Sek International School Atlantico Pontevedra

Educational Philosophy

SEK International School Atlántico is built around a vision of transformational education — one that does not merely transmit knowledge but actively shapes how young people think, collaborate, and engage with the world. The school's approach is explicitly anchored in three intersecting pillars: internationalism, bilingualism, and STEAM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts, and Mathematics).

The IB Continuum as a Framework

The school is one of the few in Galicia — and indeed among a select group in Spain — to offer the complete International Baccalaureate continuum: the Primary Years Programme (PYP) from nursery through Year 6, the Middle Years Programme (MYP) through Year 11, and the Diploma Programme (DP) for the final two years of secondary school. This continuity means students move through a coherent inquiry-based framework from as early as four months of age through to 18, without disruption in pedagogical philosophy.

Alongside IB, students also follow the Spanish national curriculum, enabling them to sit the ABAU (Selectividad) university entrance examination and receive a Bachillerato qualification that opens doors to Spanish universities — in addition to the internationally recognised IB Diploma.

Personalized and Student-Centered Learning

SEK Atlántico's classrooms are designed as flexible, collaborative spaces where students take ownership of their learning. Teachers act as facilitators rather than lecturers, guiding students to construct their own understanding through inquiry, experimentation, and reflection. This is supported by purpose-built maker/innovation rooms with 3D printers and robotics equipment, science labs, and technology-integrated classrooms.

The school also places strong emphasis on emotional well-being and personal development, recognizing that academic excellence must go hand-in-hand with psychological resilience. Two dedicated educational psychologists — one for Infant and Primary, one for Secondary — provide ongoing support, and the curriculum integrates social-emotional learning across all year groups.

Technology and Innovation

SEK Atlántico has been recognized as a Microsoft Showcase School for six consecutive years (2018–2023), the highest recognition Microsoft awards to schools for innovative technology integration. Students in secondary use personal devices (BYOD programme), and digital literacy is woven throughout all subject areas.

Language and Internationalism

The school's bilingual model immerses students in English and Spanish from their earliest years, with Galician added as a compulsory regional language from Year 3 and French offered as a foreign language from Year 3 onward. Students are prepared for Cambridge international examinations from Year 2, alongside Spanish and IB assessments. This multilingual environment, combined with a student body drawn from 18 nationalities, cultivates a genuinely international outlook.

The school has also been designated a UNICEF Reference Centre for Children's Rights and Global Citizenship, reflecting its commitment to education that extends beyond the classroom into active, responsible global participation.

Academic Culture and Results

SEK Atlántico has established itself as one of the highest-performing international schools in northwest Spain, with a track record of outstanding results across the IB Diploma Programme and the Spanish Bachillerato.

IB Diploma Performance

The school's IB Diploma results have attracted significant attention. In 2022, two students achieved the maximum score of 45 points, with a class average of approximately 35 — well above the global IB average of around 30. In 2025, the cohort again produced exceptional results, with one student scoring 44 and another scoring 45. These results have consistently placed SEK Atlántico in the top tier of IB schools in Spain and have been cited in the school director's annual communication as evidence of the school's academic ambitions.

Spanish Bachillerato (ABAU/Selectividad)

For students pursuing the Spanish university entrance pathway, results are equally strong. In the class of 2023, approximately 20% of students achieved a score of 9.0 or above (out of 10) in the ABAU examination — significantly above the national average. The school has also produced multiple winners of Galicia's Premio Extraordinario de Bachillerato (extraordinary prize for top Bachillerato graduates), a highly competitive regional honour. A student also won the Premio Extraordinario de ESO in 2024, recognizing outstanding performance at the end of lower secondary.

University Progression

Perhaps the most striking headline statistic is that 98–100% of SEK Atlántico graduates proceed to university or higher education. While the school does not publish a detailed breakdown of destinations, this near-universal rate reflects both the rigour of the dual IB/Bachillerato preparation and the academic culture the school has built over more than three decades.

Rankings and Recognition

The school's academic strength has been recognised externally on multiple occasions:

• Named best private school in the province of Pontevedra by the Micole school ranking in 2021
• Awarded "Mejor colegio de Pontevedra" (Best school in Pontevedra) by Forbes in 2024
• Listed among the top 10 private schools in Spain by El Español in 2026

These recognitions reinforce the school's position not just as a local leader but as a nationally respected institution.

Assessment Philosophy

Assessment at SEK Atlántico is multi-layered: students engage with Cambridge international examinations from Year 2, IB internal and external assessments throughout MYP and DP, and Spanish national examinations at key transition points. This breadth ensures students are well-prepared for university admission processes in Spain, the UK, and internationally.

Campus Life and Facilities

SEK International School Atlántico occupies a purpose-built campus in Poio, a municipality on the Ría de Pontevedra in Galicia, approximately 20 km north of Vigo. The setting — surrounded by the natural beauty of the Galician coastline — contributes to an atmosphere that is both academically stimulating and grounded in a sense of place.

