Gresol International-American School vs Synergy International Christian School
Gresol International-American School and Synergy International Christian School are both in Barcelona, about 11 km apart. Both schools offer American programmes. Gresol International-American School also offers IB, and Synergy International Christian School also offers Christian. Published annual fees are close, at €0 for Gresol International-American School and €0 for Synergy International Christian School. Gresol International-American School takes pupils from 1 to 18, and Synergy International Christian School from 3 to 18. Gresol International-American School is the larger school, with around 230 pupils to Synergy International Christian School's 60. Both keep typical class sizes around 15.
Terrassa, near Barcelona (about 30 minutes from central Barcelona). The facilities are in a natural setting near La Mola, Terrassa, with mountain and forest views. The campus is located on the Ctra. Sabadell a Matadepera, km. 6.
Location
C. Salcillo 6-8, Bellaterra, Cerdanyola del Valles, Barcelona, Spain
Stages
Stages
Ages from 1 year old through Grade 12 (IB Diploma).
Stages
Pre-school, Kindergarten, Primary, and Secondary (ages 3-18)
School type
School type
Private day school; international American school; secular.
School type
Private North American international Christian school; trilingual
Pupil nationality mix
Pupil nationality mix
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Pupil nationality mix
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Additional learning support
Additional learning support
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Additional learning support
Inclusion and attention to educational diversity; smaller class sizes (one class per grade); individualized attention
Country affiliation
Country affiliation
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Country affiliation
American
Religious affiliation
Religious affiliation
Secular
Religious affiliation
Protestant Christian
School day structure
School day structure
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School day structure
Compressed school day with smaller classes and after-school activities
Bus service details
Bus service details
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Bus service details
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Fees
Fees
Fee details
Fee details
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Fee details
Application / Enrollment fee
- Enrollment fee: EUR 375, payable once per school year.
Tuition fees (by year group)
- Kindergarten (ages 3–5): Tuition total per school year EUR 4,728. Standard payment schedule: 12 monthly payments of EUR 394. The enrollment fee above is charged in addition to tuition.
- Grades 1–6: Tuition total per school year EUR 4,728. Standard payment schedule: 12 monthly payments of EUR 394. The enrollment fee above is charged in addition to tuition.
- Grades 7–12: Tuition total per school year EUR 4,728. Standard payment schedule: 12 monthly payments of EUR 394. The enrollment fee above is charged in addition to tuition.
Billing schedule and payment terms
- Enrollment fee: single payment per school year (EUR 375). Tuition: billed on a 12-month schedule as 12 equal monthly payments of EUR 394, totaling EUR 4,728 per academic year.
- Sibling discount: 10% discount applies for additional students from the same family.
- Yearly costs for books and learning materials are assessed separately and communicated each school year. Specific fees for outings, bus transport, and similar items are charged as applicable and are communicated when required.
Boarding fees
- Boarding is not offered; there are no boarding fees applicable. The school operates as a day school with optional after-school activities.
Other costs and fees
- Books and materials: annual cost to be communicated each school year.
- Outings, bus, and similar specific fees: charged as applicable and communicated to families when arranged.
- Uniforms: no fixed uniform fee is listed among the published school charges.
Refund information
- No separate refund policy is published alongside the fee schedule. General legal notices govern the institution.
Fee payment options
- Accepted payment methods (credit card, bank transfer, direct debit, online payment processors, etc.) are not specified in the published fee schedule. Payment arrangements and accepted methods are handled through the school's finance office.
Diving deeper
Diving deeper
Boarding arrangements
Boarding arrangements
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Boarding arrangements
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Uniform requirement
Uniform requirement
Main uniform: From PK-3 to 4th ESO: White short sleeve polo shirt; Long sleeve white polo shirt; Blue Bermuda shorts; Blue pants; Blue skirt; Blue stocking and/or sock; School gown; School baseball bag; White Gresol slippers; Gresol backpack (optional). Sports uniform: From PK-3 to 4th ESO: PE tracksuit; White technical T-shirt with short sleeves PE; Navy PE technical shorts; Navy PE technical skirt; White sneakers. The gown is mandatory from PK-2 to G3 and from G4 to G6 in art.
Uniform requirement
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Food options
Food options
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Food options
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House system
House system
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House system
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Governance and ownership
Governance and ownership
Authorized foreign private educational center (Diari Oficial de la Generalitat de Catalunya, codi 08077681). Part of an international platform of projects that expands our vision and internationalizes it. Cognia accreditation.
Governance and ownership
Small non-profit private school established by Connecta Associació Cristiana; property of Connecta Associació Cristiana, located in Bellaterra, Cerdanyola del Vallès, Barcelona, Spain. It is a North American private trilingual Christian school with an international flavor, authorized by the Generalitat de Catalunya Department of Education, accredited by ACSI for K-12, and by MSA for K-12, and a partner school of Resourcing Christian Education International.
