Planning on moving the family to the Costa de Sol but wondering where your children will go to school? No doubt you will want to be near schools so that you don’t spend hours each week ferrying your little ones to and fro.
If you’re not too sure where to base yourself, here are four top family-orientated neighbourhoods in Marbella with great international schools:
Nueva Andalucía
Marbella’s largest suburb contains a full range of comfortable apartments, luxury townhouses and villas. They all have one thing in common: a gloriously leafy-green setting with pristine, palm tree-clad avenues and magnificent sweeps of luscious golf courses. Traditional architecture is giving way to state-of-the-art luxury developments to suit even the most discerning of Marbella property buyers.
Aloha College is a primary and secondary school offering a British-style education aimed at the international community. If you wish, you can opt for education in Spanish, which will enable your children to obtain qualifications from both the British and Spanish exam systems.
San Pedro Alcántara
San Pedro is a very popular, bustling town just 10 minutes from Marbella. It has a distinctly Spanish feel along with all amenities, of course including a good choice of shops, restaurants and tapas bars. Across the main road is the town’s wonderfully wide beachfront promenade, great for a stroll or a stop for tapas. Check out San Pedro’s desirable new developments including Los Arqueros Beach and Jade Beach.
Laude School is a prestigious British primary and secondary school with around 780 students from more than 52 countries. Studies are in English; however there is a strong commitment to the Spanish language and culture as part of the global and multicultural values that the school promotes.
Estepona
Estepona is an old favourite not only for its charming old quarter, criss-crossed with pedestrianised streets and flower-filled squares, but also for its extensive seafront promenade running beside over two kilometres of sandy beach. Popular residential areas lie along the New Golden Mile that includes highly desirable villas and apartments in areas like El Paraiso, Atalaya, Selwo, Costalita and Torre Bermeja.
San José School in Estepona is a long-established and highly acclaimed primary and secondary school. It is bilingual and follows the Spanish curriculum, enabling your child to enter the Spanish private educational system.
Sotogrande
Just 25 minutes’ drive from Gibraltar, Sotogrande is an extensive, luxury urbanisation. You’ll be living in style, be it in a marina-side apartment, a townhouse or a beautiful villa, either along the beach front or overlooking magnificent golfing greens at the prestigious Sotogrande. Almenara or Valderrama Clubs.
Sotogrande International School (SIS) is a day and boarding school for 3-18 year olds. It provides an International Baccalaureate programme to more than 900 pupils from around 44 countries.