How primary works in Madrid
Madrid has roughly 55 schools that genuinely deliver an international primary curriculum, meaning the working language is English and the curriculum is British (Years 1 to 6), American (Grades 1 to 5) or IB Primary Years Programme. The deeper estate, the public and concertado bilingual primary schools, sits at around 600 settings but those are Spanish-curriculum schools with strong English exposure rather than full international primaries. The distinction matters because primary is the stage at which curriculum bedding takes hold and where decisions made now have the strongest effect on what is realistic at secondary.
Within the international tier, around 60 per cent of primary schools follow a British model from Year 1 (age 5) through Year 6 (age 10 or 11). The American Grade 1 (age 6) through Grade 5 (age 10) tier accounts for around 15 per cent, anchored by the American School of Madrid in Pozuelo. The remaining 25 per cent runs the IB PYP, including a growing public school cluster that has adopted the inquiry-led framework. About 30 of these primary schools are full continuum, meaning they take pupils through to secondary on the same site.
For a relocating family, the Year 1 (age 5) entry point is the most contested and Year 3 (age 7) is the second tightest. Years 2, 4 and 5 are usually easier to enter mid-cycle because schools have built in flexibility for company-assignment families.
Fees and the curriculum split
Primary fees at Madrid international schools range from about EUR 8,400 a year at the value end, including some of the smaller English-medium options in north Madrid, up to EUR 22,500 a year at the premium British and American flagships. The median 2026 primary fee sits near EUR 14,200. American curriculum schools tend to charge marginally more than British equivalents because their boarding-style estates and lower class sizes carry a cost premium. British schools sit slightly lower on average. PYP schools span a wider range because the framework is delivered across both private international and state concertado tiers. Our Madrid fees guide walks through the loading items.
Three cost notes catch newcomers. Matricula on enrolment is non-refundable and runs EUR 500 to EUR 3,000. Comedor (lunch) is usually separately billed, EUR 1,400 to EUR 1,900 a year. Bus transport from outside the immediate catchment adds another EUR 1,500 to EUR 2,300 a year if the school runs a route to your barrio.
Not sure which Madrid primary international school is the right fit?
Take our 5 minute finder quiz. We shortlist three primary schools based on your child's age, your budget, your home area and your preferred curriculum.
Illustrative example schools
The five schools below are illustrative, not a ranking. Each runs a long-established primary with strong continuum into the same school's secondary.
International College Spain Primary in La Moraleja runs the IB PYP from age three through Year 6. One of the oldest continuum schools in Madrid with a strong reputation for inquiry-led primary teaching.
British Council School Primary in Pozuelo runs the British National Curriculum across a large, well-resourced primary estate feeding directly into one of the strongest British secondary schools in Spain.
King's College Madrid Soto de Vinuelas Primary is the largest single British primary site in Madrid, with a long-established Year 1 to Year 6 cohort feeding King's secondary and A Level.
American School of Madrid Lower School in Pozuelo is the anchor American Grade K to 5 primary in the Madrid market, with US accreditation and a clear pipeline into Middle and High School on the same site.
Hastings School Primary in Chamartin is the central Madrid alternative for families wanting urban living with a British primary feeding into the IB Diploma secondary.
Where primary families live
Primary catchment in Madrid shapes the wider relocation decision because the school run dominates the family schedule. International primary families cluster around four areas. La Moraleja and the wider Alcobendas urbanisations for proximity to ICS, King's Soto, SEK El Castillo and Runnymede. Pozuelo de Alarcon and Aravaca for British Council, American School of Madrid, Mirabal and the wider west Madrid international cluster. Chamartin for Hastings, ICAI and central urban living. Las Rozas and Boadilla del Monte for newer family suburbs around recently opened international schools.
For families weighing the curriculum question before settling, our British curriculum hub, American curriculum hub and IB hub set out the secondary pathways each primary route opens up.
Admissions calendar
Year 1 (age 5) primary entry is the most contested point. Most premium Madrid international schools open Year 1 admissions in October of the prior year and close priority intakes by late January. Sibling priority and continuum priority from the same school's Reception cohort take most places. Year 3 and Year 5 (age 7 and 9) entries depend on attrition, which typically falls 5 to 10 per cent year on year. The state and concertado bilingual schools follow the regional admissions calendar, with the main window opening in late February and closing in mid-March. For mid-year relocations, January is typically the strongest transfer month.
For families relocating, our cost calculator models primary fees against housing across the major catchments.
Frequently asked questions
How many primary international schools are there in Madrid?
Madrid has around 55 primary schools that describe themselves as international, meaning they deliver a British, American or IB primary curriculum in English or a deeply bilingual model. Of these, roughly 30 are full continuum schools that take pupils through to secondary on the same site or sister campus.
When does primary start in Spain?
Spanish state primary, Educacion Primaria, runs from ages six to twelve in Years 1 to 6. International schools follow their own curriculum age groupings, so a British school starts primary at age five in Year 1 while an American school starts at age six in Grade 1. The IB PYP runs ages three to twelve.
How much do primary international schools cost in Madrid?
Primary fees at Madrid international schools range from about EUR 8,400 a year at value-tier bilingual options to EUR 22,500 a year at premium British and American schools. Median primary fees in 2026 sit near EUR 14,200, before extras like matricula, comedor, uniform and bus.
Can a child join Madrid primary in English without Spanish?
Yes. International primary schools in Madrid deliver the bulk of the curriculum in English. Spanish is taught as a daily subject from Year 1 with the expectation that pupils reach conversational fluency by Year 4 and academic fluency by Year 6. Most schools provide additional Spanish support for newcomers.
Is the IB PYP common in Madrid primary schools?
Yes. Around 18 Madrid primary schools deliver the IB Primary Years Programme, including several state and concertado schools alongside the private international tier. The PYP is the most common framework for schools that brand themselves as inquiry-led and is the natural feeder into IB Diploma Programme secondary schools.
