Can private, subsidised (concertada) and international schools support your child?

Terms used

• Concertada — A concertada school is privately run but receives public funding under an agreement with the region, and must follow public admission rules.
• PT — PT (pedagogía terapéutica) is special-education teaching for pupils with learning or developmental needs.
• AL — AL (audición y lenguaje) is speech and language support given by a specialist teacher.
• Defensor del Pueblo — The Defensor del Pueblo is Spain's national ombudsman, which takes complaints about public bodies and rights violations.

Key rules

• Concertada schools: They must follow public admission rules and receive regional funding for support teachers.
• Fully private schools: They can decline pupils under their own criteria, though disability discrimination can still be challenged.
• Extra charges: Private and international schools often charge separately for learning support, shadow teachers and assessments.
• Written policy: Get each school's support policy and price list in writing before you enrol.

Support funding, reserved places and fees vary by region and school, so confirm current arrangements and prices with the regional education department and each school.

The short answer

Concertada schools have duties towards children with support needs and receive some funding for them. Fully private and international schools have far fewer duties, often offer less real support, and may charge extra for it. Judge each school by what it commits to in writing.

Concertada schools: duties and funded help

A concertada school is privately run but publicly funded. It must follow the same admission rules as a public school. That includes reserving places for pupils with specific support needs: regions usually reserve two or three places per group. Each region sets the exact number per school and the admission timetable, and applies them through the normal admission process.

The regional education department pays for support teachers in concertada schools. These are PT (pedagogía terapéutica) teachers for special education and AL (audición y lenguaje) teachers for speech and language. Regions also assign extra units or posts for some pupils. The school usually has to get your child assessed by the regional guidance service first. Conditions and ratios differ by region, so ask the regional education department what applies where you live.

Fully private schools: few obligations

A fully private school has no public funding. It is not bound by the public admission and reserved-place rules, and in practice it can decline a pupil under its own admission criteria.

Discrimination because of disability is still not allowed, and schools must make reasonable adjustments. If a school refuses your child because of a disability, you can complain to the regional education inspectorate, the Defensor del Pueblo (or your regional ombudsman), or go to the courts. Be realistic: schools often answer that they lack resources or point to their own criteria, so these cases are hard to win. Rules and case law vary by region.

International and private schools: what support looks like

Support varies widely from school to school. Many have a learning-support department, a psychologist and some help in class. Fewer have specialist PT or AL staff. Many limit admission to mild or moderate needs, so a place for your child is not a given.

What it costs

Extra charges are common. Expect a separate learning-support fee, fees for a one-to-one shadow teacher, and fees for assessments. The total depends on the school and on the hours of support your child needs.

Basic fees depend on the school, region and your child's age. Private Spanish schools are generally cheaper than international schools. Madrid, Barcelona, the Costa del Sol and the Balearics are at the upper end. Fees usually rise with age. Enrolment, registration and annual charges are added, and meals, transport and uniforms are often extra.

Before you choose

Ask every school for its written support policy and full price list, and compare them on the same terms. The checklist below gives the questions to ask. The questions and answers below it cover refusals and costs.

Questions to ask a school about special-needs support before enrolling

Questions to ask before you enrol

• Ask how many PT (pedagogía terapéutica, special-education) and AL (audición y lenguaje, speech and language) specialists the school has, and how many hours of support each pupil gets.

• Ask whether support is given inside the classroom or in a separate room.

• Ask how the individual adaptation of the curriculum (ACI or ACIS) is written and how often it is reviewed.

• Ask how the school works with the guidance team, and what the class size is.

• Ask whether the staff are trained in your child's condition.

• Ask whether the school has ever refused or lost pupils with similar needs, and why.

• Ask what extra charges apply, such as a learning-support fee, one-to-one shadow teacher fees and assessment fees.

• Ask for the school's written support policy and price list, and keep them with your notes.

Frequently asked questions

Can a fully private school refuse my child because of a disability?

A fully private school without public funding can decline pupils under its own admission criteria, because the public admission and reserved-place rules do not bind it. Refusing a child because of disability can still be challenged as discrimination, for example before the regional education inspectorate, the Defensor del Pueblo (the national ombudsman) or the courts.

Do concertada schools have to offer reserved places for children with support needs?

Yes, concertada schools, which are privately run but publicly funded, must apply the same admission rules as public schools, including reserved places for pupils with specific support needs. Your regional education department sets the number per school and applies it through the ordinary admission process.

Who pays for support teachers in a concertada school?

The regional education department pays for support teachers such as PT (pedagogía terapéutica) and AL (audición y lenguaje, speech and language) as part of the concierto, the funding agreement with the school.

Do private and international schools charge extra for learning support?

Yes, extra charges are common at private and international schools, such as a learning-support fee, one-to-one shadow teacher fees and assessment fees. The cost depends on the school and the hours of support.