The Ark Christian School vs The British College of Benalmádena

	T The Ark Christian School Malaga, Spain	T The British College of Benalmádena Malaga, Spain
Snapshot	Snapshot
Fees / year	Fees / year €4,545 - 9,005	Fees / year €4,000 - 7,000
Age range	Age range 3 - 18 years	Age range 1 - 18 years
Type	Type Co-educational	Type Co-educational
Curriculum	Curriculum British Curriculum, Cambridge IGCSE, Cambridge International AS Levels, Cambridge A Levels, Catholic Curriculum, EYFS (Early years foundation stage)	Curriculum EYFS (Early years foundation stage), British Curriculum, Cambridge IGCSE, Cambridge International AS Levels, Cambridge A Levels
Pupils	Pupils 350	Pupils 805
Typical class size	Typical class size 20	Typical class size 20
Instruction language	Instruction language English	Instruction language English, Spanish
Opened	Opened 2009	Opened 2000
Bus service	Bus service No	Bus service Yes
Essentials	Essentials
Location	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.	Location Urb. Torremuelle, Paseo del Genil s/n, 29630 Benalmádena Costa, Málaga, Spain
Stages	Stages Early Years; Primary; Secondary; A-Levels	Stages Pre-Nursery, Nursery and Reception; Primary School; Secondary School; AS/A Level
School type	School type British international school; independent, charitable (non-profit) organisation	School type British international school
Pupil nationality mix	Pupil nationality mix —	Pupil nationality mix Over 40 nationalities represented; the largest groups are Spanish and British
Additional learning support	Additional learning support —	Additional learning support Highly personalised, targeted interventions and adjustments in learning objectives coordinated by the special educational needs coordinator
Country affiliation	Country affiliation British	Country affiliation British and Spanish
Religious affiliation	Religious affiliation Christian	Religious affiliation —
School day structure	School day structure Primary: 9:00am–3:00pm (Mon–Fri); Secondary: 9:00am–4:00pm (Mon–Fri)	School day structure School day starts at 09:00 and ends at 16:00. Infants, Primary and Secondary have a 20-minute break from 10:30 to 10:50. Nursery and Reception have lunch from 12:00 to 13:00 and a break until 13:30. Primary lunch is from 13:05 to 14:05. Secondary lunch is from 13:45 to 14:30. Secondary is divided into eight 45-minute periods; after-school activities and support lessons are offered daily.
Bus service details	Bus service details —	Bus service details The school has a bus service with two routes: Las Chapas – Torremuelle and Guadalmar – Torremuelle; pick-up and drop-off times/points are published for each school year
Fees	Fees
Fee details	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.	Fee details Application / registration fees - The school does not publish a stated, public one‑time application or enrolment fee for the current academic year. External Costa del Sol school guides report that a one‑time registration/enrolment fee for similar British international schools typically ranges from approximately EUR 100 to EUR 2,000 (amounts vary by school). Tuition fees by year group (annual and per‑term guidance) - The British College of Benalmádena does not publish a year‑by‑year, per‑term fee schedule that is publicly available for the current academic year. The following figures are market estimates from independent guides for this school and comparable British international schools on the Costa del Sol; they are presented as estimated annual tuition ranges by stage (not official published school figures): - Early Years / Nursery & Reception (Pre‑Nursery to Reception): approximately EUR 4,000 – EUR 9,000 per year. - Primary (Years 1–6): approximately EUR 6,000 – EUR 11,000 per year. - Secondary (Years 7–11 / Sixth Form Years 12–13): approximately EUR 7,000 – EUR 15,000+ per year depending on year group and programme. - Per‑term or per‑installment amounts are not published by the school. As a practical guide, if a school bills termly, expect roughly one‑third of the annual figure per term; if billed in 10 monthly instalments, expect roughly one‑tenth per month. Some regional school practices (examples from comparable British schools) include 10 monthly instalments or termly billing and discounts for a single annual payment. These are common regional billing patterns rather than the British College's published policy. Billing schedule and payment terms - The school's publicly accessible pages do not include a detailed billing schedule or formal payment terms for tuition (due dates, penalties, sibling discounts, etc.). Market guides indicate common local practice is annual, termly or multi‑instalment billing with a one‑time enrolment/matriculation payment in many schools; specific terms for this school are not publicly published. Boarding fees - The British College of Benalmádena operates as a day school; there is no published boarding provision or boarding fee schedule. Other costs and typical additional fees - Uniforms: Uniform items are mandatory and can be purchased at the school; no public price list is published for uniform items. - Lunch / catering: School lunch is compulsory for Nursery, Reception, Year 1, Year 2 and Year 3; the school operates an in‑house catering service, but per‑pupil lunch pricing is not published. - School bus: The school runs bus routes (detailed routes/times are published), but bus fares / seasonal rates are not published on the site. - Extracurricular activities