Ages 
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
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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
