Caxton College Valencia

What The Good Schools Guide International says

Principal

Since August 2023, Marta Gil, formerly the vice principal. As the youngest of five sisters - one of whom, Amparo, was the previous principal - it is now her turn at the helm of the school that was founded in 1987 by the Gil-Marqués family.

Ms Gil is based in one of the big glass offices that are part of the very modern administrative space and, it is fair to say, is more of an administrative head than a teaching head. The family influence runs further as the previous principal's daughter taught at the school for a number of years and is now assistant principal, bringing that insight into the mix. It creates a balance of running a progressive school, while at the same time maintaining teaching standards. Another helpful influence is Ms Gil's children who attend the school and give a student's view on things. This reflects a key strategy adopted by the school’s management: listening and adapting to the ever-changing educational scene. Elegant with a welcoming smile, Ms Gil has brought new energy into the school, looking at what was once done and, at times, making changes.

Entrance

A popular school, particularly with Valencian families who make up around 66 per cent of the school. Finding a place is not always easy. Baby Caxton and nursery usually have places, but reception is regularly full, with a waiting list. In the secondary school, years 7, 8 and 9 are normally full. This is largely a very stable school but like all international schools there is always a little movement.

Children are placed in year groups according to their age on 1st January (unlike in the UK, which follows September to August year groups). This could lead to children starting in older year groups if they have come from a British school. Parents say the admissions team is always helpful and efficient. Additional learning needs are assessed on admission.

Exit

In 2024 two thirds of students stayed on in Spain to study at both public and private universities. Most popular being IE and University of Valencia. Thirteen students went on to study in the UK, one to Oxford, popular destinations were Imperial College, UCL and King's College London. University of Amsterdam is popular as well as engineering degrees at Eindhoven. A handful of students to USA including to Northeastern University (Boston, USA).

This is one of many areas the school has focused on recently. Parents feel that the level of advice offered has improved considerably, and not just on university choices. Careers advice now has a firm place in the curriculum with years 7 to 9 attending Aspire lessons in which they work with tutors on future skills. This continues as they progress through the school. Outside speakers are regularly invited to give talks, not just on the usual professions that are close to parents’ hearts but also more esoteric ones such as successful creative artists. In year 10, students have a careers speech day to hone their presentation skills and, although not a very Spanish tradition, work shadowing is now encouraged - although only for one day. While the majority of Spanish parents expect their offspring to attend university, other options can be discussed, especially the requirements of international students.

In 2023, nearly 80 per cent of the students stayed in Spain to study at both public and private universities. Universities like IE, IE, ICADE and CEU are popular options. Only eight per cent headed to UK universities and seven per cent to European destinations. The odd one every year to the US.

Latest results

2024 A level results: 73 per cent A*-B; 53 per cent A*/A.

I/GCSE results: 63 per cent A*-A/9-7 grades

Teaching and learning

The primary buildings are laid around a large open inner courtyard with a monster-sized tree growing in the middle - an inspiration for dinosaur-era imagination. The classrooms are bright and all have access to outside space, with the nursery having its own separate playground. There are outside classrooms and Forest School. Walls are suitably laden with colourful artwork and projects.

The primary school team work hard to deliver a balanced learning programme that follows the National Curriculum of England and also encompasses creative learning, ensuring learning is fun and effective. This ranges from classrooms to assemblies, working to reinforce the key values of respect, resilience, responsibility, perseverance, integrity and positivity.

The majority of staff are originally from the UK although many have been at the school for a fair few years. Teaching assistants are in all classrooms - another example of how well-staffed the school is (currently a staff of 400). A focus on reading and writing is underscored by the training time that has been committed by teachers to new approaches. Phonics teaching carries on until year 3.

Four classes of Spanish a week and they work hard to make it more creative to engage the children. One hour of Valenciano is also timetabled for year 2 - 6 students.

There is a school garden to tend - a whopper vegetable crop was enjoyed this year, including giant leeks. There are also lessons outside, on, for example, encouraging pollinators. This all ties in with the Eco Warriors - a group of students organising events to further the eco agenda and sustainable school projects. The termly newspaper produced by students now has another string to its bow with the addition of podcasts - a lovely illustration of the school never standing still, always innovating and ensuring they are offering the best possible environment for their students.

