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Lighthouse American School

Spain, Madrid

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· Reviewed by · Chief Marketing Officer

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The school at a glance
Instructs in English
Fees €8,900 - 10,500
Ages 3 - 14 years
Pupil numbers 111
Type Co-educational
Opened 2019
Bus Service No
Academic offering
Curriculum IB (PYP), American Curriculum
Taught languages Spanish, Mandarin
Typical class size 12
Strengths Visual and Creative Arts, Languages, Service and Sustainability
Clubs Arts and Creative, Cultural and Language, Social and Hobbies
Stages Early Years, Primary School, Middle School
Introduction

Located in Madrid, Lighthouse American School serves ages 3 to 12 as an international school delivering both the International Baccalaureate Primary Years Programme (PYP) and the American Curriculum. Instruction is in English; Spanish is taught as a second language and Chinese starts in the third year of elementary. All teachers are American and hold accreditation from US universities, with ongoing professional development. Lighthouse is NEASC-accredited and is a Candidate School for the IB Primary Years Programme, with CAM validation enabling study in Spanish universities and NEASC accreditation supporting access to American universities. The campus spans about 4,250 square metres and class sizes are capped at 18 students, enabling small-group learning and strong teacher–student interaction. The program emphasizes inquiry-based, transdisciplinary projects that foster creativity, complex problem solving, critical thinking, social-emotional learning and values. Founded in 2019 by Irene Márquez, the school also runs community service projects and a broad after-school program.

Cam. de la Zarzuela, 42, Moncloa - Aravaca, 28023 Madrid, Spain

The Essentials

Lighthouse American School has 111 pupils, typical class sizes of 12, instruction in English.

Location
Madrid, Spain. Camino de la Zarzuela, 42, 28023 Madrid.

Stages
Primary Years Programme (PYP).

Type
International school (IB World School) in Madrid.

Pupil Nationality Mix
Diversity of nationalities; students from multiple countries and cultures.

Additional learning support
Psycho-pedagogical care and emotional intelligence support; personalized follow-ups.

Country affiliation
Affiliation with the United States (American School) and NEASC accreditation.
Diving Deeper

Food Options
Lunch is designed in-house by a professional kitchen team; all food is homemade and natural, without ultra-processed products. The menu includes traditional Spanish dishes, with grilled or steamed options.
Fees

Annual tuition at Lighthouse American School ranges from EUR 8,900 to EUR 10,500 for 2026/27.

Application / Registration fees

- One-time registration fee for new families: EUR 1,500.
- Reservation fee for continuing Lighthouse students: 50% of one monthly tuition payment; this amount is deducted from the September tuition.

Tuition fees by year group (per month and per academic year)

- Pre‑School / Kindergarten (Kindergarten 1–3, ages 3–5): EUR 890 per month (billed September–June); equivalent annual tuition EUR 8,900.
- Elementary (Grades 1–5, ages 6–10): EUR 980 per month (billed September–June); equivalent annual tuition EUR 9,800.
- Middle School (Grades 6–8, ages 11–13): EUR 1,050 per month (billed September–June); equivalent annual tuition EUR 10,500.

Billing schedule and payment terms

- Standard billing cadence: monthly billing over ten months (September through June). Monthly amounts are shown above; annual tuition equals the monthly amount × 10.
- Reservation fee for current students equals 50% of one monthly fee and is deducted from the September payment.
- An early‑payment discount applies when the full annual tuition is paid by the specified early deadline (example shown: a 3% discount for full payment by July 2025).

Boarding fees

- Boarding is not applicable; the school operates as a day school for ages 3–14 (no boarding program listed).

Other costs and recurring extras

- Meals (morning snack and lunch): EUR 195 per month, billed September–June (meal plan covers the school year months).
- Uniform: a uniform is required; a specific uniform cost is not published in the available fee information.
- Sibling discounts: third enrolled child receives a 30% discount; fourth child receives a 65% discount (specific terms shown in published fee information).
- Special arrangements: families who must be absent for extended periods may be eligible for reduced tuition (half price in qualifying circumstances as published).

