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All schools in the Arenas International School Gran Canaria group
Pino Afonso Ponce
School Principal
Academic offering
Curriculum IB (PYP), IB (MYP), IB (DP)
Taught languages French, German, Mandarin
Typical class size 21
Strengths Sport, STEM, Languages
Clubs Arts and Creative, Cultural and Language, Leadership and Professional
Stages Infant/Toddler Care, Early Years, Primary School, Secondary School
Introduction
Colegio Arenas Atlántico, located in Arucas, provides the International Baccalaureate (IB) curriculum for students aged twelve to eighteen. It is the only school in the Canary Islands authorized to teach the full IB continuum, including the Middle Years and Diploma Programmes. Students often combine the IB Diploma with the Spanish Baccalaureate for dual certification.
The campus occupies 65,000 square meters of natural grounds, featuring artificial grass courts, tennis facilities, and dedicated paddle courts. A distinctive feature is the school’s private music conservatory, Arenas Albéniz, where students receive professional musical training integrated into their daily schedule. Additionally, the school maintains its own residential center, Sulis Manor, in Bath, England, which allows pupils to participate in immersive language exchanges and multicultural stays. Instruction is delivered in English and Spanish, with options to study German, French, and Mandarin Chinese. Practical initiatives include the "Ultramar Blue School" program, which involves students in active ocean conservation and environmental research.
This campus is part ofArenas International School Gran Canaria
P.º San Patricio, 20, 35413 Arucas, Las Palmas, Spain
The Essentials
Colegio Arenas Atlántico has 506 pupils, typical class sizes of 21, instruction in Spanish, English.
Location
Located on two campuses in Gran Canaria, Spain: Colegio Arenas in Las Palmas de Gran Canaria (Llano de Los Tarahales, 76, 35013) and Colegio Arenas Atlántico in Arucas (Paseo San Patricio, 20, 35413). The Las Palmas campus is connected to all districts of Las Palmas de Gran Canaria by a school transport service; there are bus routes linking the Las Palmas Preschool and Primary campuses with the Arucas Secondary/Baccalaureate campus.
Transport connects all districts of Las Palmas de Gran Canaria; bus routes connect Preschool and Primary in Las Palmas with Secondary and Baccalaureate in Arucas (Colegio Arenas Atlántico).
Fees
Annual tuition at Colegio Arenas Atlántico ranges from EUR 5,750 to EUR 6,330 for 2026/27.
Application and Admission Fees
- A single, one-off matriculation / admission payment is required to secure a pupil's place.
Reservation / Re-enrolment Fee
- A reservation fee is required to secure a place for the following academic year. For the first year this is paid as a single payment; in subsequent years the reservation payment is split into two instalments (April and May).
Tuition fees (billing schedule and instalments)
- Tuition fees are billed on an annual basis but collected in regular instalments; standard practice across the group is that tuition is payable in ten monthly instalments (September–June). - Classroom supplies (covering classroom materials, some digital platforms and educational technology) are charged separately and are usually payable in two instalments (typically November and January). - School insurance is charged as a single payment at the start of the academic year (commonly in September). - School lunch is billed on an annual basis and divided across the school months (commonly September–June) to produce a fixed monthly lunch charge.
Tuition fees by year group (numeric amounts)
- The school does not publish a numeric fee schedule for each year group on the Gran Canaria campus public information pages; full, line-by-line annual or per-term tuition amounts for specific year groups are not available from the publicly accessible Gran Canaria pages. Numeric fee sheets for other AIS centres are published in separate centre-specific fee sheets, but equivalent Gran Canaria tuition figures are not publicly listed.
Boarding fees (if applicable)
- There is an international residential centre associated with the Arenas group (Sulis Manor in Bath, England) used for immersion and study-stay programmes; the Gran Canaria campus itself does not operate an on‑site boarding provision for day pupils, therefore regular boarding fees are not applicable to the Gran Canaria campus.
Other costs and extras
- Uniforms, educational visits/trips, after‑school activities and some enrichment programmes are not included in tuition and are charged separately. School uniform costs and scout/PE uniform items are paid in addition to tuition. - Extra‑curricular activities each have their own specific fees and are billed separately. - Classroom supplies / resource fees (separate from tuition) are commonly charged as noted above.
Sibling discounts and concessions
- The group applies sibling discounts where eligible: families with three or more children may be entitled to reductions in tuition for the youngest child and discounts on admission fees for second/third siblings (specific discount levels vary by centre). Exact sibling discount details for Gran Canaria are not listed on the public Gran Canaria pages.
Refunds and refundable deposits
- Where the group publishes refundable-deposit practice at other AIS centres, a deposit or fund contribution is sometimes held and refundable under specified conditions (for example, graduation from the final year or formal resignation by stated deadlines). There is no publicly listed, itemised refund policy or numeric refund schedule published on the Gran Canaria admissions pages; specific refund terms for the Gran Canaria campus are not published on the publicly accessible pages.
Billing schedule and payment terms (summary)
- Typical billing pattern used across Arenas/AIS centres: - Tuition: collected in ten monthly instalments (September–June). - Reservation fee: single payment for first year; split payments (April/May) for subsequent years. - Classroom supplies: two instalments (November and January). - Insurance: single payment in September. - Lunch: annual charge divided across the school months to create a fixed monthly charge (September–June).
Fee payment options (methods)
- The Gran Canaria campus public information pages do not publish a definitive list of accepted payment methods (for example, bank transfer, direct debit or credit card) on the public admissions pages. Payment-method practice at other AIS centres commonly includes bank transfer and card payment options (with card surcharges sometimes applied at some centres); for clear, centre-specific payment instructions and available methods for the Gran Canaria campus, the school's admissions office provides the official payment details.
