1. What are the school hours?
9.00 am to 4.00 pm
2. How many pupils are there at British School of Alicante?
1240
3. How many pupils are there in each class?
On average there are less than 25 pupils per class and three classes per year group.
4. What is the ratio of international students at the school?
52% Spanish and within the 48% foreign we have 53 nationalities including pupils from UK, China, Russia, Ukraine, United States, Italy, Germany, Denmark, France, Holland and others.
5. Which curriculum does the school follow?
The English National Curriculum and IBDP and IBTEC for Business and Entreprise.
6. Are the teachers British?
All academic staff teaching the English National Curriculum are qualified British teachers or, in the case of foreign languages, native speakers. Those teaching Spanish language, Spanish validation, Bachillerato and Valencian language are qualified native Spanish teachers.
7. Does British School of Alicante accept students with little or no English?
We take children with no English between the ages of 3 and 4 years. There are a limited number of places for non-English speaking Primary pupils between the ages of 2 and 6 of proven academic ability. From the age of 7 onwards new pupils must have a high level of English to enter the school.
8. What language do the children speak in the playground?
English is the language of instruction in the classroom, and our British-qualified teachers offer first-class English tuition across each academic stage.
Pupils speak both English and Spanish in the playground, and this is helpful for new children who join the school as it encourages them to strengthen their skills in both languages very quickly. Students gain excellent language support to become bilingual.
9. Will my child learn Spanish at British School of Alicante?
All students at British School of Alicante study Spanish. Spanish pupils are required to take a minimum number of Spanish classes per week, the frequency and number depending on their age. Non-Spanish speakers receive specific Spanish as a foreign language classes in addition to the Spanish Curriculum.
10. What other languages are available?
French, Chinese and German. In the IBDP curriculum we offer Chinese A, Chinese Ab Initio, Spanish A and B, French and German B.
11. What sports are available?
The British School of Alicante is able to offer a wide range of sporting activities including football (7 and 5-a-side pitches), basketball, tennis, volleyball, hockey, gymnastics, badminton, athletics, and swimming. There are also optional classes which take place after school (4.30 – 5.30 pm) and include amongst others tennis, ballet, judo etc.
13. How much homework is set?
This depends on the age of the pupil. In Primary we recognise that the school day is a long one and we want our children to rest or enjoy their after-school activities and clubs. As such we do not set any formal homework, however your class teacher can provide you with web based links and activities for your child to complete should you want additional work to complete at home. Across the school in Early Years, Key Stage One and Key Stage Two children are expected to read regularly at home as this underpins the curriculum. As well as reading themselves, children also greatly benefit from being read to. Spelling words will be regularly sent home however there will be no formal testing. On occasion children may be set project homework posted on Class Dojo which links to the topics being studied.
In the Secondary School Homework will only be set when it is useful to consolidate or extend learning. The expectations at Key Stage 3 is to read 30 minutes in English and 30 Minutes in Spanish, review the lessons of the day, making notes of the key vocabulary. Some extension work is available on Google Classroom for those who want to extend their learning.
The expectation at Key Stage 4 is that students will receive more regular homework which will often involve revising the content they have learnt in class, completion of practice exam questions, and working on coursework components of their iGCSE courses.
At Key Stage 5, students should realise that they need to dedicate a great deal of time outside of lessons to their learning, through reading ahead, undertaking independent research, completing activities set by their teacher, completing practice exam questions, and working on coursework components of their courses. In addition, at both key stages, further improving their spoken and written English is imperative given that this is the language in which they will complete their final examinations.
14. What examinations do students take at the school?
I/GCSE, IBDP and IBTEC
15. Where do students go after finishing their studies at British School of Alicante?
Our graduates enter universities all over the world. In the past, the majority of our ex-students have entered British universities and a considerable number have been admitted to top institutions such as Oxford, Cambridge, Imperial College and LSE. Other prestigious universities attended by our alumni include Stanford University, Duke University and top universities in Spain such as UAM, Complutense, Carlos III, U. Politécnica Cataluña, etc.
16. Is it possible to study at British School of Alicante for one term only?
The minimum time we can normally accept students is for one whole academic year. Note also however that the I/GCSE courses in Years 10 & 11 and the IBDP and IBTEC courses in Years 12 and 13 are integral 2 years programmes.
17. How well do new international students adapt to the school?
Students at British School of Alicante are used to welcoming newcomers and are always very friendly and helpful. Year Group Leaders make sure that “buddies” are always on hand to show newcomers the ropes at first. We always encourage new pupils to make new friends and join in with the rest.
18. How do I go about applying for a place for my child?
The first step in the admissions process is to send in an application form with full details of the pupil in question. The procedures for admission vary slightly according to the age of the candidate. To apply or obtain more information please visit https://alicante.openapply.com