What 'bilingual school' really means in Spain

Key rules

• Bilingual label: The label is set by each region, so ask each school for its real hours taught in English.
• English lessons: The English lessons themselves often don't count towards a school's bilingual hours.
• Religion: Schools must offer religion, but you choose whether your child takes it.
• Religion grade: The religion grade does not count for university admission or scholarships.
• Changing the choice: You can usually change between religion and the alternative at the start of each year.

"Bilingual" is a regional label, not a standard

A bilingual school in Spain usually teaches some subjects in a foreign language, mostly English, next to Spanish. What counts as "bilingual" depends on the region, and the hours of English vary from school to school. Two schools with the same label can offer quite different amounts of English.

Typical subjects taught in English are Natural Science, Social Science, Arts and PE. In many definitions, the English lessons themselves do not count towards the bilingual hours. They come on top.

How the label changes by region

• Madrid: schools are labelled "Colegio Bilingüe". The earlier model used the labels Sección and Programa, and you may still see them.
• Andalucía: schools are labelled "Centro Bilingüe" (also Plurilingüe). At least 30 percent of the curriculum is taught in the target language.
• Catalonia and the Basque Country: these use their own language-immersion models, built around the regional language.
• Valencia: a plurilingual programme with language-based levels.
• Other regions: similar names such as "Centro Bilingüe" or "Plurilingüe".

Names and criteria change with new regional decrees. So don't assume that a label in one region means the same in another.

What to ask a school

• How many subjects are taught in English, and which ones?
• How many hours a week is that, not counting the English lessons?
• Is it the same in every year group?

Get the answers for the specific school. This applies to public and concertada schools. Private schools set their own offer.

Religion and the alternative

Public and concertado schools must offer religion. The grade does not count towards the average used for university admission, scholarships or competing for places and grants.

Pupils who don't take religion get "atención educativa". These are educational activities that are not assessed and don't teach curriculum content that counts for the record. In primary they usually work on skills such as reading, projects and values. In secondary the form varies by region. Infantil usually has the same choice.

You declare the choice on a box or form in the admission application or the matrícula. It can usually be changed at the start of each school year. How the subject is timetabled differs by region.