Question 1

Do you follow the Swedish curriculum?

Accepted Answer

Swedish International School follows the Swedish curriculum, which means teaching follows the Swedish syllabus. We provide written assessments in every year group up to and including Year 6.

Question 2

What permits does the school hold?

Accepted Answer

Swedish International School has a permit and is supervised by Junta de Andalucía (the Spanish education authority for Andalusia – the equivalent of Skolverket for schools operating in Spain). In addition, we are approved by the Swedish National Agency for Education for supplementary Swedish tuition. Every school in Spain – public, semi-public (concertado) and private – needs administrative authorisation from the regional education authority and is subject to the Spanish education inspectorate, Inspección Educativa.

Question 3

Who inspects the school in Spain?

Accepted Answer

Education in Spain is administered regionally. In Andalusia it is Junta de Andalucía that authorises a school before it may open and then supervises it through Inspección Educativa. Before authorisation, premises, floor area per pupil, playground, safety, hygiene, group sizes and staff qualifications are checked against the national minimum requirements (Real Decreto 132/2010). After that every school has an assigned inspector working from the inspectorate's multi-year plan, with the right to visit the school and request documentation.

Question 4

Why don't you receive state funding?

Accepted Answer

The school has not applied for state funding from the Swedish National Agency for Education. The school is supervised locally by Junta de Andalucía and is not funded by state grants. This gives us the freedom to broaden teaching with extra languages and cultural work.

Question 5

Can we bring the Swedish school voucher with us?

Accepted Answer

Transferring the school voucher is decided by each Swedish municipality and the application is made directly to them. The head teacher can provide a certificate confirming that compulsory schooling is completed at a school following the Swedish curriculum.

Question 6

Can pupils return to the Swedish system afterwards?

Accepted Answer

Yes. Pupils receive written assessments that help the transition back to Sweden or to another country.

Question 7

What do you mean by extra languages?

Accepted Answer

We have extended English and Spanish teaching from the preschool class up to Year 6. All class teachers and preschool teachers speak Spanish and use it during the school day.

Question 8

Which year groups does the school offer?

Accepted Answer

The school welcomes children and pupils from the age of 3 up to Year 6. We also offer tutoring for secondary school and sixth form through Sofia Distans and Hermods.

Question 9

Can you welcome international pupils?

Accepted Answer

The school meets the requirements of Junta de Andalucía regarding Spanish language and culture, so we can also accommodate pupils with Spanish as their mother tongue. This requires teachers with a Spanish teaching licence qualified in the Spanish language. All teachers at the school hold a Swedish teaching licence. Some also hold a Spanish teaching licence.

Question 10

What if my child needs extra support?

Accepted Answer

We work with adaptations in the classroom and have a student health team that follows each pupil's wellbeing and progress. Please tell us about your child's needs in the application so we can plan the right support from the start.

Question 11

Do pupils apply to Sofia Distans and Hermods themselves?

Accepted Answer

Yes, each pupil applies for distance learning themselves and can apply for a state grant to cover the fee at the same time. With us, the pupil gets tutoring, a quiet place to study and a clear school-day structure.

Question 12

What are the school day hours?

Accepted Answer

The school day runs from 09:00 to 15:00, Monday to Friday, with after-school care until 16:30 from the age of 6.

Question 13

What does after-school care include and what does it cost?

Accepted Answer

After-school care is for pupils from the age of 6 and runs until 16:30. Current fees are listed on the fees page.

Question 14

Do you serve lunch and can I see the menu?

Accepted Answer

Yes, the school menu is updated continuously and shown on the website – both today's serving and the coming weeks.

Question 15

What are the school year dates?

Accepted Answer

The school year runs from September to June. We follow Swedish school year dates and some Spanish public holidays. Distance learning follows the dates of each provider.

Question 16

Where is the school located?

Accepted Answer

The school is located in Cancelada in Estepona, between Estepona and Marbella on the Costa del Sol.

Question 17

How do I apply for a place?

Accepted Answer

You complete the application on the website. The form saves what you have filled in, so you can pause and continue later. You can register several children in the same application and see the estimated fee before submitting.

Question 18

What does it cost to attend the school?

Accepted Answer

Primary school Years 1–6 and the preschool class cost 0 Euro per term or 0 Euro per school year. Preschool costs 0 Euro per term or 0 Euro per school year. Tutoring for Sofia Distans Years 7–9 costs 0 Euro per term (0 Euro per year) and Hermods sixth form 0 Euro per term (0 Euro per year). Fees shown apply to . Prices may change for later terms.

Question 19

Is there an enrolment fee (registration fee)?

Accepted Answer

Yes, a one-off enrolment fee of 1,000 euro is paid on admission. For short stays the enrolment fee is 200 euro. Other schools sometimes call this a registration fee or application fee – we call it the enrolment fee, and it is the same thing.

Question 20

Can we attend for a shorter period?

Accepted Answer

Yes. Short stays can be booked per week (500 euro, maximum two weeks) or per month (1,650 euro, maximum two months). In the application you choose how long you want to stay, and the start date is matched against the school calendar so the period does not fall during holidays.

Question 21

When will we hear about a place?

Accepted Answer

We review every application manually and get back to you with a decision and a start date. If you haven't heard from us, or need to change something in your application, just get in touch.

Question 22

Does my child need a personal ID number or NIE to apply?

Accepted Answer

No. If your child has no personal ID number, you enter the passport number and the country that issued it. NIE and local registration are usually arranged in connection with the move and do not need to be in place when you apply.

Question 23

Which level should we choose in the application?

