Yes, our French teachers are French, we have Spanish teachers for Lengua and Cultura and our teachers of the English curriculum are all native speakers of English predominantly from the UK or Ireland.

English is the 2nd or 3rd language of most of our students, but the level is high (we confirm their levels using GL Assessments). All students irrespective of learning need are offered support and differentiated teaching.

Spanish and French.

26

25

Yes - from Nursery up to Year 1

We have interactive white boards connected to projectors, and sets of interactive tv screens. Each child from Yr 3 to Yr 13 is issued with their own school Chromebook, and we use the Google Classroom education suite.

All our classes went online throughout the Covid quarantines. Post-Covid, our classes can be streamed home as necessary, but that is not a frequent requirement these days.

Children follow the Catholic religion.

The school is a Catholic school although we do have children who are not Catholic. They join in with everyone else, e.g. they also attend the religious education classes.

IGCSEs and A Levels.

Our IGCSE and A level results are published on our website. We are a non-selective school and so our classes are always of mixed academic ability. Given that our A*/A grade % each summer is approximately 60% for IGCSEs and 45% for A level, we are more than pleased with our students' results.

Yes.

10 mins for Yrs 2-4, 30 mins for Yrs 5+6, 1 hour for Yrs 7+8, 90 mins for Yrs 9. For Yrs 10 to 13 it depends upon the load of each subject.

100%

Yes - we employ three Learning Support teachers.

We have an external school psychologist, an external school paediatrician, and three qualified special needs teachers.

We do not label children 'gifted & talented'. Therefore, none of our pupils are directly or indirectly labelled 'lower ability'. For those more able pupils, all of our teachers for all of the lessons must offer extension or challenge material. All of our teachers offer differentiated teaching.

Yes - as required (via a referral procedure).

Yes - for English and Mathematics. Students applying to join Holy Mary from a British school may be exempt from our entry tests.

In secondary, for example, if a student is applying to join, say, Year 9 then the English and Maths entry tests they take are full of questions made up from our Year 8 English and Maths curricula, i.e. questions from their current year. In primary, a class teacher will interview the pupil while also listening to them read, check their comprehension, and observe them completing some numeracy questions. Also, where possible, we ask prospective new pupils to spend a trial day at school.

Yes - normally in every year group.

No deadline exists. We are an oversubscribed non-selective school. If we have a place to offer then it is offered. Otherwise, successful applicants go onto our waiting list.

Yes - except in years 10 to 13 (i.e. the IGCSE and A level exam groups).

08:45

16:30 (slightly earlier for the younger children).

No.

Yes - although each year we ask all our parents if they wish their children to travel to and from school by bus. We normally start the school year with either 0, 1, 2 or 3 bus services.

All of our students must eat a school-prepared lunch at school. Our school fees include the cost of school lunches.

Yes, for vegetarians, vegans, pupils with allergies, and pupils with special dietary requirements due to their heightened sporting programme outside of school. But not for alternative religious reasons.

Yes - for the regular school day, and for physical education.

We run after-school football, ballet, modern dance, flamenco, robotics, table tennis, basketball, chess, and multi-sports classes.

The full range of sports are included - in particular football, basketball, handball, floor hockey, tag rugby, athletics, rounders, and cricket.

Yes - although in Spain most talented sports individuals do not wish to represent their school teams. They play 'federated' sport within the excellent sports programme offered by Madrid - and everywhere else in Spain - and therefore they represent their federated club in local leagues. Amongst our pupils we also have relatively high participation outside of school within individual pursuits such as tennis, golf, equestrian sports, and ski-ing.

Specialist areas in secondary: three science labs, an art room, and a small library.

We have three separate sports areas, although secondary sports classes take place off campus at either of two rented sports installations.
However, onsite we do not boast a gym nor a full-size court for any specific sport.

We are a unique British Catholic school in the heart of Madrid. All children are educated alongside a strong spiritual programme and excellent behaviour is expected at all times. Children learn the British national curriculum, and the key components of the Spanish national curriculum, while they are also taught to display respect for each other, to support each other and to enjoy learning together. All teachers are motivated to teach to the best of their ability and all children are encouraged to achieve their full potential.

It is very British: differentiated lessons; research-based pedagogy; effective questioning; instilling a growth mindset; live feedback; mid-lesson learning stops; technologically enhanced; inclusive; pair-work; group-work; public speaking; justification of opinion and conclusions; values-driven; supportive; challenging.