Swedish International School Estepona is an innovative school located between Estepona and San Pedro de Alcantara (Marbella) offering preschool and school up to grade 6. Junior high school students can study through Sofia Distance with us, and high school students through Hermods with our supervisors.
High teacher density and individualized time for all students are fundamental pillars of the school, with a deliberate maximum of 16 students per class. Several classes are smaller, and some subjects/classes are age-integrated. The goal is to provide each student with a personalized education and challenge them at their own pace according to their individual abilities. Students have the opportunity to use digital tools such as iPads and computers in many different subjects.
Modernly designed classrooms with options for individual choices (soft seating, soundproofed areas, etc.) for optimal study environment are available indoors, and outdoor areas provide opportunities for important play and physical activity with various play areas. The school encourages a lot of activity during breaks with multiple ping pong tables, frisbee golf, badminton, hobby horse jumping, basketball, and football. We serve well-prepared, nutritious school meals and two healthy snacks such as fruit, smoothies, and wraps every day.
The school also offers places for students enrolled in Sofia Distance and Hermods to receive supervision on campus.
Swedish International School Estepona primarily caters to students staying for at least one term but can also accommodate students for shorter periods depending on availability. Students of all nationalities are warmly welcome to apply.
The school accepts applications for enrollment continuously, and it is possible to start in the middle of the term if necessary.
The school follows the Swedish curriculum with elements from international educational methods based on the latest research.
The primary language is Swedish, but great emphasis is placed on students beginning to learn both Spanish and English from preschool onwards.
Students have Spanish in their schedule several times a week, but also engage in everyday conversation, including during breaks and at other times outside the classrooms. There, they are challenged to use their Spanish and English skills.
The goal is for each student to receive an individualized education to reach their fullest potential!
This is facilitated by the digital components integrated into several subjects, where each student is provided with their own iPad or computer. Students who are advanced receive additional tasks and challenges, while those who need extra time and support in certain subjects are accommodated to the greatest extent possible (read more about students requiring extra support).
Teachers are given the flexibility to allow students in the same class to work at different levels, facilitated by the small class sizes and high teacher-to-student ratio. After studies on optimal class sizes, the school has chosen to have a maximum of 16 students in each class, with several classes having slightly fewer students.
The school places great emphasis on cohesion and group dynamics so that all students can feel safe in a community. The education includes both digital and traditional elements in the various subjects.
Studies show that parents’ level of engagement in their child’s education significantly impacts students’ academic success, and we welcome parents to engage in various ways. With us, parents have the opportunity for quick contact with staff every day.
The school places great emphasis on students’ personal and social development alongside academic growth. Its mission is to prepare students for life beyond school, guiding them to develop qualities such as self-confidence, humility, and creativity, among others, to provide them with the best possible foundation. This may involve training in public speaking, collaborative work on value-adding projects, and more.
Would you like to learn more about Swedish International School? Feel free to continue exploring our website and don’t hesitate to contact us. Reach out to us today or submit an inquiry to receive more information or apply for a place here!
My name is Göran Holm, and I have now had the privilege of taking on the role as the principal of Swedish International School, a task that I am very much looking forward to. I have previously worked in school leadership positions in both private and municipal schools in Sweden and abroad, and since 2004, I have been involved in various ways in international schools and education for Swedish students abroad.
It feels truly motivating to be involved from the beginning and to be part of both the establishment and development of this new school. I feel that the school has very good conditions to start in September 2023. I am primarily thinking of the student base, the school building and grounds, and the competent leadership team, which provide a very solid foundation for the start-up and continued development of the school.
All of this, combined with our ability to recruit highly qualified teaching staff with extensive experience in both education and Spain, means that we will be able to offer a very good learning environment and create excellent conditions for student learning.
Swedish pedagogy in the climate and culture of Spain, the best of both worlds.
Founder Anders Widén is at the forefront of the school of the future for all!
“After a career spanning nine countries on four continents, where I also served as an elected member of my children’s international school boards, in addition to lecturing at the prestigious Les Roches Marbella Global Hospitality University, the next step was to establish a Swedish/Nordic school here.
“It’s a vision to offer parents and students an open school (‘a school without walls’) with cutting-edge pedagogy in an international environment. Since my school days, through Real and Student exams, Chalmers, and the Stockholm School of Economics, I have always made time for teaching. There’s nothing more rewarding, I assure you! My mantra is unsurprisingly, ‘education, education, education. No investment in our children’s future is more important. Knowledge is easy to carry through life.’
“Anders collaborates with students’ parents as well as teachers and the management team to provide a school beyond the ordinary.”
