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Reviewed

British School of Barcelona (The)

Privately owned school · Castelldefels, Spain
  • Ages 3-18
  • Undefined
  • From €11,200 pa
  • 1,958 students
We've reviewed this school • Unlock to access

When asked what stands out here, parents are unanimous in their reply - teaching staff and leadership. The expansion of BSB over additional campuses has been successful largely due to the head’s ability to bring the best-fit staff into his leadership team. The result is that BSB has been accredited as an ‘Outstanding School in every Category’ by the English Department for Education (DfE) of the British Government (inspection BSO). BSB is the only school in Catalunya to have gained this prestigious accreditation.

Click on each specific BSB campus to see a full write-up for each:

BSB Castelldefels Campus BSB City Campus BSB Nexus Campus BSB Sitges Campus

Why read our school review?

Unlike other websites, schools can't pay to be included in The Good Schools Guide. This means our review of this school is independent, critical and fair, and written with parents' best interests at heart.

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Overview

Student numbers
1,958
Curricula
  • British
  • Other curriculum
  • International
SEN provision
SEN considered case by case
Pre school provision (up to 4)
Yes
Religion
Non-denominational
Fees
BSB Castelldefels, BSB Sitges & BSB Nexus: €11,200 - €18,300 BSB City: €12,200 - €18,900
Ownership
Cognita

Head of school

Executive principal

James Petrie

Since 2024, Neil Tetley. Neil has previously been principal of Hastings School in Madrid and head of Woodbridge School in the UK.

Acting executive principal Since 2023, James Petrie. Previously deputy head of BSB secondary and head teacher


Entrance

Depending on your child’s age, the school will arrange a meeting with the head of the relevant department to assess their level of English and ability. Children applying for nursery and reception places are not required to have any prior knowledge


Exit

In 2023: 67 offers for Oxbridge & Ivy League places. Most popular destinations included United Kingdom (37 per cent), Spain (34 per cent), The Netherlands (14 per cent).


Latest results

In 2023, IB average: 34.4. At A level, 46 per cent A*/A, 73 per cent A*-B. At I/GCSE, 50 per cent A*/A, 9-7.

In 2022, 60 per cent A*/A or 7-9 at GCSE; 27 per cent of all grades achieved were at 9 and several students achieved level 8 and 9


Teaching & learning

School prides itself on academic excellence. The learning habits chart, which can be found in every classroom and every office, sets the tone for the whole school: curiosity, organisation, socialising, imagination, attention, determination, reflec

Curricula offered
  • British - National Curriculum for England
  • British - International General Certificate of Secondary Education (IGCSE)
  • British - A levels
  • Other curriculum - Spanish Baccalaureate
  • International - International Baccalaureate (Diploma)
  • Other curriculum - ESO (Educación Secundaria Obligatoria)

Learning support & SEN

Coincidentally our school visit occurred during Dyslexia Awareness Week, when school held a series of talks and activities to engage students, parents and teachers. Parents were invited into school to watch videos of students and other parents sha


Language support

English language core offer provided within the curriculum. Additional intensive EAL offered at an additional cost.


Arts & extracurricular

Wednesday societies, rolled out across the whole school, are very popular. The rolling 4-week programme allows students to try different things from designing mosaic tiles to first aid.


Sport

In September 2019 the school expanded its sports facilities with a new 9,000 sqm rugby pitch and football stadium allowing the school to upgrade its sports offering. The pitch is also marked out for 7 and 11-a-side football games.

Badminton


Ethos & heritage

Founded in 1958 as the Anglo-American School of Castelldefels, the school became The British School of Barcelona in 1999. Ownership was transferred to the Cognita Group in 2007. In January 2016 Cognita acquired the International School of Barcelon


Pastoral care, inclusivity & discipline

Pastoral care has improved beyond recognition in the past decade – an initiative started by the previous headteacher and continued by the current one. In January 2022 BSB achieved the Wellbeing Award for Schools (WAS), demonstrating its high stand


Classroom & community

Families say opportunities for parents to be involved have increased in more recent years but all agree there is still room for improvement. BSB Sporting Saturdays - football and basketball parents v staff - are popular. Talks for parents on topic

School year
September – June, with three terms
School hours
8:00am – 6:00pm, 5:00pm on Fridays
Student nationalities
Spanish 36.2%; British 12.0%; Russian 9.5%; Chinese 4.8%; American 4.7%; Ukrainian 4.3%
Student nationalities - total
74
Uniform requirements
Yes

Money matters

No complaints about fees in general but specifically after school activities and bus were singled out as being expensive.

Annual fee range
BSB Castelldefels, BSB Sitges & BSB Nexus: €11,200 - €18,300 BSB City: €12,200 - €18,900
Fee information
Matriculation €3,200, Uniform, Lunch from Year 9 (at BSB Castelldefels), Trips, Bus service, After school activities, Childcare, External exam fees

The last word

When asked what stands out here, parents are unanimous in their reply - teaching staff and leadership. The expansion of BSB over additional campuses has been successful largely due to the head’s ability to bring the best-fit staff into his leaders


Accreditations, inspections & memberships

Accreditations/Inspections
    National Association of British Schools in Spain (NABSS)
    BSO (British Schools Overseas inspection programme)
Memberships
NABSS, COBIS, HMC, BISA

This school has not provided any information yet

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Contact the school

Address

Carrer de la Ginesta, 26
Castelldefels
08860
Spain
Get directions

Have you considered?

School data & information British School of Barcelona (The) Carrer de la Ginesta, 26, Castelldefels, 08860 , Spain
1,958 Pupil numbers
Our review contains additional results data reported to us by British School of Barcelona (The) and is updated annually. See the review

GCSE-level results data is not reliably reported on for independent schools. We have chosen to show only the results achieved in individual subjects. Find out more

Entry and exit data

We do not have entry or exit data for pupils at this school. Find out more


SEN overview

SEN conditons supported

No information available from the school. Find out more.

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