Dear Parent,

The choice of school is a major decision for parents. The options are varied and I recommend that you seek as much information as possible before making your choice.

From its inception the English School of Asturias has been committed to the provision of a high quality education. The school is located in an idyllic setting and the model of education has, as most effective educational provision now has, a secure scientific base. The education is based on the British model and open to all nationalities. 70 % of all classes are taught in English and 30% taught in Spanish, in all cases by native qualified teachers. The vast majority of pupils do not have English as their first language but most start school aged three in essentially an immersion programme of English.

I am conscious that for many parents, however, this model of education is not within their experience and therefore naturally not fully understood. Hopefully the following will clarify some frequently held doubts:

The acquisition of a second language not only brings the obvious benefits of greater communication skills and improved job prospectus but also cognitive advantages. Research at University College London has shown that those who learn a second language while young have a more developed cerebral cortex; they are simply cleverer.

Moreover, proficiency in a second language does not come at the expense of the first language. 30% of classes are taught in Spanish which includes the essential elements of Spanish language, literature and humanities. "El País" recently reported research which showed that children at bilingual schools in Spain were actually more proficient in Lengua Castellana than those from minilingual schools.

The immersion programme leads to the development of authentically balanced bilinguals; a level that cannot be achieved by some additional classes in English such as those offered by the majority of colegios bilingües.

The British model of education is long- established and well- grounded in educational research. It is underpinned by the aims of providing support for children to be healthy, to stay safe, to enjoy learning, to achieve and to make a positive contribution. It has a well- structured curriculum with an emphasis on understanding and reasoning.  Teaching is differentiated to provide and individualized programme for each pupil in a supportive, structured and disciplined environment which is conductive to learning. An integral part of the education is an attention to values and the personal, social and moral development of pupils. The emphasis is also on moderated and external assessment which means that achievement really does affect ability. A recent PISA study described British private education as among the best in the world.

Education at the English School of Asturias is fully homologous with the Spanish education system and the studies are automatically validated. The introduction of the Bologna Treaty now also ensures recognition by all countries within the European Union of the educational systems of the other member states and makes provision for direct access to all European universities.

High levels of achievement, coupled with superior language skills provide pupils at ESA with a wide choice of universities and access to competitive degree courses both in Spain and abroad.

We are confident that the educational provision at English School of Asturias will provide the very best start for your child.

The information given in our website cannot convey the real atmosphere of the school, something that is best experienced first hand. We strongly recommend that you visit the school, together with your son or daughter, where you can be assured of a warm welcome.

Steven Hardes
Head