balearesint.net

What is Baleares International College, Mallorca?

Baleares International College (BIC) is a British-style international school in Mallorca for boys and girls aged 3 to 18, with two campuses: Sa Porrassa on the southwest coast in Calvià, and Sant Agustí on the outskirts of Palma. It is British-owned, staffed by British-trained teachers, and prepares students for IGCSE and A Level qualifications.

What stands out from the school's own description

• Academic focus with a stated pastoral ethos: the school describes blending "academic rigour" with a happy, positive learning environment, and emphasises partnership with parents.
• International mix: it cites 45 nationalities among students and parents and says it encourages a global perspective from an early age.
• Accreditation and activities: it states it is the only COBIS-compliant school in Mallorca and participates in The Duke of Edinburgh's International Award.
• Facilities: specialist science, sport and art facilities are mentioned.
• Results: the site highlights 84% A–C at A Level, alongside "outstanding" IGCSE results.
• Leadership: each campus has its own principal—Andrew Beavon at Sant Agustí and Alison Colwell at Sa Porrassa.

How a family might use this

A relocating family with children across different ages could use the two-campus structure as a practical starting point: Sant Agustí may suit those living near Palma, while Sa Porrassa serves the Calvià coast. The age range (3–18) means one school can cover nursery through sixth form, which reduces transitions.

As a next step, compare the two campuses directly—location and commute, principal and pastoral style, and the specific subjects offered at IGCSE and A Level—then arrange a visit, since day-to-day atmosphere is hard to judge from a website. For context on British international schooling and accreditation, COBIS explains what compliance involves, and The Duke of Edinburgh's International Award outlines the programme students can take part in.

Which BIC campus in Mallorca should I choose for my child, Sa Porrassa or Sant Agustí?

Choose BIC Sant Agustí if your family lives in or near Palma and you want the campus closest to the city; choose BIC Sa Porrassa if you are settling in Calvià or along the southwest coast and prefer the more spacious, accessible setting described on the site. Both are part of the same British-style school for ages 3–18, so the practical decision is location first, campus atmosphere second.

How the two campuses differ

Both schools share one ethos: academic rigour combined with a happy, positive learning environment, parent partnership, international diversity (45 nationalities) and specialist science, sport and art facilities. The site also notes that Baleares International College is the only COBIS-compliant school group in Mallorca and offers the Duke of Edinburgh's International Award.

A practical way to decide

Start with the commute. A 20-minute difference each way adds up to more than three hours a week for a child, and it affects friendships, after-school activities and your own working day. Map the morning drive from your likely home to each campus during term-time traffic before weighing anything else.

Then visit both. The principals' messages on Baleares International College, Mallorca suggest slightly different characters: Sant Agustí's principal, Andrew Beavon, emphasises community and five values (excellence, respect, responsibility, integrity and compassion), while Sa Porrassa's principal, Alison Colwell, stresses enjoyment of school and building on strong foundations. A tour will tell you which environment suits your child.

Finally, ask about the specifics that matter to your family: class sizes, waiting lists, transport routes, and which extracurricular activities run at each site. The published A Level figure (84% A–C) is a group-wide result, so ask each campus for its own recent outcomes if that is decisive for you.

For broader context on British-curriculum options on the island, the official sites of COBIS explain the compliance framework the school cites.

How do I apply for admission to Baleares International College for my child aged 3 to 18?

Admission is handled directly by each BIC campus rather than through a single island-wide form. The school runs two sites—Sa Porrassa (Calvià, southwest coast) and Sant Agustí (on the edge of Palma)—so your first decision is which campus suits your commute and your child's age group, then you contact that school's admissions team to start the process. Because the college teaches a British curriculum to ages 3–18, expect the admissions conversation to cover your child's current school record, English proficiency and the year group they would enter.

A practical route from enquiry to enrolment

1. Choose the campus. Sa Porrassa suits families living along the southwest coast; Sant Agustí suits those based in or around Palma. Visit both if you are undecided—the feel of a campus matters more than a brochure.
2. Make the enquiry. Use the admissions contact on Baleares International College, Mallorca and state your child's age, current curriculum and proposed start date.
3. Prepare documents. Typically an international school will ask for passports, previous school reports, a transfer certificate and any learning-support or medical information. Ask the admissions team for their exact list rather than assuming.
4. Arrange a visit and assessment. Most British-curriculum schools assess numeracy, literacy and English, with a taster day for younger children. Confirm whether this happens on-site and what it involves.
5. Confirm place and start date. Ask about class sizes, waiting lists for your year group and any uniform or transport arrangements before you commit.

