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The Olive Tree School

Spain, Barcelona

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The school at a glance
Instructs in English
Fees €9,300 - 13,600
Ages 3 - 16 years
Pupil numbers 200
Type Co-educational
Opened 2010
Bus Service No
Academic offering
Curriculum British Curriculum, Pearson Edexcel IGCSE
Taught languages Spanish
Typical class size 20
Strengths Performing Arts, Academic Enrichment, Outdoor Education
Clubs Arts and Creative, Academic and Intellectual, Leadership and Professional
Stages Preschool, Early Years, Primary School, Secondary School
Introduction

The Olive Tree School is a British international school for ages 3 to 16 that follows the British Curriculum with Cambridge IGCSE. It is NABSS-regulated. The school uses pupil-centred learning with Montessori- and Waldorf-inspired pedagogy, placing thinking, exploration and creative problem solving at the heart of learning. The curriculum sits alongside the British framework, with pupils taking UK GCSE assessments at age 16. It is a Pearson Edexcel GCSE centre. Class sizes are small, about 20 pupils, and the total roll is around 200. English is the language of instruction, with around 30 nationalities represented. Facilities include a Science lab, ICT room, art studio, two libraries, a theatre, a music room, outdoor classrooms, vegetable plots, and a 1000-square-metre sports hall. The school offers Shakespeare productions, termly Theme Days, termly trips to nearby sites and Barcelona, and a range of enrichment programmes and clubs spanning science, arts, leadership and creativity worldwide.

Carrer les Modistes, 8, 08810 Sant Pere de Ribes, Barcelona, Spain

The Essentials

The Olive Tree School has 200 pupils, typical class sizes of 20, instruction in English.

Location

Carrer les Modistes 8, Sant Pere de Ribes, 08812 Barcelona

Stages

Nursery & Reception (Saplings); Primary School; Secondary School; ages 3–16

Type

British international school following the British Curriculum; NABSS-regulated

Pupil Nationality Mix

Pupils come from 30 nationalities; English is the common language

Additional learning support

Inclusive SEND policy; SEND specialists and classroom teachers ensure needs are understood and met; SENCo leads provision, coordinating universal and targeted support and PPPs; staff training and family involvement.

Country affiliation

United Kingdom affiliation; British International School following the British Curriculum; NABSS-regulated

Fees

Annual tuition at The Olive Tree School ranges from EUR 9,300 to EUR 13,600 for 2026/27.

Registration & Admissions Fees
- Registration fee: €2,830 payable on admission for pupils entering above Nursery/Reception; this fee is paid once and is non-returnable.
- Reduced registration fee for a second child: €1,830.
- Waiting-list fee: €300 per child to join the waiting list; this fee is non-refundable and is deducted from the registration fee if the child subsequently registers.

Tuition fees (annual amounts by year group)
- Nursery (age 3): €9,300 per year.
- Reception (age 4): €9,300 per year.
- Year 1 (age 5): €11,900 per year.
- Year 2 (age 6): €11,900 per year.
- Year 3 (age 7): €11,900 per year.
- Year 4 (age 8): €11,900 per year.
- Year 5 (age 9): €11,900 per year.
- Year 6 (age 10): €11,900 per year.
- Year 7 (age 11): €13,100 per year.
- Year 8 (age 12): €13,100 per year.
- Year 9 (age 13): €13,100 per year.
- Year 10 (age 14): €13,600 per year.
- Year 11 (age 15): €13,600 per year.
(Annual tuition figures as published for the current school fees schedule).

Sibling discounts
- A 30% discount in tuition is applied for a third child and any subsequent children from the same family.

Billing schedule and payment terms
- The public fee materials list annual tuition amounts and registration/ waiting-list fees but do not publish a detailed billing schedule (for example: per-term invoice amounts, instalment deadlines, required deposits, or late-payment penalties). The school requires payment of the registration fee to secure a place.

Boarding
- Boarding fees: Not applicable. No boarding programme or boarding fees are listed in the school's publicly published admissions and fees materials; the school operates as a day school for ages 3–16.

Other costs and regular extras
- School lunches: Contracted school lunch price is €8.95 per day when taken every weekday of the month; occasional daily lunches are priced at €9.95 per day.
- Uniform, books, learning resources, exam fees, extracurricular clubs, individual music tuition, transportation, or other optional charges are not itemised in the published annual-fee graphic. Specific optional-cost items and their prices are not publicly listed.

Refund information
- Registration fee and waiting-list fee are explicitly stated as non-returnable/non-refundable. No public, detailed tuition-refund scale (for withdrawal part-way through the year, prorated refunds, or exceptional refunds) is published in the fee materials.

Fee payment options
- The school's publicly available fee pages and admissions information do not specify accepted payment methods (for example: bank transfer, credit/debit card, direct debit) or invoicing methods. The registration fee is required to secure a place.

Brief summary of missing or unspecified items (for clarity)
- The published materials provide annual tuition amounts by year group, registration and waiting-list fees, sibling discount and lunch prices, but they do not publish: a full per-term breakdown or instalment schedule; payment deadlines or late-payment penalties; accepted payment methods; a detailed list of additional compulsory fees (uniform, learning resources, exam or activity fees) or their prices; nor a formal, detailed tuition-refund schedule for mid-year withdrawal. These items were not located in the school's publicly posted fees and admissions pages.
Academics

The Olive Tree School teaches British Curriculum, Pearson Edexcel IGCSE for students aged 3 to 16.