Refund information (specific to Gran Canaria)
- There is no detailed, published refund schedule or full text of the Gran Canaria campus refund policy on the public pages. Refund or deposit-return conditions used by other centres indicate deposits can be refundable under stated conditions; however, no centre-specific numeric refund policy for Gran Canaria is posted publicly.
Summary of what is and is not published
- Published and confirmable for AIS centres: the types of fees that families should expect (matriculation/admission fee, reservation fee, tuition instalments, classroom supplies, insurance, lunch, extra‑curricular fees), typical billing timing (tuition in ten monthly instalments; classroom supplies in two instalments; insurance once in September; lunch spread Sep–Jun) and that some extras (uniforms, trips, activities) are charged separately. - Not published on the Gran Canaria campus public pages: detailed numeric tuition amounts per year group, per‑term figures, explicit boarding fee schedules for the Gran Canaria campus, precise payment‑method instructions and a full text of a campus-specific refund policy. The Gran Canaria admissions and information pages do not contain a public, line‑by‑line numeric fee schedule for the current academic year.
(Notes: The Arenas group operates an international residence in England used for immersion/study‑stay programmes; this is separate from Gran Canaria campus day‑school provision. )
Academics
Colegio Arenas Atlántico teaches IB (PYP), IB (MYP), IB (DP) for students aged 0.5 to 18.
Curriculum
The school offers the International Baccalaureate continuum: Primary Years Programme (PYP) in Preschool and Primary Education; Middle Years Programme (MYP) in Secondary Education; and Diploma Programme (DP) for the Baccalaureate. It is an IB World School and the only Canary Islands school authorised to offer all three IB programmes across ages 3 to 18. The school operates a bilingual Spanish–English programme; Preschool includes English immersion, and from Primary Education students study in English while also beginning to learn French and German, with Mandarin Chinese introduced from the third year of Primary Education. Language instruction and the IB framework emphasise active, inquiry-based, intercultural learning and global mindedness.
Exam Results
The school achieved IB certification for PYP, MYP and DP in 2016–2017, and is one of 13 schools in Spain certified to teach all three IB programmes. In 2016–2017, 100% of Baccalaureate students who took the EBAU examinations passed, with an average grade of 8.1. IB Diploma Programme results were above the world average in Mathematics, History, Physics and Biology. External language examinations across English, French, German and Mandarin Chinese showed high pass rates: 95% passed English PET; 75% passed English FIRST; 70% passed English CAE; 100% passed French; 90% passed German; 90% passed Chinese.
Wellbeing
Social and Emotional Learning (SEL)
Emotional Education plays a vital role in the school, helping students understand and manage their emotions effectively and to feel and show empathy towards others. The SEL Programme, LEARNING TO BE BY DOING, is based on Neurolinguistic Programming (NLP), Neuroscience, Neuroeducation, Cognitive-Behavioural and Social, Humanistic and Psychodynamic Psychology, Educational Coaching, Constructivism and basic ethical and moral values. Through a combination of practical and theoretical instruction, the programme provides tools for the entire educational community, with involvement from students, families and staff to guide each person toward greater wellbeing.
Special Educational Needs (SEN)
The Guidance Department offers psycho-pedagogical and psychological support and speech therapy sessions, both in and out of school.
English as an Additional Language (EAL)
Bilingual Education English-Spanish; from Preschool, subjects are taught in English to create authentic linguistic immersion. The second foreign language, French and German, is taught from the 2nd year of Primary Education, and Mandarin Chinese is included as a third language from the 3rd year of Primary Education; Mandarin students have the option to sit YCT examinations.
Mental Wellbeing
Mental wellbeing is addressed through the SEL programme, with Emotional Education helping students understand and manage their emotions and to empathise with others. The programme emphasizes wellbeing across the school community and uses a diverse range of approaches to support students' emotional and social development.
Safeguarding
The Guidance Department provides psycho-pedagogical and psychological support and speech therapy sessions, available both in and out of school to support safeguarding and student wellbeing.
Admissions
Admissions
The admission process aims to meet the specific needs of the future student by assessing their personal and academic profiles. An Information Request Form is available to learn more about the admissions process. Colegio Arenas: Llano de Los Tarahales, 76, 35013 Las Palmas de Gran Canaria, Gran Canaria, Spain. Tel: +34 928 41 59 96. Colegio Arenas Atlántico: Paseo San Patricio, 20, 35413 (Trasmontaña), Arucas, Gran Canaria, Spain. Tel: +34 928 62 91 40. Main Office: Calle Archivero Joaquín Blanco Montesdeoca 16-18. Tel: +34 928 48 29 71 ext 1. Uniformes: +34 928 48 29 71 ext 3.
FAQs
What does Arenas International School Gran Canaria offer?
Private, non-denominational international school in Spain offering the International Baccalaureate continuum across ages 3 to 18. The school teaches IB PYP, MYP, and DP and is the Canary Islands' only IB World School authorised to offer all three pro.
What age range?
Ages 0-18.
What are the fees?
Annual fees: Contact school.
How many students?
Approximately 506 students.
Co-educational?
Yes.
SEN support?
Not specifically mentioned.
Where?
In Spain.
Languages?
English and Spanish are typically offered.
Transport?
Contact school.
What makes it special?
Private, non-denominational international school in Spain offering the International Baccalaureate continuum across ages 3 to 18. The school teaches I.
