Frequently Asked Questions

Coruña British International School is open from 9:00 am to 4:00 pm, but we offer an Early Bird Service (from 7:30 am) and afternoon extracurricular activities between 4:00 pm and 5:00 pm. 

At Coruña British International School we offer two classes per academic year with an average of 20 students per class, which allows us to provide a personalised and individualised education. 

90 per cent of our students are Spanish and 10 per cent are international. Our student body is mainly European, but we also have students from India, North America and South America. We currently have pupils of 18 different nationalities.

The British education system, which follows the English National Curriculum.

All teachers who teach the English National Curriculum are qualified teachers with experience in teaching the English National Curriculum. Those who teach the Spanish curriculum are qualified Spanish teachers.

Generally speaking, most of our students speak Spanish in the playground, although from Year 5 or Year 6 onwards it is common to hear them speaking English as well. Therefore, children who enter the school with little or no knowledge of Spanish learn it very quickly and easily.

All students at Coruña British International School study Spanish from Reception (age 4). Spanish students have to take a minimum number of Spanish classes per week, the frequency and number varying according to their age and the academic year they are in, always complying with the requirements demanded for their correct homologation. Students whose first language is not Spanish receive Spanish classes in all academic years. 

Our students learn English, Spanish, Galician, French (the latter from Year 5 onwards). We also offer extra-curricular classes in Chinese, German and French.

As an international school, we introduce our students to different religions and cultures and teach them moral values based on universal human values. We learn about all the religions of the world and share with our educational community the celebrations linked to these religions.

Sport is a key element of the British educational model. For this reason, we have the necessary facilities and resources for the practice of sport and the optimal physical development of our pupils, with a heated swimming pool, indoor sports hall, basketball courts and dance hall. Among the regular sports played are football, basketball, rugby, handball, hockey, gymnastics and athletics. There are also optional classes outside the school day both on and off school premises, including judo, contemporary dance and ballet, among others. 

It depends on the age of the student. As a general rule, no homework is set in early years, but students are expected to take reading books home to read with their parents. In the Key Stage 1 and 2, from Year 3 upwards, students use a homework diary to record any homework they need to remember to do. Depending on their age, they are expected to do between one and a half hours of homework a week in Year 3, up to half an hour a day plus written work at the weekend in Year 6. In addition to the above, at Coruña British International School students are encouraged to read in both English and Spanish. 

Our students will take the UK syllabus examinations: IGCSE (Cambridge), GCE and A-Level (Edexcel), as well as the Spanish university entrance exams.

Students who complete their education at Coruña British International School will have access to universities all over the world, including such prestigious British universities as Oxford, Cambridge, Imperial College and LSE, among others. They will also have access to other prestigious universities such as Durham, St. Andrews, Edinburgh, York and numerous colleges belonging to the University of London. Our students may prefer to attend a Spanish university (UAM, Complutense, Carlos III, etc.) and many others may choose to continue their higher education in other parts of the world, such as the USA or Canada.

The minimum time a student can study at CBIS is normally a full academic year.

At CBIS it is the students who welcome newcomers. In addition, the teachers make sure that there are always "buddies" in the classrooms to help new students when they arrive at the school. This may also depend on the attitude of the new student and how well he/she wants to make new friends and integrate with the rest.

The first step in the admissions process is to submit an application form which can be obtained from our website or by contacting the Admissions Department. Admissions procedures vary slightly depending on the age of the candidate (please refer to the Admissions section).

Early years students must bring reports/notes from their home schools, while Key Stage 1 students have an interview with the Head of School and Key Stage 2 students must also take entrance exams in maths and English to assess the student's actual level. School marks from the two years prior to entry are also taken into consideration.
 

We accept children who do not speak English or who have a basic level between the ages of 3 and 7 years old. From Year 3 onwards, the school offers an English as an Additional Language programme for an additional charge.  

Yes, any student up to and including Year 2 can enrol at CBIS as long as there is space in the class they wish to enter. If the level of English is not at or near the level of their course, the school will provide a daily support lesson for which there will be an additional charge on top of the school fees.

Our students will have the possibility of accessing universities all over the world with the academic results recorded in Secondary and Sixth Form, more specifically with the Year 11 and Year 13 assessments taken at Coruna British International School.
At the end of Year 11 our students sit the IGCSE (International General Certificate of Secondary Education), the official tests in the British Secondary curriculum. At the end of Year 13 (equivalent to the 2nd Baccalaureate) they sit the A-Level (Advanced Level) examinations. The results of both tests are key to university entrance. 

University Entrance in Spain

Access to Spanish universities (public or private) through A-Levels is guaranteed on equal terms with students from Spanish schools.

https://www.boe.es/boe/dias/2010/05/07/pdfs/BOE-A-2010-7253.pdf

There is a validation process for our students called Acceso Directo. The process is processed through the UNED (Universidad de Educación a Distancia). In order to validate secondary school studies, at least four IGCSE subjects must be passed, and at least two A-Level subjects must be passed in order to validate baccalaureate studies. To obtain a mark out of 10 in the General Phase of the university entrance exams, a grade conversion formula is applied.

In DEGREES with access grades between 10 and 14 points, students from the EU system and countries with bilateral agreements (as in our case) may take PCE subjects (specific competences tests) at the UNED, which will add a maximum of 4 points to the grade obtained through their A-Levels.

The marks corresponding to the PCE subjects will only add points (maximum 4) if they are recognised by the desired University as being linked to the student's chosen degree course (as in the University access system of any Spanish centre).

The school will help you with the process and the steps to follow. For more information, click here: https://accesoextranjeros.uned.es/recursos/plantillas_pdf/manual_uned_asiss.pdf.

University Entrance in the UK

Generally, at least two passed A-Level subjects are required. However, in many cases, including the most prestigious universities, at least three passed subjects at B-level or above are required. Students should apply through UCAS (Universities and Colleges Admissions Service). We help and advice our students on the process and the steps to follow. For more information, click here: https://www.ucas.com/ucas/undergraduate/ucas-undergraduate-apply-and-track.

Other countries

University access for our students is not limited to Spain and the UK. Many European universities are expanding their programme offerings to include bachelor's and master's degrees with English as the language of instruction and assessment. A-Level is also recognised for access to universities in North America, both in the USA and Canada.