Refunds and cancellation

- The publicly available fee schedule lists registration, reservation and tuition amounts and an early‑payment discount, but it does not publish full detailed refund or cancellation terms in the material found. Specific refund policies for registration, reservation or tuition were not available in the publicly posted fee summary.

Fee payment options

- The fee schedule includes monthly billing and an early‑payment in‑full option, but form(s) of payment (for example: bank transfer, direct debit, credit card or other accepted payment methods) are not specified in the publicly available fee summary. Payment method details must be confirmed directly with the school.

Concise summary of the key figures (academic year shown in published schedule)

- Registration (new families): EUR 1,500.
- Monthly tuition (Sep–Jun): Pre‑School EUR 890; Elementary EUR 980; Middle School EUR 1,050. Equivalent annual tuitions: EUR 8,900; EUR 9,800; EUR 10,500 respectively.
- Meals: EUR 195 per month (Sep–Jun).
- Sibling discounts: 3rd child −30%; 4th child −65%.

Note on availability of further detail

- Published fee documents used for this overview include a school fee schedule for the 2025–2026 academic year that lists the items above (monthly and annual tuition amounts, registration fee, reservation fee, meal cost, sibling discounts and the early‑payment discount). The publicly available fee material does not publish full technical details for refunds, explicit wording of cancellation penalties, or the list of accepted payment methods; those items were not present in the fee summary located during this review.
Academics

Lighthouse American School teaches IB (PYP), American Curriculum for students aged 3 to 14.

Curriculum
Day-to-day life at Lighthouse is conducted in English, with Spanish treated as a second language given special attention. Starting in the third year of elementary, students learn Chinese as a third language. All teachers are American and are accredited by US universities and receive ongoing training. Lighthouse is NEASC-accredited and is a Candidate School for the International Baccalaureate Primary Years Programme (PYP). The campus spans about 4,250 square meters and classes are capped at 18 students, enabling small-group learning and strong teacher–student interaction. The curricular emphasis includes creativity, innovation, complex problem solving, critical thinking, social-emotional intelligence and values; students have opportunities to study in Spain with CAM validation and can pursue American universities through NEASC accreditation.

Higher Education Progression
Spanish universities are accessible via CAM validation, and U.S. universities are accessible through NEASC accreditation. Lighthouse is a Candidate School for the PYP program, enabling study in about 50 OECD countries.
Wellbeing

Social and Emotional Learning (SEL)
Day-to-day life at Lighthouse is conducted in English. All teachers are American, accredited by US universities and receive ongoing training. Spanish is treated as more than a second language, with special attention. Starting in the 3rd year of elementary, Chinese is taught as a third language. A committee of experts advises on topics including health and nutrition, emotional intelligence, psychological well-being, sport, and art to ensure a high-quality standard.

Mental Wellbeing
Emotional intelligence is a focus of the Continuous Training Plan. Psychological well-being is a focus of the expert advisory committee within the plan. The plan also covers health and nutrition, sport, and art. Continuous training ensures teachers stay up to date with pedagogical innovations and educational trends to support wellbeing.
Parent Experience

History
Founded in 2019, Lighthouse American School began as a project envisioned by a group of passionate educators who sought to rethink learning. They valued recognizing each child's unique learning style and created a warm, thriving environment where students and faculty can flourish together. Central to Lighthouse's approach is the International Baccalaureate framework with inquiry-based learning, and the school engages in community service projects to connect learning with real-world impact. In about five years, Lighthouse earned accreditation from the NEASC and the International Baccalaureate Organization. Irene Márquez is the founder and CEO of Lighthouse American School.

