The British College of Gavà vs The British School of Barcelona - Castelldefels Campus
The British College of Gavà and The British School of Barcelona - Castelldefels Campus are both in Barcelona, about 3 km apart. Both schools offer British programmes, and The British College of Gavà also offers IB, IBCP, Cambridge IGCSE and EYFS. Published annual fees are €8,190 - 15,360 at The British College of Gavà and €11,200 - 20,250 at The British School of Barcelona - Castelldefels Campus, which puts The British School of Barcelona - Castelldefels Campus roughly 34% higher. Both take pupils from 3 to 18. The British School of Barcelona - Castelldefels Campus is the larger school, with around 1,200 pupils to The British College of Gavà's 450. Typical class sizes are 20 at The British College of Gavà and 24 at The British School of Barcelona - Castelldefels Campus.
IB (DP), IBCP (International Baccalaureate Career-related Programme), British Curriculum, Cambridge IGCSE, EYFS (Early years foundation stage)
Curriculum
British Curriculum
Pupils
Pupils
450
Pupils
1,200
Typical class size
Typical class size
20
Typical class size
24
Instruction language
Instruction language
English
Instruction language
English
Opened
Opened
2015
Opened
1958
Bus service
Bus service
Yes
Bus service
Yes
Essentials
Essentials
Location
Location
The British College of Gavà is located in Gavà, Catalonia, Spain. The campus sits among pine trees in lush gardens with modern, spacious premises about 20 minutes from Barcelona city. The school's address is Carrer de Josep Lluís Sert, 32, 08850 Gavà, Barcelona. The campus is completely enclosed for safety, and car drop-off happens on site.
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 Foundation Stage; Primary; Secondary; IB Diploma Programme (IBDP); IB Career-related Programme (IBCP).
Stages
City Campus and Castelldefels Campus serve ages 2-18; Sitges Campus serves ages 2-11.
School type
School type
British international school offering IGCSE and IB programmes.
School type
Private, co-educational international day school.
Pupil nationality mix
Pupil nationality mix
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Pupil nationality mix
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Additional learning support
Additional learning support
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Additional learning support
The school provides for students with special educational needs and disabilities.
Country affiliation
Country affiliation
United Kingdom
Country affiliation
UK curriculum; British international school in Spain.
Religious affiliation
Religious affiliation
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Religious affiliation
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School day structure
School day structure
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School day structure
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Bus service details
Bus service details
BCG offers a daily bus transport service to and from the school, organized around families' needs. Modern buses are used and comply with safety rules, with a monitor supervising the route. Car drop-off can be completed within school premises.
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
Annual tuition fees by year group (2025/26 academic year)
- EYFS (Nursery and Reception, Ages 3–4): EUR 9,010 per year. - Lower Primary (Key Stage 1, Years 1–2, Ages 5–6): EUR 11,140 per year. - Upper Primary (Key Stage 2, Years 3–6, Ages 7–10): EUR 12,940 per year. - Secondary (Key Stage 3, Years 7–9, Ages 11–13): EUR 14,140 per year. - Secondary (Key Stage 4, Years 10–11, Ages 14–15): EUR 15,290 per year. - Sixth Form (Years 12–13, Ages 16–17): EUR 15,360 per year.
Equivalent billing breakdowns (school billing practice and arithmetic conversions)
- The school bills annual tuition in 10 monthly instalments (September to June). Monthly instalment amounts (annual fee ÷ 10): - EYFS: EUR 901.00 per month. - Lower Primary: EUR 1,114.00 per month. - Upper Primary: EUR 1,294.00 per month. - Secondary KS3: EUR 1,414.00 per month. - Secondary KS4: EUR 1,529.00 per month. - Sixth Form: EUR 1,536.00 per month.
- For database display using a per-term equivalent (simple division by three): - EYFS: EUR 3,003.33 per term. - Lower Primary: EUR 3,713.33 per term. - Upper Primary: EUR 4,313.33 per term. - Secondary KS3: EUR 4,713.33 per term. - Secondary KS4: EUR 5,096.67 per term. - Sixth Form: EUR 5,120.00 per term.
Application, enrollment and annual charges
- Non-returnable admission fee (payable on acceptance of a place): EUR 2,900 per pupil. No reimbursement is made in case of cancellation of a place at any time. - Annual re-enrolment fee (billed in February; includes materials, books, tech fee and insurance): EUR 680. This re-enrolment fee is non-refundable. - A separate (one-off) assessment fee of EUR 30 is charged for certain admissions assessments (applies to assessments described in the admissions process).
Billing schedule and payment terms
- Tuition is presented as a full-year figure corresponding to a 10-month school year; invoices are issued and collected by direct debit in advance during the first five days of each month (payments are required monthly, September–June). - All fees, charges, residential trips, buses, excursions, extracurricular activities and similar items are charged by direct debit; extracurricular activities are charged termly. - If direct debit is not possible, an exception request must be submitted by email to the financial director for consideration. A bank rejection charge of EUR 15 applies each time a payment is rejected. - Advance (single) payment of the full annual tuition is eligible for a 1.25% discount if the full-year payment is made before July 15 (request must be made within the school's stated deadlines). Contact the school invoicing address for administration of advance payment.
Sibling discounts
- 3rd child: 10% discount. 4th child: 15% discount. 5th and subsequent children: 20% discount. Valid sibling accreditation must be presented where required.