Learning Spaces

The campus has been designed to support the school's inquiry-based, technology-integrated pedagogy. Key academic facilities include:

• A fully-stocked library for research and independent reading
• A maker/innovation room equipped with 3D printers, robotics kits and flexible collaborative furniture
• Science laboratories for chemistry, biology and physics with digital equipment
• Music and art studios for creative practice
• A film/media room with audio-visual production equipment
• A psychomotricity room for physical and motor development in early years
• Technology-integrated classrooms with smartboards and BYOD infrastructure in secondary

Sports and Physical Education

Physical activity is well-supported. The campus includes:

• A full-size indoor sports centre and gymnasium with basketball and volleyball courts
• Outdoor courts for basketball, tennis and volleyball
• An outdoor football (soccer) pitch
• Green areas and playgrounds for recreational play

The school offers an extensive extracurricular sports programme including football, basketball, volleyball, fencing, paddle tennis, swimming, gymnastics, figure skating, and athletics, among others.

Dining and Pastoral Spaces

A campus cafeteria with an ISO 9002-certified kitchen provides hot lunches and snacks daily, with provisions for special dietary requirements. Supervised before- and after-school care is also available.

Connectivity and Transport

Given its location outside the city centre, transport logistics are a practical consideration for families. The school addresses this with an impressive 12-route school bus network covering Pontevedra, Vigo, Cangas, Moaña, O Grove, Sanxenxo, Cambados, Vilagarcía de Arousa, Redondela, and Bueu — making the campus accessible from a wide catchment area across the Rías Baixas region. Pontevedra's main rail and bus station is approximately 10 km away, and Vigo-Peinador International Airport is around 28 km by road.

Admissions Culture and Process

SEK International School Atlántico operates a rolling admissions process, accepting applications throughout the year for students aged from 4 months (Nursery 1) through to 18 (IB Diploma Year 2). While there is no fixed application deadline, places in each year group are limited, and a waitlist is maintained when cohorts are full.

How to Apply

All applications are submitted through the school's MySEK online portal. Required documents include:

• Identity documents for both parents and the child
• Birth certificate
• Most recent school reports (past two years)

Once documents are received, the Admissions Committee reviews the application and schedules the appropriate assessment.

Assessment by Age Group

SEK Atlántico takes a developmentally appropriate approach to admissions assessment:

Nursery (0–3 years): No formal academic assessment. Families attend a brief parent-teacher interview and an observation session with the child present. The focus is on developmental readiness and family fit with the school's ethos.

Infant and Primary (Years 1–6): Applicants complete curricular competence tests in Spanish and English, assessing language and mathematical ability relative to their year group. A family interview is also conducted.

Secondary (Years 7–11, MYP): Students sit entrance tests in Spanish, English and Mathematics, alongside an individual student interview that explores academic interests, motivation and aspirations. Previous school records and teacher references are considered.

IB Diploma (Years 12–13): The admissions evaluation for DP candidates includes assessment of prior academic performance (Bachillerato/Year 11 results) and an interview focused on the student's subject choices, goals and readiness for the rigour of the IB Diploma. This is also the entry point for the SEK Excellence Scholarship.

Scholarships at Entry

SEK Atlántico offers several scholarships managed through the SEK Education Group's Felipe Segovia Foundation. These include the SEK Excellence Scholarship (merit-based, for IB Diploma entrants), scholarships for sports performance, and the Felipe Segovia Award for the top-performing DP graduate. Scholarship applications are typically reviewed each spring.

Selectivity and Waitlists

While specific acceptance rates are not published, the school describes its process as having "distinct admission criteria" and explicitly acknowledges limited places — suggesting a moderately selective intake. Families are advised to apply early, particularly for popular year groups.

History and Evolution

SEK International School Atlántico has its roots in the broader SEK Education Group, one of Spain's most established private international school networks with schools across Spain and abroad. When SEK Atlántico opened its doors in 1989, it did so as the group's first foray into Galicia, bringing bilingual international education to a region where it had previously been absent.

Early Years

From its founding, the school was conceived as a bilingual (English/Spanish) international school catering to both local Spanish families and the expatriate community in the Rías Baixas area. It offered education from early childhood through to the Spanish Bachillerato, providing a pathway to university within the Spanish system while maintaining a distinctly international character.

IB Authorization and Expansion

The most significant transformation in the school's recent history was its authorization as an IB World School. The Diploma Programme was authorized in December 2012, positioning the school as one of the first in Galicia to offer the internationally recognised IB Diploma. This was followed by:

• Middle Years Programme (MYP) authorization in December 2013
• Primary Years Programme (PYP) authorization in January 2016

This phased authorization of the full IB continuum took approximately four years and fundamentally reshaped the school's academic identity, aligning every stage of education — from nursery to Year 13 — within a single coherent inquiry-based philosophy.

Growth and Recognition

Over its three-plus decades, SEK Atlántico has grown to serve more than 650 students from 18 nationalities. It has earned a reputation for academic excellence that extends beyond the region:

• 2018–2023: Recognized as a Microsoft Showcase School for six consecutive years
• 2021: Named best private school in Pontevedra province by the Micole national school ranking
• 2024: Awarded "Mejor colegio de Pontevedra" (Best school in Pontevedra) by Forbes
• 2026: Listed among the top 10 private schools in Spain by El Español
• Designated a UNICEF Reference Centre for Children's Rights and Global Citizenship

Leadership

The school is currently led by Director Jacobo Olmedo Suárez-Vence, who has guided the school through its most recent period of growth and recognition. Under his leadership, the school has achieved some of its highest IB scores and national rankings.