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EXPATRIATES in Spain getting ready to enrol their children in schools in a new country may be torn as to whether they should choose a British educational institution, or a Spanish one. After all, with fundamentally different curriculums and different focuses when it comes to education, choosing an ideal school is essential for the students’ academic career, as well as their personal growth and even outlook on the world. Bilingual or monolingual? For those whose children are a bit older, it can be a real option – with fewer growing pains – to put them in a British institution, which tend to be monolingual. If they already speak English, this could seem like the logical decision. However, the ability to speak Spanish may be better developed in a Spanish institution, which are typically bilingual and will encourage children to learn Spanish without leaving them completely in limbo with a new language. It can be an important asset to read testimonials from parents whose children went to the local institutions being considered, for a personal assessment of the school’s quality and the focus it places on parts of the curriculum, including the language the students primarily work with. The differences between the British system and the Spanish system Apart from the language and cultural exchange, it is also important to recognise the differences between the British curriculum and the Spanish one. The British system, which is becoming increasingly popular in Spain year-on-year (Spain is the European country that currently boasts the highest number of British educational institutions), has a strong focus on creativity and practicality, whereas the Spanish curriculum is more focused on theory and memorisation. The British system has more of an emphasis on learning by doing: designing projects, experimenting in labs, participating in historical reenactments, or creating different campaigns. The British system also places less of an emphasis on final exams and leans more towards weekly projects and assessments. On the other hand, the Spanish system is more homogenous, with all students receiving the same content at the same pace. Spain’s educational institutions tend to focus more on repetition, memorisation, and grammar rather than practical applications. The classroom is more focused on exams, and is a more formal atmosphere, with formality as a major core value. The curriculum is also more homework-heavy, and very dependent on textbooks. A choice that depends on the focus of the parent All in all, there are a great number of excellent schooling options in Spain, and when it comes to choosing a school, the most important thing is assessing what would be right for one’s family and for each child. Read more Spanish Living articles here.
