Head of School Welcome
Welcome to Benjamin Franklin International School.
Whether you’re already part of our community, considering making BFIS your home, or simply discovering who we are, I’m grateful you’re here.
BFIS began 36 years ago with a bold purpose: to provide an accessible, high-quality American education to the international families of Barcelona. Today, we are a globally minded community shaped by over 60 nationalities, perspectives, and lived experiences, each contributing to our shared story.
We are fully accredited by the Middle States Association, follow the standards of the Council of International Schools, and are an IB Middle Years Programme candidate school. All students have open access to the full IB Diploma Programme, and many also graduate with the Spanish Bachillerato. We’re a small school with a global lens, academically ambitious, community-rooted, and committed to helping every student grow in knowledge, character, and purpose.
We believe that belonging is the foundation of learning. When students feel safe, seen, and valued for who they are, they thrive. Our teachers foster a culture where joy is intentional because it lives in curiosity, in courage and in connection. It grows in the freedom to explore, to fail forward, and to try again. And it deepens with gratitude, with service, and with the quiet practice of noticing the good - in ourselves, in each other, and in the world.
Learning here isn’t just about solving problems, but re-imagining what’s possible.
We encourage students to ask the “ungoogleable” questions- the ones that spark wonder and lead to real inquiry. Above all, we want our students to use their voices, hands, and hearts to help create the kind of world we all deserve to live in -one filled with hope, compassion and purpose. We nurture their agency through innovation, entrepreneurship, and the confidence to take thoughtful risks because learning here isn’t just about solving problems, but re-imagining what’s possible.
At BFIS, we believe all students can achieve great things. We guide them to become global citizens - young people who lead with empathy, embrace complexity, and act with the cultural fluency and purpose needed to make a difference.
I invite you to visit us, to walk our campus, meet our students and educators, and feel the spirit of joy, belonging, and possibility that makes BFIS such an extraordinary place to grow.
Lila Jorge
Head of School
Benjamin Franklin International School
International and American Curriculum
BFIS is a non-profit international school in Barcelona, educating students aged 3-18 through an American and International curriculum. With around 700 students and 100 teachers from over 60 nationalities, we offer an English-language education that consistently leads to excellent IB results and acceptances to top universities worldwide.
Graduate Profile
At BFIS, our graduates are more than academically prepared — they are confident and future-ready individuals. Grounded in our core values, they leave our school equipped with the skills to think critically, communicate effectively, and lead with integrity. As lifelong learners and responsible global citizens, our students are prepared to make a positive impact in their communities and thrive in an ever-changing world.
Mission
At BFIS, we guide creative, curious, and joyful learners to imagine and shape a more just and sustainable future.
Stimulate creativity and curiosity
We nurture curiosity by encouraging students to ask bold questions, follow their wonder, and explore ideas that matter. Learning becomes a journey of discovery, where imagination drives innovation, and students learn to envision new realities, even where the world sees none.
Build a sense of community
We build a community where belonging is felt, not just spoken. Through empathy, trust, and shared purpose, students learn to walk alongside others, to see through different eyes, and to carry each other with compassion. As they explore the richness of our diverse, interconnected world, they discover that connection is strength, perspective is power, and that we go further together.
Create Future Ready Learners
We help students become the kind of thinkers, makers, and leaders the future needs - curious, capable, and ready to engage with the world. With their hearts, voices, and hands, they are ready to lead and to shape the world with purpose, creativity, and courage.
Inspire Joy
Joy is more than a feeling, it’s the heartbeat of our school. It lives in curiosity, in courage, in connection. It grows in the freedom to play, to wonder, to try again. And it deepens with gratitude with the quiet practice of noticing the good, in ourselves, in each other, and in the world. At BFIS, we nurture joy so that learning feels alive and students carry that light with them, wherever they go.
Values
Adaptability
Welcoming challenges as opportunities for growth, learning and reflection. It means being able to handle change or new situations easily.
Integrity
Doing the right thing, even when no one is looking.
Respect
The practice of recognizing and honoring another's inherent worth. Understanding others and recognizing their value. Being kind and inclusive to ourselves, others and the environment.
Responsibility
Taking ownership of the impact of our actions.
Curiosity
Exploring with an open mind and heart means being excited to ask questions and discover.
Joy
A deep sense of gratitude, connection and belonging. It is looking for the goodness in things.