The secondary school has seen some changes too and is now run by two co-heads: one academic and one pastoral. There are two assistant heads to help them. The mantra is 'one school, one community' and students are encouraged to celebrate the diversity of the school community, with its different nationalities and customs. For years 7 to 9, the usual core subjects are offered as well as Valencian language, Spanish language and literature and Spanish social studies. French and German are also offered. Once students reach IGCSEs, optional subjects include PE, business studies, psychology and computer science, which is proving popular. Classrooms are modern and light with corridors laden with lockers to help alleviate heavy school bags.

Eighteen subjects are taught at A/AS level as well as EPQ (Extended Project Qualification) and the school feel they have most options covered, although they may consider adding economics in the future. Spanish university entrance subjects are also offered to ensure ease of entry.

Lots of training and time has been put into the secondary offering, with safeguarding and inclusivity taking centre stage over the last few years. This focus is very much on making the best environment for students, and parents feel that the effort was beneficial.

Sixth-formers have their own common rooms, one for year 12 and one for year 13. The open glass walls may not be to all the students' taste but they offer good hanging out and socialising spaces. This sense of independence is also underlined by no uniform for sixth formers, a very welcome initiative.

Also popular is Caxton Summer School run every July . The summer school also offers new staffing opportunities as local staff employed for Saturday school and summer school double up as a good source of supply teachers. A mentoring system is in place for those who would like to embark on TEFL courses and other forms of training. This seems a smart move to ensure good staff are always available.

Learning support and SEN

School works hard to support any additional learning needs. There are highly experienced SENCos in both primary and secondary, and a psychologist and speech therapist on hand in primary.

We were very happy to experience the sensory corner in the secondary school SENCo’s office. After a school visit it was the perfect place for a few minutes rest! Softly lit and soothing, it is one of many new developments over the last few years. The school has always had two psychologists on site, one for primary and one for secondary. The secondary school psychologist is also responsible for Spanish university applications, so her knowledge of the students is excellent.

Staff are offered training via National College, or online training courses, which is well received. Along with staff workshops (eg ‘SEN tricks I use in the classroom’), more SEN resources like desk dividers, noise cancelling headphones, CPen readers and fidget toys are in use. The Neurodiveristy Celebration Week is well received by both staff and students. Both primary and secondary SENCo’s work closely together to aid the transition from year 6 to year 7. Parents feel that they are kept in the loop when there are any areas of concern. Around 15 per cent of students benefit from some learning support.

Language support

Language support is not just an added extra; support is readily available whether it be to enhance Spanish language ability or English. For international primary students, this means lessons to help them with basic Spanish vocabulary. English language support is offered if there is a need, in the same way as extra maths is also supported. All students are prepared for IGCSE in Spanish and a one hundred per cent pass rate is the norm.

The arts and extracurricular

Very sensibly, extracurricular clubs run at different times of the day, not just after school. For example, some clubs kick off at 8am and many clubs are offered at lunchtime. From year one onwards, clubs such as ballet, choir, drama and art are available. There is also a language academy that is open to all age groups offering lessons in French, German and Spanish. The art academy offers sculpture as well as painting and drawing, and the music school provides pop and rock lessons as well as piano, instrument ensemble and percussion sessions. For secondary students, the Duke of Edinburgh programme is an option.

All this activity leads to a large number of performances each year, from ballet to drama and music across all age groups. The school's theatre sees plenty of action throughout the school year.

Sport

The school is well-known in the area for its sports offering which is only to be expected given the excellent facilities and, thanks to the many days of sunshine Valencia enjoys, they are well used. Team sports are a strong feature and students are encouraged to join in when they can. There are no less than three swimming pools: one is outdoor and semi-Olympic sized, another outdoor pool for the little ones and an indoor heated pool in the Caxton Sports Centre. A welcome addition is the small snack area, designed to make hanging around and waiting for children a more pleasant experience.

Football has always been an important part of Caxton College life, but there is competition now from basketball. The head of sport has plenty of personal experience, having been a professional basketball player herself. Her enthusiasm is infectious, and this is showing in the success of the teams. Some of the students are talent-spotted by the nearby Valencia Basket Club. A new basketball court is being squeezed in near the school dining room, with a covered area so that training can continue on sunny days. Seating will also be added around the court, allowing spectators to enjoy the basketball team's prowess.

Football continues to thrive and many teams (11 at the last count) are busy with tournaments and practice. Tennis is another strong sport here and the Caxton Tennis Academy is a popular extracurricular choice.

