Zürich Schule Barcelona
Zürich Schule Barcelona is a family-rooted international school that offers a nurturing, humanistic and positive learning environment from Kindergarten to Secondary. We believe every child is unique, and we provide personalised attention so each student grows with confidence, curiosity and wellbeing.
As the first IB school in the world with German as the main language of instruction throughout all school years, our multilingual programme ensures deep learning in four languages: German, Spanish, Catalan and English. Critical thinking, collaborative learning and real-world experiences are at the heart of our approach.
A distinctive strength of our school is that students can continue their upper-secondary studies in the pathway that best aligns with their interests, goals and strengths. Thanks to our solid academic foundation and nearly 60-year history, our graduates successfully access a variety of recognised options including Swiss, German, British, American, National and International programmes.
With an exceptional location in Barcelona, transportation services and a close, welcoming community, we partner with families to guide children toward a meaningful, global future.
Primary Language(s)
English, Catalan, Spanish, German
Curriculum
Catalan / Spanish, IB PYP, IB MYP
Qualifications
GESO
Age Range
1 - 16 years old
Welcome Note
School Ethos
At Zürich Schule Barcelona, our ethos is rooted in a humanistic, positive and constructivist approach to education. We understand learning as an active, personal process: students build knowledge through experience, reflection and interaction with others. Our role is to guide and accompany them as they explore, question, create and make meaning of the world around them.
Thanks to the size of our school, we know every student by name and surname. This allows us to closely follow their development and to offer personalised guidance at an age that truly deserves individual attention. Each child’s strengths, interests and wellbeing are central to our decisions.
Our constructivist teaching approach is inquiry-based and aligned with the International Baccalaureate. Students engage in real-world challenges, collaborative learning and authentic tasks that foster critical thinking and problem-solving. They learn not only what to know, but how to learn — and why it matters.
Multilingualism defines who we are: German is the main language of instruction throughout all school years, complemented by Spanish, Catalan and English. This daily immersion strengthens cognitive flexibility, broadens cultural awareness and helps students feel at home in different contexts.
We believe that character development is as important as academic progress. Values such as respect, empathy, resilience and responsibility are intentionally cultivated in everyday school life — in classrooms, in group projects, in sports and in play.
Learning extends beyond the academic curriculum through arts, outdoor experiences, cultural exchanges and service to the community. Students discover their voice, develop confidence and understand that they can make a positive difference.
Ultimately, Zürich Schule Barcelona forms confident, curious and open-minded young people who know themselves deeply and feel ready to shape their own future — and contribute meaningfully to society.
Languages
Primary Language
German is the main language of instruction throughout the school. Our students work towards a C1 level in German, officially accredited by the Goethe-Institut and, as a PASCH-Schule, also recognised by the German Ministry of Education.
Additional languages offered
From the Early Years onward, students are fully immersed in German with native-speaking teachers, ensuring natural acquisition of the language and strong communicative competence.
Spanish and Catalan are progressively introduced in Primary, following a balanced bilingual approach aligned with the local curriculum and ensuring full mastery of both languages. They are taught at a high academic level, ensuring full linguistic integration in the local context.
From Grade 3 onwards (3. Klasse / 3º de Primaria), English is formally incorporated as an additional core language. English is taught in collaboration with Trinity College London, following a highly differentiated approach that adapts to each student’s level — including native speakers. Students typically achieve between B2 and C2 by the end of their schooling.
Language support available
We offer a highly differentiated approach to language learning ensuring that the teaching adapts to each student's level.
Curriculum
Zürich Schule Barcelona follows the International Baccalaureate framework, with a strong constructivist and inquiry-based methodology at all stages:
• Primary Years Programme (PYP) – Early Years to Grade 6
Learning is structured through transdisciplinary inquiry, encouraging children to question, explore and connect ideas with real-life experiences. Social-emotional development, personal autonomy and positive discipline are central in these formative years.
