Maxwell School

A small British-curriculum school in central Madrid, ages 3 to 16, run by founder-headteacher Linda Barbour and known for its tight-knit family feel.

Curriculum runs UK EYFS, IPC, IMYC and Cambridge IGCSE. The school is genuinely small, with low student-teacher ratios and a deliberately personal approach. Linda Barbour, the American founder, has led it since 2016 and has a reputation among visiting families for being open and direct in the way few heads manage.

Parents who moved here from larger British schools in Madrid often cite the move as a relief, mentioning kinder peer culture, strong pastoral care and teachers who actually know each child. Particularly works for children who think differently or who need closer attention. Outdoor space at the central site is limited, so sport tends to happen elsewhere, and the small scale means a narrower secondary cohort than the big-name British schools out in the suburbs.

• Reviews describe a small, family-owned British school in Chamartín with low pupil numbers and very small classes.
• Parents repeatedly call out warm staff and personal attention; one said children's experience was wonderful with strong academic and social progress.
• The Good Schools Guide review names children who think outside the box and those needing one-to-one support as the natural fit.
• Limited outdoor space comes up as the recurring negative; the school addresses it by using nearby venues for sport.
• The school says directly it can support ADHD/ADD even though it is not a SEN school, and Good Schools Guide notes it is hesitant on behavioural-issue admissions and uses one-year trials.