Curriculum

The Olive Tree School offers pupil-centred learning for 3-16 year olds. Montessori- and Waldorf-inspired pedagogy places thinking, exploration and creative problem solving at the heart of learning; the curriculum sits alongside the British framework, with pupils taking UK GCSE assessments at age 16. The Olive Tree School is a Pearson Edexcel GCSE centre. Class sizes are small, about 20 pupils, and the total pupil roll is around 200.

Student Teacher Ratio

Small class sizes around 20 pupils. The school has about 200 pupils.

Exam Results

GCSE results show strong progress across 2015-2025. 64% of pupils achieved grade 7 or above across all subjects and 94% achieved grade 5-6 or above. In English, 67% achieved grade 7+ and 100% achieved grade 4+; in Maths, 82% achieved grade 7+ and 100% achieved grade 4+; in Science, 43% achieved grade 7+ and 99% achieved grade 4+.

Wellbeing

Social and Emotional Learning (SEL)

Welfare is a priority for pupils aged 11–16. A trusted tutor supports each pupil with a consistent daily tutor, and mentoring occurs every two weeks in a safe, private space. There is an open-door policy with the three heads for emotional support, and a school psychologist is available for private sessions when beneficial. A PSHE programme runs weekly to address identity, relationships, safety, health, and related topics. The school also offers a Girls' Talk Club for 11–16 year olds and an LGBTQ+ Club to explore gender, equality, and related issues.

Special Educational Needs (SEN)

The Olive Tree School has an inclusive SEND policy with SEND specialists and classroom teachers who ensure that every child's needs are understood and met, aiming for each child to reach their full potential. The school has named SENCo leaders in primary and secondary, external SEND training for staff, and a structured approach (assessment, planning, provision, review) to identify and support pupils with SEND, with regular liaison with families. SEND staff include dedicated specialists and a Speech and Language Therapist, and there is a formal process for monitoring and adjusting provision.

Mental Wellbeing

Mental wellbeing is supported through a robust welfare framework: a dedicated tutor for each pupil, regular mentoring, and an open-door policy with senior leaders. A school psychologist provides additional professional support, and PSHE is designed to create a safe space for discussion of health, relationships, and life choices. The welfare and mentoring programmes reinforce emotional and social development alongside academics.

Safeguarding

A designated safeguarding lead is in place, with safeguarding and pupil welfare embedded in the school's support structures. The SEND policy and welfare provisions include regular family liaison (at least every half-term) and ongoing staff training on SEND and safeguarding-related practices to ensure pupils are supported in a safe, inclusive environment.

Admissions

Admissions

1. Express interest and initiate the admissions process: Families contact the admissions department to express interest in joining The Olive Tree School. Admissions staff pass the family's details to one of the four headteachers to arrange a visit and discuss the child's profile, including educational history and any needs. Previous school reports for the past two years and any educational psychologist's reports are requested to inform the assessment. The school provides English education for ages 3–16 and teaches the British National Curriculum.

2. Documentation review and language/SEND assessment: The headteachers consider the previous reports and any additional documentation provided by the family. They evaluate the child's level of English and any special educational needs. The process takes into account the child's age, educational history, and language needs. There is no formal exam or entry test.

3. Two-day taster and family visit: If the headteachers believe the school may meet the pupil's needs, a two-day taster visit is offered for the child in the classroom. The family is provided with a tour of the school and a meeting with a headteacher. The aim is for the class teachers to further evaluate the child's suitability to join the class and the school. The process ensures the family can experience the environment before a decision is made.

4. Two further taster days and pre-trial form: The two taster days take place; Parents complete a ‘pre-trial' form before or on the first day. Observations are made by the teacher and passed to the headteacher. The headteacher makes a decision regarding the child's admission.

5. Communicating the decision: The admission decision is communicated by the admissions department. If admission is denied, the family is given clear reasons why the school cannot meet the child's needs. The headteachers may offer detailed guidance in finding a more suitable school.

6. Registration and waiting list option: If admitted, the family is guided through the administrative process; registration forms are completed and the matriculation fee paid. If there are no spaces in the desired year group, the child may be added to a waiting list.

7. 8-week evaluation after joining: After joining, the pupil's progress is monitored for eight weeks. Any concerns are relayed to the headteachers and the SENCo, with transparent communication to the family. If no concerns arise, the child remains on the school roll.

8. Monitoring and potential withdrawal if concerns persist: If initial concerns arise, targets are set and monitored from weeks 2–4. By Week 8, headteachers decide whether the child can continue at The Olive Tree or whether the place should be withdrawn under the registration terms. If withdrawal is decided, the school offers support and guidance in finding an alternative school.

Waitlist

Joining the waiting list is possible when there are no spaces in the relevant class. Joining the waiting list does not guarantee a place for September 2026. The fee to join the waiting list is 300€ per child and is non-refundable; if you subsequently register your child with us, the fee is discounted from the registration fee. Places are allocated strictly in chronological order from the date the child entered the waiting list. From 1 April 2026, places that become available are assigned to waiting list children strictly in chronological order from their waiting list entry date.

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