and clubs: The school offers extracurricular programmes; some activities may carry additional charges but specific prices are not publicly listed. - Examination and external assessment fees: External exam boards (IGCSE, A‑Level) typically charge per exam; exam fees for candidates are common at British international schools though the school's public pages do not list the amounts. Refund information - The school does not publish a public refund policy or a detailed statement of refund conditions for enrolment, tuition or ancillary charges in its publicly visible information. Regional practice for comparable schools commonly treats certain one‑time enrolment/matriculation fees as non‑refundable, but no specific published refund rules for this school were found. Fee payment options - The school's public pages do not list accepted payment methods (for example, bank transfer, credit/debit card, direct debit). Contact details are published for direct enquiry (telephone and email) for admissions and accounts, but explicit payment method options are not posted. Brief summary of availability and reliability of the figures provided - A complete, itemised, year‑by‑year and per‑term fee schedule for the current academic year is not published in the school's publicly available materials. The tuition ranges above are independent market estimates from Costa del Sol and international school guides and should be treated as indicative rather than official school rates. Key operational items (uniform purchase at school, compulsory early‑years lunch, school bus service and day‑school status) are stated by the school in its public pages.
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 British National Curriculum for ages 3-18, leading to IGCSE and A Level examinations; British and Spanish Curriculum.	Curriculum details The British College of Benalme1dena follows the Cambridge curriculum pathway. After being awarded the IGCSE certificate, students undertake a two-year AS/A Level course leading to Cambridge GCE Advanced Subsidiary and Advanced Level examinations. A broad range of AS/A Level subjects is offered, including English Language, English Literature, History, Geography, Mathematics, Global Perspectives, Biology, Spanish, Physics, French, Chemistry, Art and Design, Business Studies, Physical Education, Travel & Tourism, Music, Information Technology, Further Mathematics, Computer Science, Digital Media and Design, and Economics. The senior pathway combines IGCSE preparation in the secondary years with progression to A Levels in the Sixth Form. The curriculum is delivered across Pre-Nursery to Primary and Secondary School levels, culminating in Cambridge qualifications at AS/A Level.
Student teacher ratio	Student teacher ratio —	Student teacher ratio —
Exam results	Exam results —	Exam results IGCSE results 2025 show 97 students sat IGCSEs, with 78% achieving A–C grades; First language English achieved 97% A–C; Co-ordinated Sciences 92% A/A/B; Extended Mathematics 98% A–C; Additional Mathematics 100% A/B; History 99% A–C; Art and Design 99% A–C; French 100% A–C. AS/A Level results 2025: 96 students sat four AS/A Level examinations; 97% of students passed all subjects; Mathematics 100% pass rate; Further Mathematics 99% A*; Chemistry 100% pass; Physics 100% pass; Biology 99% pass; History 100% pass; Art and Design 100% A/B.
Higher education progression	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.	Higher education progression In 2023/2024, 100% of Year 13 students gained places at universities for entry at the start of the 2024/2025 academic year. Graduates attend a range of universities including the University of Westminster, IE University (Madrid), University of Granada, University of Manchester, and others listed on the school's progression page.
Gifted and talented	Gifted and talented The curriculum develops each child's individual talents.	Gifted and talented Outstanding Cambridge Learner Awards celebrate high achievement by our students; Cambridge Examination Board information shows that each year some students achieve Top in Spain or Top in the World for IGCSE, AS and A Level. Notable examples include Top in Spain for Cambridge A Level Business Studies (June 2025) and Top in the World for Cambridge IGCSE Foreign Language Mandarin Chinese (June 2024). The school credits students and teachers for these achievements, reflecting the school 0s commitment to high attainment.
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 —	Admissions 1. Fall 2025/2026 applications are now open. Registration can be completed by calling the school office to make an appointment, or through the school's web page. If you request a place online, fill in the corresponding form. The school will contact you after receiving your request. 2. To register a student, the father/mother/guardian must make an appointment with the principal and come accompanied by the child. This is listed as part of the admissions process. The appointment takes place at the school to begin the registration. You will receive further instructions after the appointment. 3. Depending on the year you are requesting a place for, the student might need to sit an entrance examination. The entrance exam is noted in the admissions information. Exams may be described as part of the entry requirements for certain cohorts.
Scholarships	Scholarships —	Scholarships —
Waitlist	Waitlist —	Waitlist —
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