What Are The Best Schools in Barcelona?

Some thing that can be a bit of a worry – once the time has come – is the choice we need to make of which school to let or children go to. We often search for schools that meet certain criteria or focused on a specific education.

There are many more factors, however, that will help you determine what school in Barcelona meets the needs of your child best.

To help you answer a few of your questions and help you make up your mind when choosing a school, we have come up with a list of the best schools in Barcelona in 2021.

Types of schools

First of all you should be aware of what compulsory education in Spain and Catalonia means specifically. It starts when your child is six and ends at sixteen. It is divided in two phases: primary education and secondary education. You can look up detailed information provided by Barcelona’s City Council on this website.

Photo via Unsplash

These public schools have a curriculum that is approved by local education authorities, and they are free and non-religious. The time to enroll your child starts in spring.

Don’t forget that there is a big difference between two types of schools: religious and non-religious schools. If your child will go to a non-religious school, you as a parent always have the choice of letting you child be taught religion or another subject instead of religion.

Although public schools in Barcelona are in general one of the best options for your child, we will give you more details on some of the most outstanding schools in Barcelona.

Related article: Regulations for Barcelona schools

Public schools in Barcelona

Public schools in Barcelona that are most popular according to an article in El Confidencial are:

1. Mercè Rodoreda
2. Can Fabra
3. Riera Alta
4. Barrufet
5. Lavínia
6. Badalona Port
7. Arts
8. Miquel Bleach
9. Arc Iris
10. Mas Casanovas

You can look for more specific information about each school by using the Consorci d’Educació de Barcelona search engine.

Photo via Unsplash

State-assisted private schools in Barcelona

What is typical for these schools, is that they are subsidised by the state. They are, however, owned and managed privately. This means that tuition fees for these schools are being subsidised by the government, and that all other costs must be paid for by the parents.

The curriculum and enrolment process work the exact same way as in public schools though. In addition to this, it all depends on the school whether it is a religious or non-religious school.

These are some of the more well-known state-assisted private schools in Barcelona:

1. Las Teresianas: This is a school with more than 125 years of history. This is a religious school, and it is committed to equality and social awareness. Every child will be given the chance to develop according to its own abilities.
2. Los Jesuitas de Sarrià: This school is known for its innovation and continuous growth. The school welcomes children from nursery to vocational training.
3. Salle Bonanova: The school is located at the foot of the Collserola mountains. The school is always innovating in pedagogical fields, by applying new technologies, learning languages, offering international stays, stimulating creativity and developing talent, and raising environmental awareness.
4. Escola Pia de Sarrià: This school also offers options from nursery to vocational training. This school operates from a viewpoint that a child develops physically, spiritually, intellectually and emotionally.

Photo via Unsplash

Private schools in Barcelona

Besides state-assisted private schools there are private schools that are not subidised. Tuition fees and other costs of these schools must be paid for by the parents.

The curriculum must also be approved by education authorities, and they have the choice of being a religious or non-religious school, just like state-assisted private schools.

Here are two of Barcelona’s best private schools:

1. Col·legi Montserrat: This school provides integral education and stimulates excellence, both intellectually and emotionally. This is one of the most well-known religious schools in Barcelona.
2. La Miranda: This school is located in Sant Just Desvern. Children get the chance to develop themselves based on educational projects with multilingual and scientifically-free methods.

Photo via Unsplash

International schools in Barcelona

Trends have changed, and international schools have climbed up the ladder of best schools in Barcelona.

One of the most important benefits of choosing an international school for your child, is having the opportunity to learn more languages than in any of the other types of schools.

It is very common in Barcelona for your children to attend private lessons in English or other languages after school has ended. By enrolling your child in an international school, you can invest this time in other activities. Languages are a basic part of the international school system and are practised daily.

Photo via Unsplash

These schools prioritise bilingual or multilingual learning, and they apply some of the most innovative, modern and international educational and pedagogical teaching methods.

Here are some of the best international schools in Barcelona:

• Barcelona High School (BHS): An innovative international American School in Barcelona.
• Escuela Suiza: They speak German, English, French and Italian, and this is one of the most popular schools in Barcelona.
• Benjamin Franklin International School: It is almost impossible to enroll for this school, as the waiting list is over a year.
• Saint Peter’s School: With an English education system, they focus on respect and teaching through reflection.
• Lycée Française: This school is known as the best French school in Barcelona.
• British School: This school encourages critical and creative thinking, and they set high standards.
• Colegio Alemán de Barcelona: With a combination of a Spanish and German school system, they base their educational program on community values and group work.
• American School: This non-religious school has an American-based curriculum, and everything is taught in English.
• Colegio Italiano de Barcelona: This school is located in the middle of the Eixample district, and your child can attend this school from primary to baccalaureate. The school depends on the Italian government, and the waiting list is also long.

Photo via Unsplash

What to consider when choosing a school

Okay, you have read about some of the best schools in the city in this article. You can now start narrowing down the options to search for the best choice, but how do you make a selection? Here are some of the most important aspects to consider when picking a school:

• Type of school: public, private (state-assisted or not), internationale or other
• Educational system: type of teaching methods
• School values
• Average academic level
• The teachers and staff that work at the school
• How involved the parents or family can be
• Number of children per class
• School canteen
• Other facilities
• Distance between home and school

As you have seen, there are plenty of choices and aspects to consider when it comes to going to school in Barcelona. Take your time to choose the one that best suits your child.

Do you know of other good schools that are not on this list?
Leave your comments below!