The British College of Benalmádena vs The British International School of Marbella

	T The British College of Benalmádena Malaga, Spain	T The British International School of Marbella Malaga, Spain
Snapshot	Snapshot
Fees / year	Fees / year €4,000 - 7,000	Fees / year €6,000 - 14,500
Age range	Age range 1 - 18 years	Age range 2 - 18 years
Type	Type Co-educational	Type Co-educational
Curriculum	Curriculum EYFS (Early years foundation stage), British Curriculum, Cambridge IGCSE, Cambridge International AS Levels, Cambridge A Levels	Curriculum British Curriculum, EYFS (Early years foundation stage), Cambridge IGCSE, Cambridge A Levels
Pupils	Pupils 805	Pupils 580
Typical class size	Typical class size 20	Typical class size 24
Instruction language	Instruction language English, Spanish	Instruction language English
Opened	Opened 2000	Opened 2010
Bus service	Bus service Yes	Bus service No
Essentials	Essentials
Location	Location Urb. Torremuelle, Paseo del Genil s/n, 29630 Benalmádena Costa, Málaga, Spain	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 Pre-Nursery, Nursery and Reception; Primary School; Secondary School; AS/A Level	Stages Early Years, Primary, Secondary, Sixth Form
School type	School type British international school	School type British international day school offering education based on the National Curriculum of England and Wales.
Pupil nationality mix	Pupil nationality mix Over 40 nationalities represented; the largest groups are Spanish and British	Pupil nationality mix —
Additional learning support	Additional learning support Highly personalised, targeted interventions and adjustments in learning objectives coordinated by the special educational needs coordinator	Additional learning support —
Country affiliation	Country affiliation British and Spanish	Country affiliation UK and Spain
Religious affiliation	Religious affiliation —	Religious affiliation —
School day structure	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.	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 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	Bus service details —
Fees	Fees
Fee details	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.	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 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.	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 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.	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 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.	Higher education progression Our graduating pupils go on to study at universities around the world.
Gifted and talented	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.	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. 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.	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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