Other costs and compulsory items
- School lunches are compulsory and are included in the tuition fee; packed lunches are not permitted. - School uniform is compulsory and is required for all students; uniform costs are charged to families. - Only students starting Year 7 are required to purchase a Chromebook (one-off cost borne by the family). - External examination and National Curriculum Test charges are additional where applicable; these amounts are added to the billed invoices when relevant. - School bus (transport) is optional and attracts a separate charge; transport registration is requested at enrolment and occasional or daily tickets may be available at a higher unit cost. Transport fees follow the school's payment and cancellation rules. - Optional extracurricular activities, residential trips and special events are charged separately and billed by direct debit; invoices for these items are issued before the event takes place.
Refund and withdrawal rules (fee consequences)
- The admission fee (EUR 2,900) is non-returnable. The re-enrolment fee (EUR 680) is non-refundable. No reimbursement is made in case of cancellation of a place at any time once admission fees are paid. - Parents of pupils intending to leave the school in June must provide written confirmation of departure before 28 February; no refund will be made if notice of departure is given after 15 April. - For permanent withdrawal, the school requires at least three months' notice by email to the school's designated address; parents must pay the school's fees during the three-month notice period. If a student starts during an ongoing month, the full monthly tuition fee for that month is payable and no refund is issued for partial months or absences.
Fee payment options
- Primary payment method: direct debit from a bank account; all invoices are collected by direct debit and parents sign an authorization form for the school to collect payments. Exceptions to direct debit require an approved request to the financial director. - The school administers advance/full-year payment discount requests and invoicing queries through the school invoicing contact (invoices@bcgava.com) and finance office channels.
Boarding
- Boarding is not applicable; the published fee schedule and terms describe day-school tuition, compulsory lunches, optional transport and no boarding fees.
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
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Boarding arrangements
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Uniform requirement
Uniform requirement
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Uniform requirement
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Food options
Food options
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Food options
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House system
House system
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House system
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Governance and ownership
Governance and ownership
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Governance and ownership
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Academics
Academics
Curriculum details
Curriculum details
IB Diploma Programme is offered for students aged 16–18 and includes six subject groups (Studies in Language and Literature, Language Acquisition, Individuals & Societies, Sciences, Mathematics, The Arts) with a core comprising Theory of Knowledge, Creativity, Activity and Service, and the Extended Essay. The Diploma Programme develops reflective, independent, globally minded learners and includes an Education for Sustainable Development project as part of CAS. The school also offers the IB Career-related Programme (IBCP), a vocational pathway with partner organisations in Performing Arts, Innovation in Sports and Entrepreneurship. In Secondary, the curriculum runs English National Curriculum up to GCSE (Year 11) before students move into the IB Diploma Programme in Years 12 and 13. Primary (Year 2–6) delivers English-language learning with EAL support; French begins in Year 3; Spanish and Catalan are taught as foreign languages, with emphasis on multilingual development and cultural understanding. Education for Sustainable Development is a fundamental thread throughout the school.
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
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Student teacher ratio
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Exam results
Exam results
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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
The Diploma Programme is respected by leading universities worldwide and provides a rigorous pre-university pathway; The Career-related Programme equips students with a vocational pathway and partnerships with external organisations; DP/CP graduates typically progress to higher education at universities worldwide.
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
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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
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Academic calendar
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Wellbeing & support
Wellbeing & support
Social & emotional learning
Social & emotional learning
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Social & emotional learning
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Special educational needs (SEN)
Special educational needs (SEN)
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Special educational needs (SEN)
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English as an additional language
English as an additional language
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English as an additional language
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Mental wellbeing
Mental wellbeing
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Mental wellbeing
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Safeguarding
Safeguarding
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Safeguarding
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Safeguarding policy
Safeguarding policy
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Safeguarding policy
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Facilities
Facilities
Facilities overview
Facilities overview
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Facilities overview
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Sports facilities
Sports facilities
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Sports facilities
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Academic facilities
Academic facilities
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Academic facilities
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Extra curricular facilities
Extra curricular facilities
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Extra curricular facilities
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Parent experience
Parent experience
History
History
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History
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Community
Community
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Community
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Parent teacher association
Parent teacher association
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Parent teacher association
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Extra-curricular
Extra-curricular
Academic & intellectual
Academic & intellectual
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Academic & intellectual
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Arts & creative
Arts & creative
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Arts & creative
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Cultural & language
Cultural & language
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Cultural & language
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Social & hobbies
Social & hobbies
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Social & hobbies
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Community & service
Community & service
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Community & service
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Leadership & professional
Leadership & professional
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Leadership & professional
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Lifestyle & wellbeing
Lifestyle & wellbeing
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Lifestyle & wellbeing
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Language provision
Language provision
Language provision
Language provision
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Language provision
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Bilingual teaching
Bilingual teaching
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Bilingual teaching
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Immersion programs
Immersion programs
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Immersion programs
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Reputation
Reputation
Awards
Awards
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Awards
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Accreditations
Accreditations
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Accreditations
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Admissions
Admissions
Admissions
Admissions
Submit an Inquiry: Complete the form at the bottom of the page so our admissions team can contact you. Schedule a Visit or Call: Book a visit to our campus or schedule a call with our team to learn more about our school and get your questions answered. Assessment and Requirements: Students from Year 4 onwards will be invited to English and CAT4 assessment at BCG; a non-refundable €30 admissions assessment fee applies. Secondary students will also need a reference letter from their current/previous school. Admission Confirmation: If the results are what is expected, your child's place will be reserved upon payment of the admission and matriculation fees. Enrollment Process: We will send further instructions to start submitting all required documents and complete the enrolment process.
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
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Scholarships
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Waitlist
Waitlist
Waiting List: If no place is available, parents may place their child's name on the waiting list for the school. The school cannot guarantee when a place may become available. There is no appeal process for admission to the school. The decision of the principal is final.
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.