Sunny View School vs The British International School of Marbella

	S Sunny View School Malaga, Spain	T The British International School of Marbella Malaga, Spain
Snapshot	Snapshot
Fees / year	Fees / year €7,460 - 12,390	Fees / year €6,000 - 14,500
Age range	Age range 2 - 18 years	Age range 2 - 18 years
Type	Type Co-educational	Type Co-educational
Curriculum	Curriculum British Curriculum, Cambridge IGCSE, Cambridge A Levels, EYFS (Early years foundation stage)	Curriculum British Curriculum, EYFS (Early years foundation stage), Cambridge IGCSE, Cambridge A Levels
Pupils	Pupils 709	Pupils 580
Typical class size	Typical class size —	Typical class size 24
Instruction language	Instruction language English	Instruction language English
Opened	Opened 1971	Opened 2010
Bus service	Bus service Yes	Bus service No
Essentials	Essentials
Location	Location Torremolinos, Málaga, Spain. The school is located at C/ Teruel Nº 32, Cerro del Toril, 29620, Torremolinos, with dedicated buildings for Preschool, Primary, Secondary and Sixth Form.	Location Main Campus: Calle Teba 4, Marbella 29602, Spain. The Early Years Campus is housed in a purpose-built campus within walking distance from the Main Campus.
Stages	Stages Preschool, Primary, Secondary, Sixth Form	Stages Early Years, Primary, Secondary, Sixth Form
School type	School type British curriculum school	School type British international day school offering education based on the National Curriculum of England and Wales.
Pupil nationality mix	Pupil nationality mix Students of all nationalities are welcome.	Pupil nationality mix —
Additional learning support	Additional learning support —	Additional learning support —
Country affiliation	Country affiliation Spain; NABSS-approved; authorised by the Spanish Ministry of Education.	Country affiliation UK and Spain
Religious affiliation	Religious affiliation —	Religious affiliation —
School day structure	School day structure Gates open in the morning and close at 9:00 and 16:00.	School day structure The school day runs from 8:30am to 4:30pm. It includes lessons, sports, music, drama and a wide range of other activities. All pupils have lunch at school; some activities such as sports team training sessions continue until 5:30pm.
Bus service details	Bus service details Bus service operates on two routes, from Málaga city and from Mijas Costa; routes are divided into Zone 1 and Zone 2; termly fees apply; available for students aged 3 and up who can follow guidance from the supervisor.	Bus service details —
Fees	Fees
Fee details	Fee details Registration / Admission fee - One-off registration (matrícula) payable in the first year a student joins: EUR 500. This fee is non‑refundable. Billing schedule and payment terms - The school operates two billings (semesters) per academic year for 2025–2026: - Semester 1 fees: due before 3 September 2025. - Semester 2 fees: due before 26 January 2026. - No refunds are provided once a semester has begun. Tuition, meals and resources — fees shown per semester and per academic year (two semesters) - Early Years (Foundation / Nursery / Reception) - Foundation (age 2–3) - Tuition (per semester): EUR 3,105. - School meals (per semester): EUR 525 (school meals are compulsory for all Early Years students). - Resources (per semester): EUR 100. - Semester total: EUR 3,730. Annual total (two semesters): EUR 7,460. - Nursery (age 3–4) - Tuition (per semester): EUR 3,675. - School meals (per semester): EUR 525. - Resources (per semester): EUR 185. - Semester total: EUR 4,385. Annual total: EUR 8,770. - Reception (age 4–5) - Tuition (per semester): EUR 3,805. - School meals (per semester): EUR 525. - Resources (per semester): EUR 185. - Semester total: EUR 4,515. Annual total: EUR 9,030. - Notes: Early Years semester fees include school insurance, nurse and additional student support services; resources cover books, stationery, art materials and online subscriptions. Meals are compulsory in Early Years. - Primary (Key Stages 1 & 2 — Years 1–6) - Tuition (per semester): EUR 4,015. - Resources (per semester): EUR 285. - Semester total: EUR 4,300. Annual total: EUR 8,600. - Notes: Semester fees include school insurance, nurse, counsellor and additional student support services; resources include books, stationery, art materials and online subscriptions. School meals are not included in the published primary semester fee. - Secondary - Key Stage 3 (Years 7–9) - Tuition (per semester): EUR 4,710. - Resources (per semester): EUR 310. - Semester total: EUR 5,020. Annual total: EUR 10,040. - Key Stage 4 (Years 10–11) - Tuition (per semester): EUR 5,435. - Resources (per semester): EUR 310. - Semester total: EUR 5,745. Annual total: EUR 11,490. - Note: External (I)GCSE exam fees for Key Stage 4 are not included in the semester fee. - Key Stage 5 (Years 12–13) - Tuition (per semester): EUR 5,925. - Resources (per semester): EUR 270. - Semester total: EUR 6,195. Annual total: EUR 12,390. - Note: External GCE/IAL/A‑level exam fees for Key Stage 5 are not included in the semester fee. Resources in secondary include items such as books, art kit, online subscriptions and a laptop. Discounts for multiple children - Families with 3 children enrolled: 10% discount on the semester fee for each of the two eldest children and 20% on the semester fee of the youngest child. - Families with 4 children enrolled: 10% discount on the semester fee for each of the three eldest children and 30% on the semester fee of the youngest child. Additional costs not included in semester fees - The following items are explicitly excluded from the published semester fees and are charged separately where applicable: - Uniforms. - Extra‑curricular activities. - School bus service (available Nursery through Year 13). - Early start and late pick‑up provision (available Foundation through Year 6). - School meals for levels where they are not included (Primary and most Secondary years). - Optional school trips and excursions. - External examination fees for Key Stage 4 and Key Stage 5. Boarding - The school operates with a boarding house adjacent to the main school site; however, boarding fees are not listed in the published 2025–2026 fee schedules. Refunds and non‑refundables - The registration (matrícula) fee of EUR 500 is non‑refundable. - No tuition or semester fees are refundable once the semester has begun. Fee inclusions (summary) - Semester fees (where stated) include school insurance and core student support services (nurse, counsellor and additional support) and specified resources; resource lists vary by phase (Early Years: books, stationery, art materials, online subscriptions; Secondary: books, notebooks, art kit, online subscriptions and a laptop). Fee payment options - The published fee schedules for the 2025–2026 academic year do not specify accepted payment methods (for example, bank transfer, credit/debit card or online payment portals are not listed on the fee documents).	