Accepted Answer

State whether the pupil starts in preschool, preschool class, primary school Years 1–6, Years 7–9 via Sofia Distans or sixth form via Hermods. The form suggests a year group based on date of birth and a start date based on the chosen term. Both can be changed, and we go through the choices with you before school starts.

Question 24

Can we apply for several children and add two guardians?

Accepted Answer

Yes. You can apply for several children in the same form and add one or two guardians. The information is used to handle the application and contact you about starting school.

Question 25

Can school be combined with sport?

Accepted Answer

Yes. In the application you indicate whether it also covers Malmö FF's football academy or the padel and tennis programme.

Question 26

Can we add another child after we have applied?

Accepted Answer

Yes. Get in touch and we will add the sibling to your existing application — you do not need to start a new form. We also review any sibling discount when the application is updated.

Question 27

Can we change an application we have already sent?

Accepted Answer

Yes. Contact us with what needs changing — year group, start date, contact details or sport choices — and we will update the application for you.

Question 28

Is there a benefits card for families?

Accepted Answer

When the partnership with Villa Padierna allows it, parents who join us may receive the school's benefits card, with discounts on golf, padel, tennis and restaurants. We give families access to these benefits to the extent we receive them from Villa Padierna.

Question 29

What is the Malmö FF football academy and who can join?

Accepted Answer

The football academy runs in cooperation with Malmö FF and is for pupils from Year 7. The fee is listed on the fees page and is selected in the application. The academy is booked one term at a time. If your child takes part in Malmö FF's football academy, the school helps with the entire application process and the terms that apply to participation.

Question 30

How do padel and tennis work?

Accepted Answer

Padel and tennis take place within the school week, Tuesday to Thursday 09:00–10:00, in small groups with a maximum of four pupils per court. The cost is listed on the fees page and you add it in the application.

Question 31

Can we study Spanish without attending the school?

Accepted Answer

Yes. We run Spanish for adults on Mondays and Spanish for children on Tuesdays (and Thursdays for those who want two lessons a week). The price is 300 euro per term, or 570 euro per term for children attending twice a week.

Question 32

We're considering the move – where do we start?

Accepted Answer

Start with the school place and the area you want to live in, then plan NIE, local registration and practical matters such as healthcare and banking. We have gathered the essentials in our guides on moving to Spain with children.

Question 33

Is any relocation advice included?

Accepted Answer

After admission and payment a 45-minute session per family is included if you want it, about everyday life in Spain and what to consider before the move. It applies to families enrolling at least one child full-time for at least one term – not for short stays. You tick the box for the session in the application if you want it.

Question 34

How do we get to know other families?

Accepted Answer

The school is small and most families have moved here themselves, which makes it easy for new families to settle in. We hold regular occasions where parents and pupils meet.

Question 35

Can a pupil start mid-term?

Accepted Answer

Yes, this is often possible subject to availability. In the application you choose the preferred term and start date, which is checked against the school calendar.

Question 36

Is Swedish International School an approved school?

Accepted Answer

Yes. The school is a private school with a permit from and supervision by Junta de Andalucía, the Spanish education authority for Andalusia (the authority that authorises and inspects every school operating here). We are also approved by the Swedish National Agency for Education for supplementary Swedish tuition. The school has been running since 2023 and is now in its 3th school year.

Question 37

What is the difference between a Swedish and an international school in Spain?

Accepted Answer

With us, teaching is in Swedish and follows the Swedish curriculum, with written assessments in every year group. An international school usually follows a British, American or Spanish curriculum with English or Spanish as the main language. That matters if your child should be able to return to a Swedish class without losing pace. At the same time our pupils have extended Spanish and English, so the languages are built up in parallel.

Question 38

How is this different from a state-funded Swedish school abroad?

Accepted Answer

A state-funded Swedish school abroad receives grants from Sweden. We are a private school that has not applied for state funding and that is supervised by Junta de Andalucía. Teaching follows the Swedish curriculum, but the school is financed by fees rather than Swedish state grants.

Question 39

Can my child start without speaking Spanish?

Accepted Answer

Yes. The school day is in Swedish, so your child does not need Spanish to start with us. Spanish is present every day through extended teaching and in daily routines, and all class and preschool teachers speak Spanish.

Question 40

Which languages are spoken during the school day?

Accepted Answer

Teaching is in Swedish. Spanish and English are extended subjects from the preschool class up to Year 6 and are also used in parts of daily life at school.

Question 41

How many pupils are there in each class?

Accepted Answer

We have a maximum of 16 pupils in a school class, so every adult knows every child and teaching can be adapted to the group.

Question 42

What does a Swedish school in Spain cost?

Accepted Answer

With us, Years 1–6 and the preschool class cost 0 Euro per term or 0 Euro per school year. Preschool costs 0 Euro per term or 0 Euro per school year. Tutoring for Sofia Distans Years 7–9 costs 0 Euro per term (0 Euro per school year) and Hermods sixth form 0 Euro per term (0 Euro per school year). The enrolment fee is 0 Euro once per pupil. Fees shown apply to . Prices may change for later terms.

Question 43

Is there a Swedish school in Marbella?

Accepted Answer

The school is not inside Marbella but in Cancelada in Estepona, west along the coast. Many of our families live in Marbella, San Pedro and Nueva Andalucía and commute here via the A-7.

Question 44

How far is the school from Marbella?

Accepted Answer

From central Marbella it is about 20 kilometres, roughly 20–25 minutes off-peak and 30–40 minutes during the morning rush. From San Pedro it is about 11 kilometres and from Puerto Banús about 14 kilometres.

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