful outcome to secure enrolment. Specific requirements for admissions include submitting academic reports and demonstrating knowledge of English and Spanish; good academic performance; commitment to studies; and a positive attitude toward learning. Booklets for Early Years, Primary, Secondary, Bachillerato/IB, and Inclusion & Wellbeing are available to read online.	Admissions The British School of Barcelona is an independent day school for children aged 2 to 18. All enquiries and applications are handled by the Admissions Department. Prospective parents may attend regular open days or arrange a personal tour with Admissions. After a visit, interviews and entrance tests, and the Parent Contract with the Admissions Registration Form and the non-refundable Registration Fee, a place may be offered. If a year group is full, the child is placed on a waiting list; a place is confirmed only after a formal offer and payment of the deposit/registration fee. Taster Days are offered for prospective pupils. Admission to Pre-Nursery and Nursery at the Sitges campus is available for children who turn two by December of the same year for Pre-Nursery (no formal assessment required, but the child is met) and for Nursery, children are welcomed if they turn three by December. Admission to other year groups requires an English language assessment (interview and written test); a maths or other subject-specific assessment may be required for Nexus entry. Pupils must have a working knowledge of the language of instruction; EAL support can be arranged at the parent's expense. Allocation of places, offers and waiting lists occurs after a formal offer and deposit. If there are more applicants than places, priority is given in this order: returning students; siblings; alumnae; length of time registered; and references; Nursery places prioritize full-time over part-time when applying at the same time. The school reserves the right to withdraw an offer if information provided is false or misleading. There is no right to appeal a admission decision; the Headteacher's decision is final. The terms of education are set out in the Parent Contract; the school maintains an Admissions Register in accordance with data protection.
Scholarships	Scholarships —	Scholarships —
Waitlist	Waitlist If there are no places available, the admissions department confirms receipt of the application and the application is placed on the waiting list until a place becomes available.	Waitlist Waiting lists apply when a year group is fully subscribed; a place is not guaranteed until a formal offer is made and the deposit/registration is received. The priority order used for allocating places on a waiting list is: returning students; siblings; alumnae; length of time registered; and references. Nursery places give priority to full-time placements over part-time when applications are made at the same time. Applicants are informed within about a week of enquiry whether a place is available, otherwise a place will be offered from the waiting list as it becomes available.
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