Fee details Application / Registration Fees - No fixed public figure for an application or registration fee is published by the school; parents must contact the admissions office to obtain the current non‑refundable application and enrolment charges. Tuition fees by year group (annual and per term estimates) - Early Years / Foundation Stage (ages 2–5): EUR 6,000 – EUR 9,000 per year. Per term (three terms assumed): approximately EUR 2,000 – EUR 3,000. - Primary (Years 1–6): EUR 8,000 – EUR 12,000 per year. Per term: approximately EUR 2,666 – EUR 4,000. - Secondary (Years 7–11 / up to GCSE level where offered): EUR 9,500 – EUR 14,500 per year. Per term: approximately EUR 3,166 – EUR 4,833. - Sixth Form / Post‑16 (if/when offered at the school): fees for sixth form are not published; comparable international schools in the area commonly charge at the upper end of secondary fee ranges. Use the secondary range above as a local market reference. Billing schedule and payment terms - The school's published admissions material states that families should contact the school for a full fees schedule and that discounts are available for siblings and for payment made annually. Specific term dates, deposit requirements and payment deadlines are arranged through the admissions office. Boarding fees - Boarding is not listed as an offering for The British International School of Marbella; the school operates as day campuses (EYFS campus and Primary & Secondary campus). Therefore boarding fees are not applicable. Other costs and typical extras - Uniform: parents should expect a uniform requirement and a one‑off uniform purchase cost. Comparable schools in the region typically charge between EUR 200 – EUR 800 for the full uniform set per child in the first year. - Transport (school bus): where offered, school‑bus costs are usually billed separately; typical additional annual transport fees in the region range from several hundred to a few thousand euros depending on distance and routes. - Meals / Canteen: meal plans or per‑meal charges are commonly additional. Regionally, canteen costs typically amount to EUR 100 – EUR 300 per month. - Exam, materials and activity fees: exam entry fees (e.g., IGCSE), workbooks, trips, extracurricular clubs and specialist lessons are frequently charged separately and may appear as termly or annual supplements. Budget for additional extras during the year. Refund information - A formal, published refund policy or a detailed schedule of refundable items is not published in the school's publicly available admissions/tasas material. As is common practice in the local international‑school sector, application and registration fees are typically non‑refundable; any refunds for tuition or deposits depend on the admissions contract terms. Parents should review the school's enrolment contract for the exact refund and cancellation terms. Fee payment options - The school's public admissions summary does not publish a list of accepted payment methods. In the local international‑school market, payment by bank transfer is the standard method; some schools also accept card payments or staged direct‑debit arrangements for termly payments. Confirm the accepted methods and any card fees or bank details with the admissions or finance office when arranging payment. Brief note on availability of official fee figures - The school's official admissions page instructs parents to contact the school directly to receive the full and current fees schedule and notes that sibling discounts and discounts for annual payment are available. Public, itemised fees (exact application charge, the precise tuition per year group and detailed per‑term billing schedule) are not published in the school's publicly accessible admissions pages; local independent guides and estate‑agent school guides provide the regional estimates and ranges cited above. For certainty about exact amounts and the current academic year schedule, the school's admissions/finance office provides the official fee schedule and contract.
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 follows the National Curriculum for England.	Curriculum details The school offers an education based on the National Curriculum of England and Wales leading to GCSE and A Level qualifications. The education is predominantly in English and follows English curricula and guidelines, with standards equivalent to those of the UK's independent schools. Pupils' academic progress is externally assessed on an ongoing basis, enabling comparisons with UK standards and other international schools. Students may take subjects from the Spanish system not covered in the English curriculum, ensuring recognition in both the UK and Spain. BISM serves all year groups from preschool through university entrance.
Student teacher ratio	Student teacher ratio —	Student teacher ratio —
Exam results	Exam results Examination results are consistently well above the UK national average.	Exam results A Level Results – 2025: A–A 34%; A–B 72%; A–C 88%; A–E 100% (Pass = A* to E). GCSE Results – 2025: A–A 65%; A–C 95% (Pass = A* to C).
Higher education progression	Higher education progression —	Higher education progression Our graduating pupils go on to study at universities around the world.
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 Children are admitted into the school based on the UK system, starting from two years of age. New students may be asked to take a placement test, and a copy of the student's latest school report is required.	Admissions 1. Submit application (including last school report if applicable). The admissions process is designed to be quick and straightforward. Applications can be submitted at any time. The next step is the family interview. 2. Family interview. The family interview is part of the admissions process. If the family is in Marbella, the interview can be scheduled for the same day as the pupil assessment; if not in Marbella, interviews can be conducted online. 3. Pupil assessment. Early Years pupils are assessed by teacher assessment; Primary and Secondary pupils undertake a written assessment. If in Marbella, the interview and assessment can be conducted on the same day; online options are available if not in Marbella. The results lead to the school's decision. 4. Decision communicated by school. The school communicates the admission decision. Once a place is offered, an enrollment fee is due within 7 days to secure the place.
Scholarships	Scholarships —	Scholarships —
Waitlist	Waitlist —	Waitlist —
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