State, concertado or international: how we chose a school

We spent three months on this question, with school visits, spreadsheets and at least one argument. In the end it became a Spanish state school, for all three. That was right — but it was not equally right for all three, and that is the point most guides leave out.

The three types, briefly

Colegio público. The state school. Free, taught in Spanish, often with an English stream (bilingüe). In Andalusia, primary textbooks are provided or lent. Class sizes around 25. It is the neighbourhood school, which the children next door also attend — an underrated social factor.

Colegio concertado. Privately run, state co-funded, frequently under church sponsorship. Formally free, in practice there are contributions for "extras", often a low two-figure sum per month. Usually uniforms, often more structure, sometimes longer supervision.

International school. British, German, American or IB curriculum. Taught in English or German, small classes, plenty of support, international qualifications. And tuition per child per year at a level that, with three children, decides the whole move.

Why age counts for more than type

The same school move felt completely different for each of our three.

The youngest, four at the time. She started in infantil, the pre-school stage. After about four months she was speaking Spanish with the other children; after a year, better than us. For her it wasn't a language switch, it was just nursery.

The middle one, six at the time. Six months of silence, then it clicked. She learned to read and write directly in Spanish — which means she now writes better Spanish than German. That is a price we are paying deliberately.

The eldest, eight at the time. That was the hard one. In Germany she could read, write, calculate and argue — and here she sat for a year like someone who understands everything and can say nothing. Frustration, stomach aches, withdrawal. It turned around, but it took time and it took support.

Our rule of thumb from that: under eight, the state school is almost always the easier choice. From ten or eleven upwards it is genuinely worth thinking about the international option — not because the Spanish school is worse, but because time is getting short before qualifications start to count.

ATAL — the programme you have to ask about

Andalusia runs a language support programme for newly arrived children with no Spanish, available at many state schools. Children leave the class for a few hours a week and work in a small group. It is free and it helps.

The catch: nobody told us about it. We heard about it from another mother and had to raise it at the school ourselves. If you are enrolling a child with no Spanish, that is the first question in the first meeting: "¿El colegio tiene ATAL?"

The daily rhythm is different — and it shapes everything

Most primary schools here run jornada continua: lessons straight through from about nine to two, then finished. No afternoon teaching. Lunch is optional in the comedor, and before school there is often aula matinal from seven.

That sounds short, and it is. The afternoon belongs to extraescolares — football, dance, swimming, music, robotics, all in town and mostly affordable. For us this was one of the biggest improvements over Germany: our children get more exercise, have more friends locally and have a calmer afternoon than before. The price is that someone has to be available at two o'clock.

What actually helped us decide

• Talk to parents, not schools. Five conversations at the school gate were worth more than three brochures.
• Walk the route to school. At the right time of day, with your child. Twelve minutes on foot or twenty by car decides your whole family routine.
• Look at the social side. If the children from your street go to that school, the rest follows by itself.
• Accept the plan B. Switching after a year is not a failure. We had it firmly planned for our eldest and in the end didn't need it.

What we'd say today

If you have young children and intend to stay: state school, without agonising. It's free, it's good enough, it integrates the whole family into the town, and the children speak Spanish within a year. If you have a child over ten, or you're not sure you're staying: run the numbers on an international school seriously. Not as a luxury, but as insurance against a lost school year.

And in either case: ask about ATAL. And plan for eleven weeks of summer.

Common questions

Can a ten-year-old cope in a state school with no Spanish?

It works, but it is hard. Our eldest needed about a year before she could really follow lessons. Ask specifically about ATAL support and budget for tutoring.

What does an international school cost?

It varies a lot by town and provider, but it is always four figures per child per year, plus registration, bus, uniform and materials. With three children it is a budget decision, not a matter of taste.

Can you switch later?

Yes, and it's a good plan B. We know several families who started in the state system and later moved just one child — usually the oldest.

Everything here is our own experience, not legal advice. Authorities change rules, prices and forms constantly — always check the official site of the relevant office before an appointment.