What language will my child really learn at an international school?

Key rules

• Spanish hours: Expect Spanish as a subject for a few hours a week, not as the language of teaching.
• Non-Spanish pupils: Pupils without Spanish nationality are generally not obliged to take the Spanish lessons the school must offer to Spanish nationals.
• Regional language: A foreign-curriculum school is not formally required to teach Catalan, Basque, Galician or Valencian, so ask each school.
• Integration: Integration is generally limited in expat-heavy schools, so budget for clubs, sports and local friendships outside school.

The short answer

Your child will learn the school's main language first. Spanish is usually a subject for a few hours a week, and a regional language is often less than that. If you want your child to live in Spanish, weigh the cost of extra integration before you commit to tuition.

Spanish at an international school

International schools usually teach Spanish as a subject for a few hours a week. Non-Spanish pupils generally take it as a foreign language. Pupils with Spanish nationality take Spanish language and literature, and in some cases Spanish geography and history. The school must offer these lessons on top of its foreign curriculum.

Non-Spanish pupils are generally not obliged to take these lessons, though many schools include Spanish for them anyway. The exact hours depend on the school's own authorisation, so ask the school for them in writing.

What level your child reaches depends mostly on age and environment:

• Children who arrive young often become fluent socially.
• Children who stay in an English-speaking school bubble often reach only an intermediate level.
• Some schools prepare pupils for IGCSE or IB Spanish exams, or for DELE certificates. Ask which ones.

Catalan, Basque, Galician and Valencian

A school following a foreign curriculum is not formally required to teach the regional language. In practice, many offer it as a subject, at least a few hours a week. Schools in Catalonia, the Basque Country, Galicia and Valencia often do this because of local expectations. Schools that issue Spanish titles must follow the regional language rules.

If the regional language matters to you, ask how many hours it gets and from which age.

How much will your child integrate locally?

Integration is generally limited. Many pupils and families come from expat communities. Lessons are in English, and friendships and activities follow that pattern.

Some schools integrate more:

• Schools with a mix of Spanish and foreign families.
• Schools with a stronger Spanish programme.

Many parents add local life themselves, through clubs, sports and Spanish-speaking friends outside school. Treat the time and cost of these as part of the real price of the school.

Mixed and national schools

Curricula vary a lot. British, American, French, German, Italian and other national schools each lead to their own qualifications, and many schools offer the International Baccalaureate. Some British-Spanish schools run a mixed curriculum leading to both Spanish and UK qualifications. These tend to give more Spanish than a purely foreign school.

Questions to ask before you pay

• How many hours of Spanish a week, and at what level groups?
• Is the regional language taught, and how much?
• What share of pupils are Spanish?
• Which language is used at breaks, in clubs and on trips?
• Which Spanish or language exams do pupils sit?

The questions and answers below cover common doubts.

Frequently asked questions

Does my child have to take Spanish at an international school?

No, non-Spanish pupils are generally not obliged to take Spanish lessons at a foreign school in Spain. The rules require these schools to offer Spanish language and literature, taught on top of the foreign curriculum, mainly for pupils of Spanish nationality. Many schools still include Spanish as a foreign language, so ask for the weekly hours.

Will an international school teach Catalan, Basque, Galician or Valencian?

Not necessarily, because schools following a foreign curriculum are not formally required to teach the regional co-official language. In practice many offer it for a few hours a week, especially in Catalonia, the Basque Country, Galicia and Valencia.

What level of Spanish will my child reach at an international school?

It varies a lot: children who arrive young often become fluent socially, while those who stay in an English-speaking bubble often reach only intermediate level. Spanish is usually taught a few hours a week. Ask whether the school prepares pupils for IGCSE or IB Spanish exams or DELE certificates, which give a clear target.

How can my child integrate locally if the school is mostly expat?

Add local life outside school, since integration at international schools is generally limited. Local clubs, sports and Spanish-speaking friends help most. Schools with a mixed intake of Spanish and foreign families, and those with strong Spanish lessons, integrate children more.