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Spain, Madrid
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Founded in 2012 by Sarah Cardelús, a Spanish-American mother of twins, City Country School was created so children aged 3 to 16 could be themselves, free from the belief that they must fit a single definition of success. It was designed for children to experiment, collaborate, work hard, and discover that there are many ways to find answers and many versions of success. The school emphasizes a learner-centered culture where each child's path to success is understood as unique, and where learning is guided by encouragement and opportunity rather than by rigid expectations. The school employs Montessori principles as its core approach to education.
City Country School has an international Madrid-based community with families from Spain, the United States, Canada, Mexico, Colombia, Germany, Ireland, England, Libya, Australia, Italy, Bulgaria, and Poland. The teaching staff is international, with about half native English speakers and many trained in the United States; the headmistress is Spanish-American. The school focuses on building bridges to community among the cultures represented at the school. The campus comprises three buildings in Madrid, and the school schedules community meetings, group discussions, camping trips, long walks and games throughout the year.
City Country School is a small, independent Montessori school in Madrid serving ages 3 to 16, accredited by Middle States and combining Montessori pedagogy with an American curriculum. Founded in 2012 by Sarah Cardelús, the school invites children to learn through hands-on exploration, collaboration, and discovery rather than a single definition of success. Instruction is bilingual, with Early Childhood predominantly English and native guides, Lower Elementary in a bilingual English/Spanish environment, Upper Elementary alternating between fully Spanish and fully English Montessori settings, and an Adolescent Program taught entirely in English by native speakers. The on-site facilities span Children's House, Elementary, and Adolescence campuses, including a garden, sandbox, climbing frame, kitchen classroom, and outdoor spaces designed for nature-based play. Distinctive features include the Kitchen Classroom, organic vegetarian meals, and an Out Program that integrates field visits with project work. The curriculum anchors Montessori methods within a learner-centered culture that fosters growth.
