More and more of the people buying properties in Marbella use them not only as holiday homes or for extended stays, but have actually chosen to relocate here permanently. This trend has been growing for some time, with the advance of modern technologies and telecommunications that have made it possible to work remotely. Since the pandemic experience it has truly taken off, and a growing number of people are now making the most of the opportunity to work from Marbella and enjoy its quality of life.
Within Europe, and even beyond, Marbella is one of the ultimate lifestyle destinations available, and with its warm, sunny climate, sociable outdoor lifestyle with lots of sports and leisure facilities, as well as a cosmopolitan community, it’s the ideal place for people looking for quality of life in a seaside location surrounded by space and nature. All these factors combine to make it perhaps the number one destination of this kind in Europe – but important are also the practical considerations.
Schools in Marbella
Families with school-going children will find a well-established infrastructure of Spanish public and private schools, as well as a range of private institutions and colleges that are bi-lingual, English, German, French or Swedish – and follow the respective curriculums of those countries. From the Deutsche Schule or Alliance Française to the Colegio Alborán and the English International School, the options are many and stretch all along the Costa del Sol from Sotogrande to Málaga, covering infancy to preparation for university entrance.
Some of the most respected international schools in Marbella include Swan’s and Aloha College, but the choice of school will be determined by a variety of factors, including your nationality and linguistic/curriculum preference, of course, but also a set of other conditions that are important to take note of:
Location and Accessibility
Parents will ideally want to choose a school for their children that is close to the home they have bought in Marbella, and in some cases the location of the preferred school will actually influence the choice of property. Either way, you will ideally want the school to be close to home to make school runs quicker and more convenient, and even make it feasible for the children to walk home if required. Easy access naturally increases flexibility and freedom of movement.
Curriculum
The quality of the academic offering is of course of vital importance, especially if you and your children’s plans involve tertiary studies at a university, and in such a case the choice of school will also be guided by the curriculum it follows, with the options for high schools in this area including the Spanish, British, German and French systems. Each has its own qualities, but also prepares pupils for entry into the universities of the countries in question.
Extra-curricular activities
Where the curricular choice is largely influenced by the future career of your children and where they are likely to be living, the extra-curricular activities offered by the different schools are also important. In rounding off the education and ensuring your kids enjoy school as well, many offer sports, theatre, music, culture, community activities and class outings as an important part of the mix, especially important in Marbella schools that are typically home to children from many different countries.
In the end, the choice of school is not that different from the choice of property to buy in Marbella, as at the end of gathering information, analysing the facts and visiting in person, your decision will ultimately be made on the basis of a mix of rational data and intuitive feeling. All the different international schools in and around Marbella have a good reputation, it’s just a question of finding the one that has the right mix for your family.