Cities / Barcelona / Oak House School
Oak House School
A non-profit British and IB school in Sarrià, founded 1968 and consistently the strongest IB performer in Barcelona, layering the British, Spanish and IB Diploma curricula for around 1,100 pupils.
In brief
A non-profit British and IB school in Sarrià, founded 1968 and consistently the strongest IB performer in Barcelona. The 2025 cohort averaged 36 points, which puts the school first nationally and in the top 100 worldwide.
The model layers the British national curriculum, the Spanish local curriculum, and the IB Diploma in English. Around 1,100 pupils, three languages a day, and a community that genuinely is a community rather than an expat bubble. The roll is mostly Spanish, with low turnover and many families staying the full thirteen years.
Facilities for a city school are unusual, including the rare on-site swimming pool, plus residential trips from year two onwards. Teachers stay long, parents are organised through an active AFA, and the head leads a school that takes its non-profit framing seriously.
Practical caveat: English-only entrants need to enter in primary or wait for sixth form, since by middle years the academic load runs heavily through Spanish and Catalan. Families looking for an English-speaking enclave should go elsewhere; Oak House asks for genuine local integration in return for what it gives.
Fees
Annual fees
| Year level | Age | Fee |
|---|---|---|
| Early Years (EYFS) | 3 | €10,995 |
| Primary | 6 | €11,054 |
| ESO Years 1-2 | 12 | €11,567 |
| ESO Years 3-4 | 14 | €11,400 |
| Bachillerato Years 1-2 | 16 | €11,272 |
| IB Diploma (Years 1-2) | 16 | €13,409 |
One-time fees
| Item | Age | Fee |
|---|---|---|
| Admission Process Fee (non-refundable) | €3,500 |
Reviews
An established Sarrià-Sant Gervasi school with a genuinely trilingual character, run as an independent non-profit rather than under a global operator. The intake skews local Catalan and Spanish families more than expat, and that flavour comes through in the day-to-day. Early years and primary draw the warmest praise; secondary asks more of pupils, with a dual-track ending in either the Batxillerat or the IB Diploma. Recent IB results have been strong, and the teaching body is unusually settled.
Positives
- Trilingual delivery. Parents who have been through the lower school describe children leaving primary genuinely operating in English, Spanish and Catalan. The language balance is talked about as a real strength rather than a marketing line.
- Settled teaching body. Staff turnover is low and average tenure long, around eleven years. Families notice the continuity, particularly in the early and primary years.
- IB outcomes. The class of 2025 averaged 36 in the IB Diploma, putting Oak House near the top of Spanish results that year. Pass rates run well above the global figure.
- Early years and primary. The lower school is the part parents talk about most warmly. It comes across as homely, settled and well-paced, with teachers who stay long enough to know the children.
- Local rather than expat-heavy. The intake leans Catalan and Spanish more than the typical international school. Families who want their children integrated into Barcelona life rather than sealed in an expat bubble tend to flag this as a positive.
- Ownership and structure. Oak House is an independent non-profit foundation, not part of Cognita, Inspired or any of the global groups. Decisions are made locally and reinvestment goes back into the school.
Considerations
- Secondary intensity. The dual British and Spanish track in secondary is demanding and suits a self-motivated, trilingual pupil. Less academic or less linguistically settled children can find the load heavy, and not every family who loved early years stays comfortable through the upper school.
- Communication. Among the less glowing parent reviews, the recurring note is that follow-up on individual issues can be slow unless parents push. Termly tutor meetings are in place but day-to-day responsiveness is less consistent.
Leadership
Amanda Hughes
Welcome to Oak House School. I hope this website gives you an insight into the incredible learning opportunities we want for all our students, as well as the inspiring impact each member of our community has on the development of the school. Our excellent team of teachers and support staff motivate our students to think creatively and critically, work collaboratively, use technology to support their learning, and strive to achieve more than they ever dreamed possible.
Academic results
- IB DP Average (2025) 36.0
- IB Pass Rate (2025) 97%