The English Montessori School (TEMS)

In Brief

Aravaca-based, ages 1-18. British curriculum with a Montessori foundation in early years, A-levels or Spanish Bachillerato in sixth form. Mostly Spanish families with an international mix.

Academically it does the job. Year 13 results consistently land it in the top ten in the Comunidad de Madrid. Sixth form (Nexus Navigator) and the new La Florida primary campus (opened Sept 2025) are well regarded by current parents.

The honest watch-out is the Cognita era. The school was bought by Cognita in 2016 and the long-serving founding head Elaine Fitzpatrick left. Older parents talk about a noticeable shift since then. According to one parent, "since the management changed, the values and quality of education have been compromised." Concerns centre on staff turnover and a more corporate feel. Generously read: a school transitioning from a founder-led culture into a group-owned one, which is rarely smooth.

Day to day, current parents are mostly positive. Communication with families is described as fluid, Covid response was praised, and long-tenured families (10+ years) say their kids are happy. One parent said their son had "twelve years of consistently high-quality teaching."

Less rosy notes worth flagging: a small number of reviews mention bullying not being handled well, and some unease about discipline being stricter under new management. Treat these as data points, not the consensus.

Bottom line for your friend: strong academic outcomes, genuinely bilingual, lovely new primary site. If they value the original Montessori-led ethos they should ask hard questions about staff retention and how the early-years pedagogy survives the group-school structure. Worth a visit, worth a conversation with current Year 3-6 parents specifically.