Princess Margaret School

In Brief

(Officially Agora Princess Margaret International School, Horta-Guinardo. Recently joined the Globeducate group.)

The basics people actually mention. Small. One class per year group. Founded 1967, Barcelona's first IB school - genuine pedigree on PYP and MYP. The IB Diploma is being added now under Globeducate, so older years are still settling.

What people like. It feels like a family. The head is reportedly at the gate every morning and knows the kids by name. Teacher turnover is said to be low. Parents who fit the culture seem genuinely happy and stay - "the family-like treatment from staff is exquisite," according to one parent. Children come out with strong English and the IB ethos around autonomy and values lands well with the right family.

Where to push on the tour. The "international" framing doesn't fully match the daily reality for some families. After Early Years, the timetable is roughly 50% English / 25% Spanish / 25% Catalan, and the intake skews local Catalan rather than expat. One parent who pulled their child out put it bluntly: "if you are looking for an English-speaking international school, this is not the school for you" - they also flagged English teachers with local accents and a chaotic first-day welcome. That's one voice, but it's worth testing: ask to meet English-track teachers, ask what proportion of the cohort speaks English at home, and ask how new arrivals are onboarded.

The honest read. Genuinely warm, small, IB-credible school that suits families who want their kids integrated into local Catalan-Spanish life with strong English on top. Probably not the right fit for a family expecting a fully English-medium expat bubble like BSB or ASB. Worth a visit - just go in with eyes open about what "international" means here.