British school vs concertado in Madrid, our 12 month review

the concertado path is such a gamble. we tried it for six months but the language barrier for a ten year old was too much. unless your kids are under five or already speak decent spanish, the british schools are basically the only way to keep them from falling behind in 2024.

1,500 euros a month per child including the extras is wild for Madrid. You are basically paying a premium for a curriculum that they could get back in the UK for free. I think people get scared of the traditional 'rote learning' style in Spanish schools, but at ages 7 and 9, kids are like sponges. They'll adapt to the concertado way faster than we think as adults. The extracurriculars at local clubs are miles better for integration anyway.

Interesting that you are calling this a Madrid review when the tag says Las Palmas. Did you guys move recently or is that just a typo? I am trying to figure out the British school scene in Gran Canaria specifically since the fees seem a bit lower there than in the capital.

We had a very similar experience in Barcelona with the British school costs. We pay about 1,300 per month and honestly, the 'English environment' is a bit of a myth once you step out of the classroom. The kids are going to speak the local language in the playground no matter what school you pick. If I were you, I'd make the jump to the concertado for the next term. That 2,000 euro a month difference is basically a mortgage or a lot of travel around Europe.

the 2024 prices are definitely up since last year. i think every school we looked at added at least 5 to 7 percent to the tuition. it is making the dnv lifestyle a lot more expensive than the blogs lead you to believe when you factor in a family of four.

the fee difference is the biggest shocker. for the price of one kid in a top british school in madrid you can almost pay your entire rent in a nice neighborhood. we went the concertado route and used the savings for private intensive spanish tutors. it worked out better for us.

did any of the parents mention the admissions process for middle of the year? we got our dnv in june but the schools were already packed. it feels like you have to apply before you even have your visa approved which is a huge risk with the current processing times.

Global Pathways actually suggested we look at private Spanish schools instead of British ones to find a middle ground. We pay about 700 a month. It's more than a concertado but less than Northwood, and the facilities are amazing. You get the immersion but with a slightly more modern teaching approach. Might be worth looking into a 'colegio privado' as a third option before you decide for next year.

Madrid is getting so expensive that the DNV income requirements barely cover a high end British school plus a three bedroom apartment in a decent area. We looked at the math and realized we'd be living better in London than Madrid if we kept paying those tuition rates. We are switching to a concertado in September specifically to claw back some of our disposable income so we can actually enjoy the Spanish lifestyle.

this lines up with what we saw this year. the main issue with the british schools is the bubble. my kids have been here a year and still cant order a fanta in spanish because all their friends are expats. the playbook needs a section on social integration because the british schools are failing at it.

I appreciate the consolidated notes. We are looking at a concertado in Chamberi for next year. Did any of the families you talked to mention the religious aspect? Most concertados are Catholic and I am curious how much that actually impacts the daily curriculum for non-believers.

We actually went the opposite way and moved from a concertado to an international school in Aravaca. The traditional Spanish style was just too much for our son. He's a bit more creative and the constant memorization and heavy homework load in the concertado was making him miserable. Yes, it's way more expensive, but the mental health trade off was worth it for our specific situation. It really depends on the kid's personality.

we found that the concertado schools have much better sports facilities usually. the british schools in the city center are often just converted buildings with tiny patios. if your kids need space to run it is something to keep in mind for the review.

I think the social integration part you mentioned is the most important thing for DNV families. If you stay in the British school loop, you're always going to be the 'expat family' on the edge. Joining the local football club through a concertado is the fastest way to get invited to the Sunday paellas and actually feel like you live here. We made that mistake our first year and felt so isolated.

Are you worried about the religious aspect of the concertados at all? Most of them, like Sagrado Corazon, are Catholic. We're not religious so we went with a public school, which is free but definitely has its own challenges with resources. I've heard some concertados are very relaxed about the church stuff but others expect the kids to participate in everything. Does your friend mention any of that?

I'm curious about how your friends managed to get into Sagrado Corazon. From what I've heard, those popular concertados in Chamartin have massive waiting lists and a point system that favors people already living in the neighborhood for years. Did they have to apply months in advance before their DNV was even approved? We looked at a few concertados last year but were told there were zero spots for mid-year arrivals.

thanks for sharing the consolidated notes. it is helpful to see the 12 month perspective. we are still on month three and the overhead for the british international schools is definitely hitting our budget harder than expected. glad to know we are not the only ones feeling it.