Academics
Academics
Curriculum details
Curriculum details
GRESOL International-American School offers an international and American curriculum with 100% English immersion. The school serves Early Years for ages 3–5, Primary for 6–11, Secondary for 12–15, and an International Baccalaureate program for ages 16–18. The Elementary curriculum is aligned with the US Common Core and covers English Language Arts, Visual and Performing Arts, Personal, Social, Emotional and Physical Education, Science, Social Science, and Mathematics. The school offers two diploma tracks: International Baccalaureate and National Baccalaureate. GRESOL is accredited by Cognia and the IB, has a cooperation agreement with PennWest Pennsylvania University, and instruction is in English with Catalan and Spanish taught, plus French and German available.
Curriculum details
The school offers a competency-based academic program that blends U.S. Common Core standards with the basic competencies of Catalonia and Spain. English, Spanish and Catalan are used in trilingual immersion with flexible groups and translanguaging. Reading and narrating with 'Living Books' is an essential method of learning. The pedagogy emphasizes a Biblical worldview, with the Charlotte Mason approach informing teaching. Teaching uses varied methodologies, including teacher-guided projects, cross-subject projects, self-paced online platforms, STEAM projects, and outdoor learning. Class sizes are small, with reduced groups and a maximum of 15 students.
Student teacher ratio
Student teacher ratio
Ratio 1:9. Classes are small; maximum 20 students per course.
Student teacher ratio
Reduced groups with a maximum of 15 students. Combined groups across grades foster collaborative learning.
Exam results
Exam results
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Exam results
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Higher education progression
Higher education progression
IB Diploma Programme provides direct access to most universities worldwide without the need for prior official entrance exams.
Higher education progression
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Gifted and talented
Gifted and talented
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Gifted and talented
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Academic calendar
Academic calendar
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Academic calendar
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Wellbeing & support
Wellbeing & support
Social & emotional learning
Social & emotional learning
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Social & emotional learning
Moral training, including emotional education, relational education, and restorative discipline.
Special educational needs (SEN)
Special educational needs (SEN)
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Special educational needs (SEN)
Inclusion and attention to educational needs supported by a psycho-pedagogical guidance team; staff include specialists with Special Education endorsements.
English as an additional language
English as an additional language
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English as an additional language
Trilingual immersion in English, Spanish and Catalan; flexible groupings and translanguaging.
Mental wellbeing
Mental wellbeing
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Mental wellbeing
Emotional education, moral training, relational education, and restorative discipline support students' mental wellbeing.
Safeguarding
Safeguarding
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Safeguarding
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Safeguarding policy
Safeguarding policy
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Safeguarding policy
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Facilities
Facilities
Facilities overview
Facilities overview
GRESOL has first-class facilities in a privileged setting designed to support wellbeing and learning. The campus highlights include a sports area with multiple fields and courts, dynamic classrooms with natural light, and dedicated spaces for arts and media. There is an Arts Zone, a Studio with a television set for digital media in English, and a Knowledge Area multipurpose room for events and exhibitions. A covered inner courtyard provides year-round space for play and collaboration, and there are rest and reflection rooms for staff and students. The school is located between Terrassa and Sabadell, surrounded by nature and with on-site parking.
Facilities overview
The school is located in Bellaterra, Cerdanyola del Vallès, Barcelona. It is a small, non-profit North American private trilingual Christian school with an international flavor. Pre-school through secondary education is offered. Class sizes are reduced, with one class per grade and a maximum of 15 students. The compressed school schedule includes the option of after-school activities. It maintains a Protestant worldview.
Sports facilities
Sports facilities
Sports facilities include a seven-a-side soccer field, a five-a-side soccer field, a baseball field, two basketball courts, a gym, a fronton, and a ping-pong area. The swimming pool is part of the facilities, and the youngest children learn swimming at Atlètic Terrassa Hockey Club as a compulsory subject in the first years. GRESOL is surrounded by great sports clubs with which it has agreements.
Sports facilities
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Academic facilities
Academic facilities
Dynamic classrooms with natural light support the learning environment, and desks can be rearranged to suit group work. There is an Arts Zone and a Studio/ set with a television to develop creativity and digital media in English. The Knowledge Area is a multipurpose room in the center of the building for events, celebrations, exhibitions and large meetings. A covered inner courtyard provides an indoor space for play and collaboration, and there are rest and reflection rooms for teachers and students.
Academic facilities
Trilingual immersion uses English, Spanish and Catalan. Flexible groups and translanguaging. Technology is used as a learning tool. The program blends U.S. common core standards with the basic competencies of Catalonia and Spain. Continuous, formative and competency-based assessment supports learning and active pedagogy, including outdoor learning. Inclusion and attention to diversity in educational needs, collaborative teaching, and personalized teaching accompany reduced groups (maximum 15 students).