Ethos and heritage

Caxton College is a family affair. It was originally founded in 1987 by the Gil-Marqués family and members are still active in the school. The school building is purpose-built and well-laid out with bright and modern classrooms. The administrative building is open-plan and cooled to perfection by an efficient air conditioning system! There is an underground car park for parents and staff - very necessary in the high heat of summer. Improvements are always underway and the addition of picnic benches were a welcome consequence of the need for more space during Covid. They have even squeezed in a Padel court, very on-trend in Valencia.

Catering is another area the school has been working on and the results are very impressive. The main dining room has wall-to-ceiling windows overlooking the new basketball court (on its completion). Much thought goes into preparing and delivering the food, all cooked from scratch on the premises. The kitchen staff are preparing nearly 2,000 meals a day in the state-of-the-art kitchen facilities, which have a surprisingly calm atmosphere given the amount of work involved.

Allergies and how to safely handle them is a big requirement in all schools, and Caxton really delivers on this. At the back of the kitchen is a separate kitchen where a dedicated chef works on all the meals for allergy sufferers, giving parents extra confidence that everything is as it should be. As children enter the dining room a member of staff hands out little playing cards that mean the child and the staff know that a specific lunch is required. An iPad also shows what allergies are involved and the system suggests what substitutes should be used. The catering staff are enthusiastic, and the atmosphere is more home-kitchen than mass catering. This is a real achievement for the school. During our visit we saw a lovely pink iced birthday cake waiting to be demolished by a group of year 1 students under the shade of a nearby pergola. It looked very tempting. Themed menus are available one day a month. During our visit, the USA was the next country about to feature and the catering staff had collaborated with a member of staff who is American to produce some tasty options.

There is a separate dining room for the little ones, with size-appropriate chairs and tables, and staff on hand to help if needed. One innovation that has proved a success is removing store-brought individual yoghurt pots, meaning both less plastic and less sugar as the natural yoghurt prepared each day has just fruits mixed in, no added sugar. This is a strategy from the eco committee and one that will hopefully be rolled out to other year groups. As part of the drive to encourage parents into the school to see how it all works for themselves, parents are welcome to go and eat along side their children and given the quality of the catering this is an invitation worth taking up.

Pastoral care, inclusivity and discipline

Much training and time has been put into this since our last visit. The secondary head’s function has now been split in two with a co-head of academics and a co-head of pastoral. Teachers have extra training on safeguarding and processes are in place. The school highlight respect for others, of all cultures and beliefs. Parents have welcomed all these positive steps.

Pastoral care is key and extends to staff - the school are keen to ensure that working conditions are the best they can be and that extra training is always on offer. This is paying dividends as staff retention levels are very good and the school works hard to keep them motivated.

Parents agree that discipline is not a big problem. Spanish parents expect their children to go to school to learn, so getting into trouble is frowned upon. The PASS (Pupil Attitudes to Self and School) survey is utilised to get a feeling for wellbeing and any issues that are arising, so extra pastoral support can be offered.

Classroom and community

The majority of parents are Spanish who are keen for their children to benefit from an English-based education. Few live in the local area and so the school buses are very busy every morning bringing in children from Valencia itself as well as further afield eg Sagunto to the north and Picassent to the south, and all points in between (around 20 different routes). Spotting a Caxton bus in the centre of Valencia is a familiar morning routine. They offer an efficient and well-choreographed service.

There are now around 33 per cent of international students from a wide variety of other countries. The mix is very harmonious - the different cultures have a positive influence on everyone. The number of international parents in secondary has also grown slightly over the last few years. The school has put a great deal of thought and effort into making a very inclusive and welcoming environment for all new pupils, particularly those from abroad. The school’s inclusive ethos underlies this and the ever-popular annual international food event and the newly introduced, and very English sounding, cheese and wine evening are some of the many ways the school is working to bring everyone together.

The local parents appreciate the Spanish side of the curriculum which is comprehensive and allows students to move on to Spanish universities. The international parents appreciate the wide subject offering that allows students to go on to other European, UK, or US universities. Caxton is doing well to blend these two sides successfully together.

Money matters

Fees can be paid monthly if required, exams cost extra and exam fees are charged annually for years 11, 12 and 13. Everything is very clear and uncomplicated - no surprises lurk below the surface. Given the high level of facilities offered, the fees are pleasantly competitive.

The last word

Caxton College undoubtedly has an impressive offering, one which will keep students engaged and fulfilled. For the student who is sporty, academic, or arty, then this is an ideal setting. From nursery to sixth form, the students have many opportunities to learn and expand their horizons.