Frequently asked questions

Learnlife is a full-time, internationally accredited learning community where children grow confidence, discover who they are and leave ready for life.

We combine strong learning foundations with personal pathways, mentoring, and wellbeing support to help each learner discover their passions, build independence and follow their chosen path with purpose.

Our approach prepares learners for life, not just exams, helping them gain the skills they need for the real world and to face whatever comes next.

Our mission is to inspire all people to love learning and flourish in life.

Yes. We have three international schools in Barcelona and the surrounding area for children aged 5-18.

What makes us different is how learning happens. Instead of a one-size-fits-all model, learners follow personal pathways, supported by mentors and learning guides who know them well.

There's structure, accountability, and clear progression, just in a way that feels more human, more relevant, and more connected to real life.

We're proud to be recognised as a top 10 shortlisted school in the World's Best School Prizes 2026.

Learnlife currently operates three learning hubs in the Barcelona area:

• Eco Hub, Castelldefels: for primary learners (ages 5–10)
• Village Hub, Sitges/Sant Pere de Ribes: for middle and secondary learners (ages 10-17)
• Urban Hub, Barcelona: for secondary learners (ages 12–18)

Each hub supports a different stage of development and local community, while sharing the same learning approach, culture, and values.

Yes. Learners attend full-time just like any other school.

The weekly schedule includes academic learning, projects, mentoring, wellbeing, and community experiences, all designed to provide a complete and balanced education.

This is often the biggest question and misconception.

There is structure at Learnlife. In the hubs, the rhythm of the week will feel familiar: focused learning in the mornings, with more creative, hands-on, or project-based experiences in the afternoons.

What's different is how that structure is used.

Learners still engage in core learning blocks (similar to subjects), but alongside this, their week also includes:

• Mentoring sessions
• Independent and collaborative project time
• Wellbeing and community time
• Reflection and goal-setting

At the start of each term, secondary learners work with their mentor to shape a personal learning plan that guides how they move through the week and the cycles.

So while the timetable may look rather traditional on the surface, the experience within it is more intentional and personal. And for older secondary learners, there's even more flexibility in how time is structured.

Learners arrive each day knowing what they're working on and why.

It doesn't feel rigid, but it is purposeful.

Not in the traditional sense.

Each group typically contains two grades so the vast majority of learners are of similar age. Learners move through stages based on their development, independence, and readiness, not just their age.

This means they're appropriately challenged and supported, rather than being held back or pushed ahead too early.

Mentors guide progression and mark it with clear milestones, helping learners build both competence and confidence over time.

All progess is recorded in our Learning Vitae and in order to progress to the next learning group, learners need to obtain a series of competencies and complete a right of passage and capstone project to show they are ready.

Learnlife is primarily an English-speaking environment, while also supporting multilingual development.

Learners also develop Spanish and Catalan, and often move naturally between languages in daily life, whether that's in projects, classes, conversations, or the wider community.

At the same time, we make sure language doesn't become a barrier to future pathways. Learners who want to continue into the local system have the opportunity to develop the level of Spanish and academic language they need to access universities in Spain.

So while the day-to-day experience may feel international, it keeps doors open locally as well.

Some learners start with limited English, limited Spanish, or both.

Learning happens mainly in English, so a working level helps and is important for settling in. But your child will pick up more of it fast just from being immersed in it daily,  in projects, conversations, and the community around them.

The level of English required to join our programmes is beginner for primary and intermediate for secondary. If your child doesn't have the required level yet, they may still be able to join if they can commit to improving their language skills with private tutor support or similar.

The best way to know what's realistic for your child is to talk it through with our admissions team. They'll look at your child's specific situation rather than apply a blanket rule.

Foundational skills like reading, writing, and maths are non-negotiable.

