What sets us apart
Benjamin Franklin International School is one of the best international schools in Spain and Europe. We believe that, as an International American school, we need to transform the opportunities that we offer to young people to meet the challenges of a global world in rapid transformation.
The BFIS Vision for Learning articulates how we will create opportunities for our students to learn, how to develop self-esteem, be confident, take risks, fail forward and be resilient. We aim to help them to learn how to develop empathy, to care about complex problems, and to prepare them to collaboratively find solutions in a multicultural and global world. We must also allow them to find their own voice and build on their unique talents and interests.
BFIS is a truly international school in Barcelona, with a roughly one-third breakdown among US, International, and Spanish families. Our diverse and engaged student body, faculty, and parent community- now comprised of over 55 nationalities and cultural heritages- is one of the main distinctive of the school.
BFIS is a non-profit school. As a non-profit we offer a learning environment designed with the student in mind. Nobody owns the school. It is operated by a Foundation board who do not get payment, and there are no stocks and shareholders to create income for. So, we keep the focus and motivation on providing a quality education to our students. The student is at the center of every decision the school makes.
While curriculum is the foundation of a strong educational program, teachers are the heart and soul of any school. BFIS is very fortunate to have a talented, caring, and dedicated faculty representing more than 25 different nationalities and experiences that enrich the learning experience. They are very well prepared and have many years of experience. The school is also dedicated to providing its community of educators with a wide range of professional learning experiences throughout the year. We are committed to ongoing, job-embedded training so that our teachers are well-versed and supported in research based best practice for teaching and learning.
Parents and teachers are both important influences in a student’s life. Their support and guidance play a vital role at all stages of education. Engaged parents who participate in their children’s learning make a difference in improving both achievement and behavior. At BFIS we strongly promote a school-home partnership to help students thrive and provide various opportunities for parents to partner with the school in their children’s education. Meaningful involvement of parents and support from the school community is essential and required.
All students should have the opportunity, instruction, guidance, and support necessary to succeed in school and maximize their individual academic, social, and emotional potential.
Students are active participants at the center of the learning process, in an environment that encourages them to experiment, take risks and pursue their dreams.
Students in smaller classes perform better in all subjects and on all assessment when compared to their peers in larger classes. Small classes involve students, encourage their participation and it allows teachers to know their students well to guide their growth and development. Small class size fosters sharing, empathy and teamwork.
While academic excellence will always be an essential goal of the BFIS program, the school’s purpose is bigger than that. Academic excellence is necessary but not sufficient. At BFIS we believe in the development and education of the whole child. Intellectual growth is complemented by opportunities for students to develop socially, emotionally, physically, and creatively as well: Community service, leadership opportunities, student’s clubs, after-school program, Junior Achievement, National Honors Society, and a wide array of extra-curricular activities are a meaningful part of the BFIS educational program.
We will enhance students´ opportunities to learn by doing, through opportunities to observe and interact with the local and natural environment and the world of work. Through teamwork and fail forward experiences we will nurture students’ self-esteem and will enhance their confidence to find collaborative solutions to problems faced personally, locally, and globally. We will solidify students’ connection with self, with others and the world around them. Beyond readiness for college and employability in the future, we aspire to develop our students as positive change agents by nurturing a spirit of empathy and adventure, founded in social responsibility to make the world a better place.
Our teachers employ a variety of instructional strategies to meet the needs of all learners and to place the student at the center of learning. We believe that to meet the needs of all learners, we must differentiate instruction.
21st century curriculum standards call for new and different ways of teaching and learning. At BFIS, these include Project Based Learning (PBL), experiential learning, and technology integration.
Through an inquiry-based approach we encourage and support students to be curious, independent learners who pursue their passions and understand the beauty and power of knowledge.
At BFIS the ratio teacher student is approximately 1:6 and class size remain small with 15 to 18 students per classroom.
Our intention is to deliver a guaranteed and viable curriculum that is based on agreed upon curriculum standards. To do this, our teachers engage in continuous review of the curriculum through a formal curriculum review process to revise and/or create rigorous units of study that require students to apply 21st century skills.
We aim to engage and empower our students with the creative and innovative skills and dispositions to solve real-world challenges. Our vision is to enhance students' chances to do and learn in context and to create space for students to imagine new realities. Beyond readiness for college and employability in the future, we aspire to develop our students as positive change agents by nurturing a spirit of entrepreneurship, founded in social responsibility to make the world a better place.
Since 2013 (BFIS first IB cohort), our graduates have been attaining excellent IB results and have succeeded in securing places at an impressive range of colleges and universities across the world. During the last five years 98% of our graduates have succeded in obtaining the IB Diploma with an average score between 34 and 36 points.
The students leave us with impressive results that have gained them entry into a range of competitive colleges and universities in the UK, US, Spain, and other countries in both hemispheres: List of university acceptances
Success for all students
Every student is different. Some excel in science, some in languages, some in math, some in the art studio, some on the playing field, and some on the stage. At Benjamin Franklin International School we believe that it is our obligation to create an environment in which every student has the opportunity and support to discover their interests, pursue their passion, and develop the skills and knowledge they need to thrive. Our successful IB results and university acceptances from all over the world are the living proof of BFIS delivering its mission of success for all students.
Graduate profile
Graduate profiles are descriptions of attributes, or knowledge, skills, and attitudes, which the school community intends its graduates will develop through their study to equip them for their future education or employment.
As an International American school, our aim is that our graduates are well-rounded and globally minded individuals who are contributing members of our society.