Extra curricular facilities
Extra curricular facilities
GRESOL offers an after-school program with a wide variety of activities during school hours, serving kindergarten to high school. Sports include Baseball, Field hockey, Soccer, Volleyball, Basketball, Tennis, Figure skating, Artistic gymnastics. Music offerings include ABRSM Preparation, COMBO, and instrument classes (Piano, Viola, Violin). Languages: English, Spanish and Catalan during school years; French is introduced in the second cycle of primary, with German and Chinese options. Other activities include Space Techies (coding with LEGO robotics and SCRATCH JR), Reading Club for secondary and high school, and Theater Club for Primary, Secondary and High School. Is swimming an extracurricular activity? No; it is part of the physical education course.
Extra curricular facilities
After-school activities are available.
Parent experience
Parent experience
History
History
The dream began in the summer of 2016 when GRESOL International American School was born. In July 2016 the former Gresol school was purchased by a private Spanish group with extensive experience in the education sector to convert a traditional school into one of the international private schools of reference. GRESOL International American School was born. In 2019 GRESOL became an authorized IB World School for the Diploma Program. Cognia accreditation followed on February 10, 2020, and in the same year GRESOL was accredited as an Oxford Center to administer the Oxford Test of English. In 2021 the first IB Diploma Program graduating class completed. In 2025 it was recognized as one of the best schools by Micole. The school is located in Terrassa, near Barcelona, at the Road from Sabadell to Matadepera, Km6, 08227 Terrassa, Barcelona.
History
The school is a private North American private trilingual Christian school with an international flavor. It was established by Connecta Associcació Cristiana, a non-profit religious association in Barcelona. It is property of Connecta Associcació Cristiana, a non-profit religious association in Barcelona. Pre-school and Kindergarten, primary and secondary; inclusion and attention to educational diversity; reduced groups with one class per grade; compressed school schedule with the option of after school activities; individualized attention with unconditional love and positive encouragement for every student. The school is a member of the Association of Christian Schools International (ACSI) and is Accredited by ACSI for K-12 and by MSA for K-12; it is a partner school of Resourcing Christian Education International.
Community
Community
GRESOL's community life centers on music, sport and a broad after-school program. Music is valued, with instrumental study and preparation for Royal Schools of Music exams and ABRSM, with dedicated coaching. The sports program runs from PK3 to Grade 12 and includes baseball, soccer, volleyball, basketball, tennis, hockey, figure skating and artistic gymnastics, with regular practices and competitions; the GRESOL Rays baseball team competes under the Catalan Baseball Federation, and teams have earned regional championships and a national runner-up finish in volleyball. The extracurricular program covers languages, arts and technology and engages families, with events such as a Soccer for Parents program open to parents and alumni. The campus spans about 3 hectares in Terrassa, in a natural setting.
Community
The school emphasizes teamwork with families to give attention to the whole child in a relaxed family atmosphere. Inclusion and attention to educational diversity are central, with reduced groups and one class per grade and a compressed schedule with after-school activities. It follows a Protestant worldview. The school is located in Bellaterra, Cerdanyola del Valles, Barcelona.
Parent teacher association
Parent teacher association
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Parent teacher association
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Extra-curricular
Extra-curricular
Academic & intellectual
Academic & intellectual
Space Techies teaches coding with LEGO robotics and SCRATCH JR, developing creativity and problem-solving in a technology-rich environment. Reading Club (Secondary and High School) helps students improve reading skills, vocabulary and grammar while broadening cultural knowledge. The club fosters critical thinking and speaking through book discussions. The activities are taught by teachers of the school together with professional specialists.
Academic & intellectual
The school uses a competency-based academic program that blends U.S. Common Core standards with the basic competencies of Catalonia and Spain. It emphasizes continuous formative assessment and active pedagogy, including cross-subject projects and STEAM activities, with teacher-guided instruction and access to self-paced online platforms. The curriculum integrates technology as a learning tool and aims to develop critical and creative thinking within a Biblical worldview. Class sizes are small, with reduced groups (maximum 15 students) and combined grades when appropriate.
Arts & creative
Arts & creative
Music program includes ABRSM preparation, COMBO, and instrument classes (Piano, Viola, Violin). ABRSM preparation trains ear, music theory and exam readiness for the Royal Schools of Music. COMBO offers a modern-music band experience, with instruments like electric guitar, drums, vocals and bass. Instrument classes are available for Piano, Viola and Violin, taught by experienced instructors.
Arts & creative
There is an emphasis on musical, visual and performing arts, integrated as part of the overall learning experience. The pedagogy supports collaboration and varied teaching styles to foster artistic expression.