They're part of the weekly structure and are also woven into real work. Learners:

• Write for different purposes, from proposals and reports to stories and reflections
• Read a variety of materials, including research, articles, and books connected to their learning
• Use maths in everyday applications including budgeting, design, data, and problem-solving

Learning guides track progress closely using the Learning Vitae and mentoring sessions. If a learner needs support, it's clearly identified and they receive it.

Nothing is left to chance. It's intentional, personal, and connected to real life.

Yes. Learners build strong foundations in the subjects you'd see at any school, like maths, science, languages, and humanities.

The difference is that subjects are often connected through interdisciplinary learning experiences and real-world projects, rather than taught in isolation.

This helps learners understand not just what they're learning, but how it all connects.

Our curriculum, the Learnlife Competency Framework, is grounded in years of research and best practices. It combines the world's most effective learning methodologies and is recognised as a leading global education innovation.

It's closest to the American curriculum and aligns with the local Ministry of Education.

The difference is that we work 'from the inside out'.

Each learner starts with their interests, strengths, and goals, while working within a clear competency framework that includes over 150 skills across academic and real-world areas.

You can think of it as a "light curriculum". It provides structure and progression without turning learning into a checklist or meaningless memorisation.

Everything is mapped to recognised standards, so learners can move confidently into national systems or international pathways when needed.

All of our Hubs are accredited by the New England Association of Schools and Colleges (NEASC), one of the most respected international accrediting bodies.

This means external experts regularly review our learning design, safeguarding, and assessment systems.

It also means learners can transfer to other accredited schools, and their learning is recognised internationally.

Importantly, accreditation doesn't mean becoming a traditional school. It ensures quality and accountability, while allowing us to stay true to our personal, human approach.

NEASC is the international layer. Locally, the picture varies a little by hub, because Spanish accreditation is a separate, slower process.

Urban Hub already holds full local accreditation as an international school in Spain. Graduates can obtain both the American High School Diploma and ESO.

Village Hub's application is being reviewed, with approval expected in the current school year (2026-2027). Once received, learners will be able to obtain the ESO alongside the American High School Diploma that all graduates receive.

Eco Hub's local primary school accreditation is in progress.

We offer Advanced Placement courses for learners who want or need extra credits to get to their chosen university destination. 

We don't offer GCSEs, IB or A-levels. Your child could follow a more traditional route and study for GCSEs or A-levels as part of their schedule, but this would require self-study and mean adjusting their schedule significantly.

Our Pathways Programme does help learners move between systems. As each situation is unique, we would need to speak to you to understand what's possible.

Parents get more insight than grades alone or the annual parents' evening.

Instead of a single number and a few lines, you see:

• Learning portfolios, real work, projects and live progress.
• How your child is growing through termly 360 assessments where they present their work to you and their mentor.
• Regular mentor feedback

All of this lives in each learner's Learning Vitae, a live and evolving record of their growth.

So rather than asking "what grade did they get?", you can see how they think, solve problems, communicate, and develop over time.

Good learning should feel engaging, but it should also be demanding.

Learners research deeply, revise their work, present publicly, and reflect critically. They're expected to defend ideas, improve their work, and go beyond surface-level understanding.

It's often more challenging than traditional school, because learners can't rely on memorisation. They have to truly understand what they're doing and demonstrate their learning.

In the independent Leaps Student Voice Survey 2026, our learners responses scored Learnlife +12 points above the global average for high expectations with rigorous learning.

Every learner has a dedicated mentor who knows them personally and academically.

They meet every two weeks 1:1 to talk about learning, wellbeing, challenges, and goals. Mentor groups also happen weekly.

Mentors don't micromanage, but they stay closely involved. They notice when a learner is stuck, needs support, or is ready to be pushed further.

For many learners, this relationship becomes one of the most important parts of their experience and the thing they value most about Learnlife.

Learnlife is an inclusive community where we celebrate each child's superpowers.

If your child has a diagnosed learning difference or emotional support need, or our team identifies extra support is needed, we will discuss this with you. 

We will co-create a plan with you and there may be an additional fee dependent on the level of support needed. This will be discussed with you and agreed in advance of enrolling.

