At BSB we aim to make learning so much more than a set of grades or numbers but, at the same time, we acknowledge that we have a duty to our students and their parents to ensure students get the very highest exam grades they can.
Expectations are high, students are given targets and our academic and personal development teams provide a wealth of advice and support along the way.
Jump down to:
Our students are ambitious and keen to learn and teachers are able to really focus on how best to engage each and every student and deepen their understanding of the various subjects. Lessons are not about delivering content. Instead, we expect lessons to be varied, thought-provoking and encourage independent thinking and curiosity.
As students move through the school there is, inevitably, more focus on formal external examinations, but our expectations of what good teaching looks like do not alter.
There is an expectation for BSB teachers to shape approach and content to individual student needs. Students with specific educational needs will be supported by our student support department and teachers will implement strategies in the classroom to make certain every student maintains a high level of progress.
All students need to be challenged, from the most able to those who may find a particular subject more difficult. Our teachers will always look to differentiate material and approach, to meet the requirements of each and every student, acknowledging that understanding can be unlocked in a variety of ways and may occur at different moments along the student’s educational journey.
In Early Years we follow the Curiosity Approach to learning, which is an inquiry, play-based curriculum that ignites the children’s natural curiosity to explore the world around them.
In Primary our model takes upon an inquiry-based approach to learning that allows our students to develop key learning habits, which are taught explicitly through our curriculum during the full course of their education at BSB.
Our Secondary pathway follows the best of the English National Curriculum, whilst giving us the flexibility to allow students to complete the Spanish ESO qualification by the time they come to the end of Year 11.
All teaching at BSB is in English, with the exception of Spanish and Catalan lessons, which are designed for all student levels from absolute beginner to native expert. We also offer French and German throughout Secondary school.
Students sit exams in 9 or 10 GCSE subjects at the end of Year 11 and then have the choice of doing the IB diploma or A levels in our Nexus building for their final 2 years at school. These qualifications give our students access to universities all around the world, including in Spain.
In Nexus, students also have the possibility of attending extra classes after school to help them obtain the extra points needed to access the very best Spanish University courses.
Here, at BSB, we share an understanding of exactly how we want our students to develop as learners, realising the value of knowledge acquisition alongside skilful learning behaviours.
Linking across all key stages and campuses is our commitment to developing students’ capability to become life-long learners, empowering them with the healthy dispositions and positive attitudes which will allow them to flourish in school and beyond it.
Fundamental to this, we have developed teachers’ and students’ understanding of the importance of nine essential Learning Habits which provide the foundation for success at school and in life.
These form the bedrock of all aspects of school life ensuring that when they graduate from BSB, all students regardless of starting ability, emerge as empowered, independent young adults ready to take on the challenges that lie ahead.
The ‘BSB Learning Habits’ relate to four key areas: emotional engagement, critical and independent thought, strategic learning, and collaborative teamwork.
Having an inquisitive attitude to life.
Managing and controlling your own learning.
Benefitting from and contributing to the social world of learning.
Creatively exploring possibilities.
Locking your mind into learning.
Sticking with challenges that matter to you.
Standing back and taking stock of learning.
Working things out with clarity and accuracy.
Having and realising a vision to inspire positive change.
Academic performance at BSB is excellent. Results are significantly above national averages at GCSE, IB and A level, and every year we have students who achieve the highest marks in certain subjects across all schools in Spain or, in some cases, Europe. In 2022 one of our students achieved full marks in the IB diploma.
Our academic results, coupled with our focus on developing powerful learning habits and key skills, ensure students are ready to take up places at great universities all round the world.
2022 Results Highlights
success for our IB contingent
students scoring 40+ points across all their subjects
average point score
(32 World Average) – setting school record
student achieving full marks – with 45 out of 45
of grades were awarded at 9
of grades were awarded 7 to 9 (A*-A)
students achieved over 95% in their Spanish Access (PCE)
* PCE: Pruebas de Competencias Específicas (required exams to access to Spanish universities – for those courses with highest demand)
BSB students are ready and able to study at universities right across the world.
Whilst, at the moment, the majority choose to go to the UK or Spain, there is a growing number of students opting to study in Holland. Others have taken up offers to study in other international universities, including the US, France, Italy and Germany.
In 2022, two students have been awarded sports scholarships to US universities, an area that we feel will continue to develop in the coming years.
Whatever the chosen destination, our BSB Futures team are on hand throughout the year to help students and parents navigate the various applications processes and provide the guidance needed to help students get to where they want to go.
Every year BSB students are identified as the best performing learners from the international assessment boards and are presented with Outstanding Learner Awards for having gained the highest marks for a certain subject across the whole of Spain, the whole of Europe or, in some cases, globally.