Cultural & language
Cultural & language
All students work with English, Spanish and Catalan during their school years, with French introduced in the second cycle of primary school. German and Chinese are offered as additional languages for curious students. This language program supports multilingual communication and cultural awareness.
Cultural & language
The school uses English, Spanish and Catalan in trilingual immersion with flexible groups and translanguaging. Reading and narrating back is used as a learning method through living books.
Social & hobbies
Social & hobbies
Space Techies teaches coding; Book Club (Secondary and High School) enhances reading, vocabulary and grammar while expanding cultural horizons; Theater Club (Primary) develops acting, confidence, communication, language development and literacy.
Social & hobbies
The school offers after school activities. Reduced groups and a collaborative, family-oriented atmosphere support social development.
Community & service
Community & service
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Community & service
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Leadership & professional
Leadership & professional
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Leadership & professional
Director - Head of School leads the school; an Assistant Director is on the leadership team. The staff includes a professional school counselor and Bible teachers.
Lifestyle & wellbeing
Lifestyle & wellbeing
The sports program includes Baseball, Field Hockey, Soccer, Volleyball, Basketball, Tennis, Figure Skating, Artistic Gymnastics and Ballet. Trainings are scheduled 1-2 times per week per activity, with games or competitions arranged through local leagues. The program focuses on motor skills, teamwork, discipline and physical wellbeing.
Lifestyle & wellbeing
Attending to spiritual needs and moral development is central. The school operates from a Biblical worldview that informs all academic study and school life. Moral training includes emotional education and values such as love, empathy, truth, and respect, with relational education and restorative discipline. The school emphasizes a family atmosphere and supports social and personal development through small class sizes and collaborative teaching.
Language provision
Language provision
Language provision
Language provision
English is the vehicular language for instruction. Catalan is taught as the language of Catalonia, and Spanish as the language of Spain. French and German are offered as additional languages. The elementary curriculum is aligned with US Common Core, and the school offers Primary and Secondary education with International Baccalaureate as an option.
Language provision
English, Spanish and Catalan are used in instruction. The program is competency-based and blends U.S. Common Core standards with the basic competencies of Catalonia and Spain.
Bilingual teaching
Bilingual teaching
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Bilingual teaching
The school offers trilingual immersion in English, Spanish and Catalan for students aged 3–18. The program uses flexible groups and translanguaging, with reduced class sizes (maximum 15 students).
Immersion programs
Immersion programs
English immersion is the central feature of the educational project, with 100% English language instruction for most subjects. The language of instruction for almost all subjects is English, with mathematics taught in English by a native teacher, and science taught in English. In addition to English, Catalan and Spanish are taught, and French and German are offered as fourth and fifth languages. The school offers the International Baccalaureate and US Common Core standards, and is accredited by COGNIA and IB.
Immersion programs
Trilingual immersion using English, Spanish and Catalan, with flexible groupings and translanguaging.
Reputation
Reputation
Awards
Awards
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Awards
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Accreditations
Accreditations
COGNIA and IB accreditation. The school is accredited by Cognia and by IB (IB World College).
Accreditations
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Admissions
Admissions
Admissions
Admissions
1. Schedule a personalized visit. You can request a personalized visit any day of the year. A Schedule a visit option is available. The visit offers firsthand insight into GRESOL's English immersion, international focus, and campus environment.
2. Attend the visit to learn about the GRESOL program, including 100% English immersion and the International Baccalaureate and National Baccalaureate pathways. Classes are small with a ratio of 1:9 and a maximum of 20 students per course.
3. Complete the admissions inquiry form with student and guardian details. Fields include Student's name, Year of birth, Incorporation Course, School Year (2025-2026, 2026-2027, 2027-2028), Name of parent or guardian, Last name, Phone, Email, and Message. A consent to the privacy policy is required; places are limited and restricted according to the admission process and course.
4. After submitting, follow up via a phone call or online meeting to discuss enrollment. The school provides options to be contacted by phone, schedule a call, or arrange an online meeting for enrollment discussions.
5. Some classes have full seats; check availability urgently. Availability can vary by course and year; early inquiry is advised.
6. Enrollment years offered include 2025-2026, 2026-2027, and 2027-2028.
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Admissions
1. Open enrollment is year round. The school serves students ages 3–18 across preschool, primary, and secondary programs. It is a private North American tri-lingual Christian school in Bellaterra, Barcelona.
2. Open House is offered; you must sign up through the provided form. The event gives prospective families a view of the school and its programs. Sign-up form is forms.gle/1HxS6G1haDPTW489A.
3. Enrollment forms can be requested by email at [email protected]. The enrollment information is available via email.
4. Enrollment is open for the 2025-2026 school year. Open enrollment is ongoing.