If 1:1 support is required, Learnlife will assist parents in arranging this.

We're not a specialist school for high-support needs. We don't have dedicated therapists or teaching assistants on the team. If your child has autism, ADHD, dyslexia, or another learning difference, the next step is to speak with our admissions team before you apply, so we can discuss your child's specific needs and see whether we're the right fit.

We don't rely on traditional punishment systems.

Instead, we help learners understand their actions, take responsibility, and repair relationships.

We use restorative practices and guided conversations, supported by mentors and peers.

The goal is not just to manage behaviour, but to help young people develop emotional awareness, accountability, and the skills to navigate real-life situations.

Learners leave with recognised, flexible pathways.

This can include:

• An accredited high school diploma
• Advanced Placement (AP) courses
• University pathways in Spain and internationally
• Vocational or entrepreneurial routes

Our learners go on to universities and programmes across Europe, the UK, the US, and beyond.

Just as important, they leave with a strong sense of direction, adaptability, and self-awareness, often with more clarity and purpose than most 18-year-olds.

As one of our 2026 graduates, Samir, put it: “When I look at my friends who went to other international schools, I feel I'm 10 times more prepared than they are for the real world.”

Transitions are smooth.

Learners build strong academic foundations, documented progress, and clear portfolios, which make it easier to move into other systems.

We also support families with reports, references, and guidance throughout the process.

Yes, at two of our three hubs.

Eco Hub and Village Hub both offer single-cycle enrolment: about 3 months, with three cycles a year, and a minimum stay of one cycle.

It's a good fit for relocations, sabbaticals or travel.

Urban Hub is full-year enrolment only.

There's no separate application process for short-term enrolment. You apply the normal way and tell us which cycle (or cycles) you're interested in. Find out more here.

Fees vary by hub and programme, and they are set each year. The fees always live here on our admissions page.

We offer a discount for paying annually upfront, and a sibling discount from your second child onwards.

Class size: We don't run same-age classes in the traditional sense, so "class size" doesn't translate directly. What we can tell you: each mentor works closely with around 14 learners, and the guide-to-learner ratio never exceeds 1:16.

Uniform: There isn't one.

Transport: There's no school-run transport. It's rarely an issue in practice, but we are exploring introducing transport for the 2027-2028 school year. Eco Hub families organise a parent-run minibus from Barcelona. Urban Hub has excellent local transport links and is just a 10-minute walk from Passeig de Gràcia train station. Village Hub is easy to reach by car or public transport.

Sports and other outside commitments: If your child trains or competes at an elite level outside school, talk to us. Personal learning plans and autonomy time already build in some flexibility, and mentors have worked before with athletes and performers balancing a demanding schedule outside Learnlife. We can't promise every request works, but we'll always look at it properly rather than say no by default.

No, but we have Monetessori STAR endorsement and share many of the same values.

These include learner agency, respect for individual pace, and hands-on, meaningful learning.

Our approach builds on these ideas, combining them with modern research and real-world learning design to prepare learners for a changing world.

We're also recognised with a STAR Endorsement from Montessori Global Education, which highlights our learner-centred approach.

Some of our families come from Montessori schools or have a parent trained in Montessori. If that's you, you'll probably recognise more here than you expect.

That it's "not serious enough."

Then families visit.

They see focused learners, thoughtful conversations, deep work, and young people who can clearly explain what they're doing and why.

What often changes their mind is seeing children who are not just learning, but engaged, confident, and genuinely motivated.

The other misconception, quieter but just as common: that a family only ends up here after something's gone wrong.

Plenty do arrive after a rough year, a burnout, a confidence knock. But just as many join Learnlife looking for something more than traditional school can offer and a place their child can truly thrive, rather than just get by.

Yes. We plan to open a Learnlife in Mallorca in September 2028. Full details here.

We're open to working with partners who want to bring a Learnlife to a new location. If that's you, get in touch.