The Guide
Wed, 24 June 2026

Cities / Mexico City / Escuela Sierra Nevada

Escuela Sierra Nevada

A long-established Mexican private school group running four CDMX campuses, bilingual by default with a separate trilingual International Program for families who want the global track and a third language.


Fees, annual
MXN 169k–239k
Ages
3 to 18
Pupils
Est. 3,000+
Founded
1950

A long-established Mexican private school group running four CDMX campuses, bilingual by default with a separate trilingual International Program for families who want the global track and a third language.

Sierra Nevada has been around since 1950 and operates as a network across Cuajimalpa, Lomas, Pedregal and Paseo, which is the main reason it shows up on shortlists: families pick the campus that fits their commute rather than the school as a whole. The mainstream programme is solidly bilingual Spanish-English and tracks the Mexican curriculum. The International Program adds French and IB-aligned pathways for students aiming at universities abroad.

Catchment is overwhelmingly Mexican with a family feel parents praise across campuses. Expats arriving without Spanish should know the working language tilts Spanish more than at Eton or Greengates, and younger arrivals adapt fastest. Fees sit in the mid-tier MXN bracket, well below the British and American premium schools, which is part of the appeal for dual-national families staying long-term.


Annual fees

Year level Age Fee
Preescolar (annual = 12x14065) 4 MX$168,780
Primaria (annual = 12x16260) 7 MX$195,120
Secundaria (annual = 12x18185) 13 MX$218,220
Preparatoria (annual = 12x19950) 16 MX$239,400

One-time fees

Item Age Fee
Preescolar Inscription MX$11,720
Primaria Inscription MX$13,590
Preparatoria Inscription MX$15,190
Secundaria Inscription MX$15,190

  • Sierra Nevada is a long-established (1950) Mexico City school running multiple campuses (Lomas, Interlomas, Sunland, San Mateo and others) with a 50/50 Spanish-English model. Parents tier it alongside Eton and Peterson in the bilingual middle market, below the American School and Greengates for international diversity.
  • One parent flagged that teachers are mostly local rather than expat, so the English level is "not as good" as the top-tier internationals.
  • Staff reviews aggregate to across 17 voices. Teachers describe a family environment, supportive academic coordinators and decent benefits. Negatives cluster around senior leadership communication, late-notice scheduling and long working hours.
  • Independent parent voices are mixed. One parent review described primary-campus operations critically; broader community perception is generally positive on culture and home-feel, more measured on academics.

Considerations

  • Bilingual mid-market. 50/50 English-Spanish, parents tier it with Eton and Peterson rather than ASF or Greengates
  • English level. Teachers mostly local; one Reddit parent says English is not as strong as at the top international schools
  • Staff culture. Indeed reviews praise collegiality and academic coordination but flag senior leadership pressure, late-notice planning and long days
  • Operations. Some primary-campus review criticism on facility size and administrative focus, against generally positive community sentiment

Leadership

Milda Valadés

Accreditations

  • Council of International Schools 01

  • Graduates accepted into top universities 0%
  • Graduates pursuing higher education abroad 0%
  • Students receiving scholarships from top universities +0

Av. Jesús del Monte 1, Hacienda de las Palmas, 52763 Jesús del Monte, Méx., Mexico

School website