Inspections

Foreign schools in Spain are specifically regulated by Royal Decree 806/1993, which specifies that schools must satisfy the standards laid down in the country of origin and that the education received by the pupils be officially valid for that country. The Spanish authorities are responsible for entering schools into the corresponding public register and, if applicable, granting them authorisation to operate. The Spanish authorities are likewise responsible for ensuring they meet all legal requirements (including health and safety and child protection). For British schools, certification by the British Council is one of the requirements that schools must meet in order to be eligible for entry in the official register and, if applicable, for authorisation. The British Council is the educational authority responsible for accrediting that a school operating in Spain provides formal British education and that the qualifications gained have official validity in the UK. The British Council only gives certification to schools that receive a positive report from an inspectorate following inspection of that school. To assure that the required standards are maintained, the British Council is responsible for ensuring that every school undergoes regular inspection and for issuing the pertinent certificate of accreditation after each inspection. If an already approved school receives a negative report following an inspection, it is the Spanish authorities that withdraw its authorisation or amend or terminate its authorisation to operate.