• Middle Years Programme (MYP) – Grades 7 to 10
Students deepen academic and thinking skills through interdisciplinary learning, project-based work and meaningful assessment. Reflection, research, communication and community engagement prepare them for future academic challenges and global citizenship.
A distinctive strength of our school lies beyond Grade 10. Our solid educational foundation and long-standing collaborations with recognised institutions allow our students to choose the upper-secondary programme that best fits their interests, goals and strengths.
Each year, after leaving Zürich Schule at 16 years old, students are able to continue their studies in any of the following educational pathways:
– Swiss
– German
– British
– American
– International (IB Diploma Programme)
– Spanish National Bachillerato
Our team accompanies each student personally through this decision-making process, ensuring that every pathway is accessible and aligned with individual aspirations.
Across all levels, our teaching approach is humanistic, multilingual and highly personalised. We believe that knowing each learner deeply enables us to help them grow with confidence — academically, socially and personally — and to be fully prepared for whichever future they choose.
Qualifications
As a school officially recognised by the Generalitat de Catalunya, students complete the ESO (Educación Secundaria Obligatoria) and therefore obtain the Spanish national qualification.
In addition, the school is authorised to offer the International Baccalaureate (IB) programmes, providing students with an internationally recognised academic pathway and access to a wide range of national and international post-16 options (Swiss, German, British, American, international and Spanish systems).
We are a PASCH-Schule, which enables students to obtain recognised German language certifications and supports access to higher education in German-speaking countries.
Students are also prepared for Trinity College London English examinations.
Facilities
Zürich Schule Barcelona is located in Pedralbes, one of Barcelona’s greenest neighbourhoods, and sits at one of the highest points of the city, benefiting from excellent air quality and a calm, natural environment for learning.
Our size is a unique advantage: we are a small, close-knit school, which allows us to truly know every student and offer individualised attention in every stage of their development. The campus is organised to support safe, age-appropriate spaces for play, wellbeing and outdoor learning.
We have a stable and highly qualified teaching team, with continuous professional development — especially within the IB framework — ensuring high standards and innovative practice. Our school culture also benefits from strong tradition and community roots: almost 25% of our students are children of alumni, reflecting the long-term trust that families place in our educational project.
At Zürich Schule Barcelona, facilities and community come together to create a welcoming environment where children feel supported, connected and ready to grow.
First Year Joining Fee
The current First Year Joining Fee (matriculation / inscription fee) at Zürich Schule Barcelona is €1,500 per student, and it is paid only once for the entire stay at the school. The amount is the same across all grades and educational stages.
There are discounts for families with three or more children enrolled at the same time, as outlined in the fee policy.
Annual Tuition
Yearly Tuition Fees (2025/2026)
Tuition ranges from €7,900 (KleinesZürich – part-time) to €9,950 (Preschool, Primary and Secondary).
Fees are paid in 10 monthly instalments (September–June) or 12 instalments upon request.
Tuition includes lunch service, daily school hours from 08:30 to 16:30, swimming lessons, access to sports facilities, accompanying staff and day trips within the Barcelona metropolitan area.
Residential trips (school camps) and Ski Week are not included.
Additional Fees
School Transport (optional): Fees vary by route and term and are invoiced separately.
Residential school trips and Ski Week: Not included in tuition; billed separately.
Official external examinations (e.g., Goethe-Institut, Trinity College London): Billed separately when applicable.
Extracurricular activities: Optional and invoiced separately.
Occasional early morning care: Optional, €5/day (also available as monthly or annual fee).
Discounts
Zürich Schule Barcelona offers discounts for families with three or more children enrolled:
Enrolment Fee (Matriculation) Discounts
• For the 1st, 2nd, and 3rd child: €500 reduction on the standard €1,500 fee
• From the 4th child onwards: Enrolment fee waived
Tuition Fee Discounts
• 3rd child: 50% discount
• 4th child: 60% discount
• 5th and beyond: 70% discount
Current Fees
Fees
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Contact Details
Address
Avinguda de Pearson 73
Kindergarten: Carrer d'Ifni, 2
08034 Barcelona
Phone
+ 34 932 037 606
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