Finding the Right School in Valencia — An Insider Guide for Expat Families
For many families relocating to Valencia, finding the right school is the single most important decision of the whole move. Get it right and your children settle quickly, make friends, and thrive. Get it wrong and the entire relocation can feel unsettled.
The good news is that Valencia has an excellent range of international and private schools, covering every curriculum and every age group. The slightly less good news is that places — particularly at secondary level — are in high demand, waiting lists are real, and navigating the options from abroad without insider knowledge is genuinely difficult.
This is one of the areas where we invest the most time with our families. We know these schools well. We have established relationships with their admissions teams. We accompany families on visits, help with paperwork, and work closely with each family to find the environment that's genuinely right for their children — not just the most convenient or the most prestigious.
Here's our honest guide to the Valencia school landscape.
How Much Time Do You Have? Start Earlier Than You Think
Waiting lists are a real issue in Valencia, particularly at secondary school level. Families with younger children tend to move more frequently, which means more movement in primary school places — but once children are in secondary school, families tend to stay put, and spaces become much harder to find.
Our strong advice: start your school search as early as possible — ideally by late September the year before your children wish to start. This gives you the best possible chance of securing your preferred school before waiting lists fill up.
If you are moving mid-year, don't panic — contact us immediately. We have the relationships to help navigate this, as Ian Donenworth discovered when he moved his family to Valencia and needed to enrol both children mid-year:
"From the moment we first contacted Encantada, Stephanie was super prompt, attentive, informative, and kind. She guided us through the very first steps all the way through to the end to make sure that both of our kids could start school as soon as possible at the places of our choosing. Stephanie combines deep knowledge of Valencia and Spain in general with an international perspective that perfectly caters to her clients' needs." — Ian Donenworth
A Practical Note on Location — and the School Bus
Almost all of Valencia's private and international schools are located outside the city centre. This surprises many families, but it's simply how Valencia is structured — the schools need space for the facilities, sports fields, and campuses that city centre locations can't provide.
The solution is the school bus — and before you worry, these are not the yellow school buses of American imagination. They are large, comfortable, air-conditioned coaches with an assistant on board. Most children love them. They socialise with friends on the way in and watch films on the way home. We have had more than a few parents tell us their children were reluctant to get off.
The bus routes cover most Valencia neighbourhoods and are included as part of the overall school fees. Speaking of which — budget approximately €1,000 per month to cover tuition, the canteen, and the bus. This figure varies by school and year group, but it's a reasonable starting point for financial planning.
The Schools — Our Honest Overview
Caxton College One of Valencia's most established and well-regarded British curriculum schools, Caxton is known for its exceptional facilities — a swimming pool, dedicated art, music and theatre spaces, and extensive sports grounds. It has a more traditional, structured feel and maintains high academic standards throughout. A great choice for families who want the rigour and familiarity of the British curriculum delivered in a well-resourced environment.
Cambridge House Another British curriculum school with a strong reputation, The British School has a slightly more relaxed atmosphere than Caxton while maintaining the academic prestige that Valencia's expat community has come to associate with it. It is well regarded and popular with British and international families alike.
The American School of Valencia For families wanting an American curriculum — or those who simply want the broad, internationally recognised framework of the IB program — The American School of Valencia is a strong option. It has excellent facilities and a genuinely international atmosphere. One practical note: it is located in Puçol, which is further out of the city than some of the other schools, so the commute is worth factoring in.
Shackleton International School One of the newer schools on the Valencia scene, Shackleton has recently integrated the International Baccalaureate programme and is building a strong reputation quickly. Worth serious consideration for families drawn to the IB philosophy and a more contemporary school environment.
Mas Camarena An established Spanish international school offering the IB programme, Mas Camarena combines a strong academic reputation with a genuinely bilingual environment. Popular with both expat and Spanish families, it offers a good balance of international standards and Spanish cultural immersion.
Julio Verne & Aussias March For families who want their children truly immersed in Spanish life — mixing with local children, learning in Spanish, and becoming genuinely part of the local community — these are two of our favourite recommendations. They are nurturing, family-friendly schools with a strong community feel. With Valencia now so popular with international families, an expat child will never feel isolated here — but if genuine Spanish integration is your priority, these schools offer something the international schools simply can't.
Which School is Right for Your Child?
This is the question we spend the most time on with families, and the honest answer is that it depends entirely on your child, your family's circumstances, and your long-term plans.
Are you likely to move again in a few years? An IB or British curriculum school may make transitions easier. Are you planning to stay in Valencia long-term and want your children to grow up truly bilingual? A Spanish curriculum school might be the better choice. Do you have a child who needs a particular kind of support or environment? That narrows the field considerably.
We create a personalised school tracker for every family we work with — a detailed comparison of the schools that fit their criteria, covering curriculum, location, fees, bus routes, waiting list status, and anything else that matters to that specific family. We then accompany you on visits to your shortlisted schools, sit in the meetings with admissions teams, and help you make a genuinely informed decision.
Blake Konrardy put it simply:
"Steph and team helped me find both the perfect house and perfect school for our family in Valencia, and they made the process super easy!" — Blake Konrardy
And Gyorgyi Valaskay, who moved with twin toddlers, described the experience this way:
"Steph found us the perfect apartment exactly matching our needs and also a wonderful kindergarten for our twin girls. She was always honest, providing objective opinions, having great and practical recommendations. I felt that she understood exactly what we wanted even if at the beginning of the process we could not articulate our needs perfectly." — Gyorgyi Valaskay
What We Do
Personal consultation to understand your children's needs, ages, and learning style
Personalised school tracker comparing all relevant options
Direct contact with admissions teams — we have established relationships across Valencia's school network
Accompanying you on school visits — in person or coordinating virtual tours for remote families
Assistance with all enrollment paperwork and documentation
Ongoing support if issues arise once your children are settled
Finding the right school is too important to leave to chance — or to a generic list on a website. It deserves the same care and personal attention as finding the right home.
Book a free 15-minute consultation to talk through your family's school search.