What to weigh up

The college describes itself as British-owned with British-trained teachers, 45 nationalities and a blend of academic rigour with a positive learning environment—useful if you want a genuinely international peer group alongside a UK-style curriculum. It also cites 84% A–C at A Level and COBIS compliance, which matters if you may later move to another British international school. For a family relocating to Mallorca mid-year, the strongest practical question is how the school supports children whose English is still developing; ask directly how that is handled in the year group your child would join.

Useful comparisons

• The British School of Barcelona if you are weighing a move to the mainland.
• COBIS to understand what compliance means for accreditation and transfers.

Next step: email the admissions office of your preferred campus with your child's date of birth and last two school reports, and ask for the assessment format, deadline for the next intake and whether a trial day is possible.

What IGCSE and A Level results do students at BIC achieve, and how do they compare with other international schools in Mallorca?

BIC publishes one headline result on its homepage: 84% of A Level grades were A–C. The same page says students gain "outstanding IGCSE and A Level qualifications" but gives no IGCSE percentage, no A*–A or A*–B breakdown, and no comparison with other schools. So the honest answer to the second half of your question is that the site itself does not support a ranking against other Mallorcan international schools.

What the page actually shows

The 84% figure is a single band, and A*–C is a relatively wide one: it doesn't distinguish a school where most grades are A* from one clustered at C. Without the year attached, it also isn't clear whether this is the latest cohort or a rolling claim.

How to compare properly

Treat "only COBIS compliant schools in Mallorca" as an accreditation statement, not a results claim — compliance concerns standards and safeguarding, not exam outcomes. For a like-for-like comparison:

1. Ask each school for three years of A Level and IGCSE results, shown as A*–A, A*–B and A*–C, with cohort sizes.
2. Check subject-level results in what your child would actually study; a strong overall average can hide a weak department.
3. Match the intake. A selective sixth form and an open-entry one produce different percentages from identical teaching.
4. Ask where leavers go — university destinations often say more than a grade band.

As a concrete case: a family comparing BIC Sa Porrassa with another school near Palma should request the last three years of A Level data from both, then look at the A*–B share in their child's intended subjects rather than the headline A*–C number.

A practical next step

The site lists two campuses — Sa Porrassa (Calvià) and Sant Agustí, on the edge of Palma — so results may differ by school; ask which campus each figure refers to. Then read the published results pages of other schools on the island, such as Agora Portals International School and Queen's College Mallorca, and put their A*–B and A*–C figures beside BIC's 84% before drawing conclusions. Where a school publishes nothing beyond a single band, treat that as a gap in evidence rather than a weakness or a strength.

What is the annual tuition fee for attending Baleares International College?

Annual tuition is not stated on the school's homepage, so a single figure cannot be given from the available information. The page presents the school as a British-style international school for ages 3–18, with two campuses: Sa Porrassa (Calvià, southwest coast) and Sant Agustí (outskirts of Palma), and it highlights IGCSE and A Level results and a 45-nationality community. Fees are typically set by year group and campus, so they need to be confirmed directly.

To get an exact figure, contact the admissions office at Baleares International College, Mallorca and ask for the current fee schedule for the specific campus and year group. Ask whether the quoted tuition includes or excludes application and enrolment fees, lunches, transport, uniforms, exam entries and extracurricular activities, since these can change the total annual cost significantly.

How does the British curriculum at BIC differ from the Spanish or other international school options on the island?

The main difference is structural rather than simply linguistic: Baleares International College describes itself as offering a British-style education for ages 3–18, with students working toward IGCSE and A Level qualifications. That pathway — subject-based courses, external exams at around 16 and 18 — is the standard route into UK and many international universities. Spanish public and concertado schools instead follow the Spanish system (Primaria, ESO, Bachillerato), with university access through the EBAU; other international schools on the island may run the IB Diploma, a bilingual Spanish curriculum, or a different national system.

What the page evidence supports

• British ownership and British-trained teachers, with academic rigour balanced against a "happy, constructive and positive" environment.
• Two campuses: Sa Porrassa (southwest coast, Calvià) and Sant Agustí (outskirts of Palma), which matters for daily commuting.
• 45 nationalities and an explicit global perspective — the student body is international, not predominantly local.
• Specialist science, sport and art facilities, plus the Duke of Edinburgh's International Award.
• Reported A Level results of 84% A–C, and the claim of being the only COBIS-compliant schools in Mallorca.

How to weigh the alternatives

Treat the exam results as the school's own published figures and ask how they compare with cohort size and subject mix. For a concrete case: a family relocating to Palma for three years with a 12-year-old should check how BIC handles mid-year entry, Spanish-language provision and the return to a home-country system; a family staying permanently with a 5-year-old should compare BIC's early years with a local Spanish primary, particularly for Catalan and Spanish fluency.

Next step: book a visit to both campuses and ask each principal directly about class sizes, language support and where recent leavers went on to study. For an independent view of British-style schooling internationally, see COBIS and the IB if you are also considering the IB route.