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Education

Schools, tutors and the roads that lead to them.

Choosing a school is choosing your family's daily life for years. This section explains how school systems work across Europe, when private or international schools make sense, how tutoring and language schools fit in and what the path to university looks like from here.

Try it: School type explorer

5 topics · 4 quick answers below
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School type explorer

Tell us what matters and we rank the school types for your family.

Schools

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State schools are the backbone of every European system and they differ more than most parents expect: starting ages, school days, languages of instruction, homework culture and how much choice families actually have. We explain the systems, the admissions rules and how to judge a school when you visit.

Good to know

  • Visit on a normal day, not an open day. Watch the corridors between lessons.
  • Ask how the school handles a child who is behind and a child who is ahead. Good schools have answers for both.
  • Catchment rules matter. Check them before you sign a lease.

Guides in the works

  • School systems in Spain, Germany, France and the UK explainedsoon
  • How to visit a school and what to look forsoon
  • Starting ages across Europe and why they differsoon
Tell me when they land

Private schools

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Private and international schools promise smaller classes, English instruction and a global curriculum. Some deliver, some are expensive versions of the school down the road. We look at fees, curricula, the IB versus national systems, and the questions to ask before you commit a decade of school fees.

Good to know

  • Total the fees for all children through to eighteen before you enrol the first one.
  • Ask where last year's leavers went. Good schools publish it.
  • International schools mean international turnover. Ask how many children left last year.

Guides in the works

  • International schools in Mallorca and Spain: the full picturesoon
  • Private school fees: what is included and what is notsoon
  • IB, A levels, Abitur, Bachillerato: which path for a mobile family?soon
Tell me when they land

Tutoring

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Tutoring works when it fills a specific gap for a set period. It does not work as a permanent second school. We cover when to get help, how to find a good tutor, online options and how much is reasonable to pay.

Good to know

  • Define the goal first: catch up, exam prep or confidence. Then find the tutor.
  • One hour a week for a term, then review. Open ended tutoring rarely ends.
  • A good tutor tells you when to stop.

Guides in the works

  • When does a child need a tutor and when do they need a break?soon
  • Online tutoring compared: platforms, prices, qualitysoon
  • Exam preparation without burning out the familysoon
Tell me when they land

Language schools

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Children pick up languages fast when they need them and slowly when they do not. Language schools, summer camps abroad and bilingual programmes each suit different ages and goals. We cover what works at which age, immersion versus lessons and how to keep a home language alive.

Good to know

  • Under eight, play in the language beats lessons in the language.
  • Summer language camps work from about ten, when children can enjoy being away.
  • A weekly hour of lessons maintains a language. It rarely builds one.

Guides in the works

  • Learning Spanish as a family: what works for children and parentssoon
  • Language summer camps in Europe by agesoon
  • Keeping the home language alive in a foreign schoolsoon
Tell me when they land

University

Top

University planning starts earlier than you think and costs less than you fear in most of Europe. We cover how admissions work in different countries, what an international school leaver can apply for, costs, student housing and the growing alternatives to a three year degree.

Good to know

  • European public universities cost a fraction of UK or US fees, often under two thousand euros a year.
  • Applications in Spain, Germany and the Netherlands run on different calendars. Map them a year ahead.
  • A gap year with a plan is an asset. A gap year without one is a year.

Guides in the works

  • University in Europe: costs, languages and admissions comparedsoon
  • From an international school to a Spanish universitysoon
  • Apprenticeships and alternatives to universitysoon
Tell me when they land
Quick answers

Questions parents ask about education.

At what age do children start school in Spain?

Compulsory schooling starts at six, but almost all children attend infant school from age three. Places are allocated by points based on address and siblings, with applications in spring for September.

Is an international school worth the fees?

It depends on how long you stay and what comes next. Families moving every few years benefit from a portable curriculum. Families settling for good often do better in a strong local school with extra language support.

How much does a private tutor cost?

Rates in Europe range widely, roughly from 15 to 60 euros an hour depending on subject, level and city. Online tutoring tends to be cheaper. Group sessions cut the cost further.

Can my child go to university in Spain with an IB diploma?

Yes. The IB is recognised for Spanish university admission through a credential process run by UNED. Some degrees require additional subject exams for the higher entry marks.

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