Community
The school calendar is designed to adapt to families, with extended morning and afternoon hours, open during most school holidays at no extra cost, and with after-school programs and summer camps. School celebrations are scheduled in the afternoons, on Fridays, or Saturday mornings so parents can attend. Class and cycle-level assemblies promote emotional intelligence and a sense of belonging, and the school provides psycho-pedagogical care and clear policies to support students. Learning spaces are designed to be flexible, with classrooms that can be rearranged quickly to suit what is being learned, complemented by a range of extracurricular activities and clear routines to support daily life.
Facilities

Facilities Overview
Day-to-day life at Lighthouse American School Madrid is conducted in English. All teachers are American, accredited by US universities and receive ongoing training. Spanish is treated as more than a second language, and Chinese is taught as a third language beginning in the third year of elementary. The school is NEASC-accredited and follows the IB Primary Years Programme, with CAM validation enabling study in Spanish universities and NEASC enabling access to American universities. Technology supports learning by creating collaborative learning environments and by enabling parents to monitor daily progress.

Academic Facilities
Day-to-day life at Lighthouse is conducted in English, and teachers are American and accredited by US universities with ongoing professional development. The school uses technology to create collaborative learning environments and to help parents follow daily progress. It is NEASC-accredited and offers the IB Primary Years Programme (PYP), providing recognition that supports study in many OECD countries. CAM validation allows study at Spanish universities, and NEASC accreditation supports access to American universities. Spanish is enhanced as a core language program, with Chinese added as a third language from the third year of elementary.

Extra Curricular Facilities
Extracurricular activities include after-school programs such as Elementary Drama Club (Mon) and Yearbook Club (Mon); Basketball (A on Tue, B on Thu); Chinese (Tue); Cheerleading (Wed); Yoga (Wed); Mythology (Thu); Martial Arts (A on Mon, B on Fri); Parkour (A on Thu, B Tue). Kindergarten programs include Yoga and Mindfulness (Mon); Mini Chefs (Tue); Cheerleading (Wed); Mini Tennis (Thu); Creative Dance (Thu). These activities are available to Elementary and Kindergarten students.
Extra-Curricular Activities

Academic & Intellectual
The school follows the International Baccalaureate Primary Years Programme (PYP). It is NEASC-accredited. Day-to-day life is conducted in English, and all teachers are American. Starting in the 3rd year of elementary, Chinese is taught as a third language. The program emphasizes transdisciplinary projects and inquiry-based learning that build critical thinking and problem-solving skills.

Arts & Creative
Visual Arts and Music are part of the daily class schedule. The after-school program includes Drama Club, Yearbook Club, and a range of activities such as Basketball, Chinese, Cheerleading, Yoga, Mythology, Martial Arts, Parkour, and Creative Dance for Elementary students. Kindergarten offers Yoga and Mindfulness, Mini Chefs, Cheerleading, Mini Tennis, and Creative Dance.

Cultural & Language
Day-to-day life at Lighthouse is conducted in English, and all teachers are American and receive ongoing training. Spanish is treated as more than a second language, with special emphasis. From the third year of elementary, Chinese is taught as a third language. Students share class with peers from many countries and cultures.

Social & Hobbies
Elementary and Kindergarten offer a broad after-school program with clubs and activities. Elementary clubs include Drama Club (Monday), Yearbook Club (Monday), Basketball (A – Tuesday, B – Thursday), Chinese (Tuesday), Cheerleading (Wednesday), Yoga (Wednesday), Mythology (Thursday), Martial Arts (A – Monday, B – Friday), Parkour (A – Thursday, B – Tuesday), and Creative Dance (Thursday). Kindergarten offers Yoga and Mindfulness (Monday), Mini Chefs (Tuesday), Cheerleading (Wednesday), Mini Tennis (Thursday), and Creative Dance (Thursday).

Community & Service
The school undertakes community involvement and service initiatives. Community service projects include food drives, shelter volunteering, and environmental initiatives.

Leadership & Professional
Leadership and professional skills are developed through autonomy, creativity, and problem-solving, preparing students to face unknown challenges.

Lifestyle & Wellbeing
Health and wellbeing are prioritized: classrooms have natural light and ergonomic seating, and menus are prepared in-house with fresh, traditional dishes and healthy snacks. Students participate in after-school activities and sports, and physical activity is emphasized as part of daily life.
Languages

Language Provision
The school teaches in English. All teachers are American, accredited by US universities and receive ongoing training. Spanish is given special attention as a second language. Starting in the 3rd year of elementary, Chinese is taught as a third language.
School Events
The school has not added events
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