Inspired Education, the leading global group of premium schools educating more than 95,000 students on six continents, has reached an agreement to acquire the British Council School, El Colegio Británico in Madrid. The move will see the school and its students afforded enhanced academic offerings and extracurricular opportunities across the world.
A pioneer in bicultural and bilingual education in Spain for students aged 2-18, the school was the first British school in the country, opening in 1940. Maintaining its academic excellence and reputation of being one of best British International schools in the world, the acquisition will enable the school to benefit from the success of Inspired’s other Spanish Schools including the King’s College Schools, Colegio San Patricio, Mirabal International School, Kensington School, La Miranda, British College of Gavà, Colegio Ramón y Cajal and Sotogrande International School.
Working across 200 countries and territories, the British Council frequently evaluates its operations to be able to continue to deliver on its global culture relations mission. The decision to sell the school, alongside other changes impacting the organisation, is part of the British Council’s commitment to protect its future by strengthening its financial position.
Scott McDonald, CEO of the British Council said:
“We are so proud of what we have achieved with the school over 85 years. It has been, and it remains, a hugely successful school. We thank our students, parents, staff and alumni for their continuous support and engagement over the years. While we are selling the school, we are certainly not leaving Spain and remain fully committed to our work there, building connections between the UK and Spain through our work in Arts and Culture, Education and the English language.”
Inspired’s presence in Spain since 1958, alongside a dedicated CEO, Elena Benito, who has guided the schools for the last five years, means its expertly placed to take on the British Council School and ensure students and staff have access to the very best opportunities and best practice. This includes global exchange programmes, scholarships, career and study options, innovative technology resources, state-of-the-art facilities and more.
Nadim M. Nsouli, Founder, Chairman & CEO of Inspired Education, stated:
“We are delighted to become the new owners of El Colegio Británico in Madrid. At Inspired, we hold a strong reputation for academic excellence alongside our other pillars of sports and the performing arts. We own 16 leading schools in Spain but always ensure that we maintain the ethos and individuality of each school while introducing Inspired’s global best practices. We place a huge emphasis on broadening students’ horizons through enriching opportunities including international exchange programmes and unique, global summer camp experiences. It is our commitment to equipping student with the lifelong skills needed to flourish and succeed and we look forward to collaborating with the team at El Colegio Británico to continue supporting its communities of students, parents, and alumni.”
The British Council will continue to work in Spain, building on the successes of the last 85 years raising the standards of English language in Spain by delivering high-quality English courses and certifying proficiency as well as collaborating with the public sector on bilingual and multilingual education programs in Spanish state schools. It will also maintain its role in accrediting British schools for Spanish education authorities, ensuring high standards in international education and enhancing student mobility between Spain and the UK.
Completion of the sale remains subject to regulatory approvals.
