Aloha College

by Susan Robson
(Marbella)

Aloha College was founded in 1982 by six teachers, at the behest of local and expatriate families, who invested their own money in what was then and is to this day a not-for-profit-making project. It has grown from the 210 pupils of then to 770 currently and from one small building which housed everyone to the present 30,000 m2 of buildings and sport/recreational areas.

At Aloha College we teach the English National Curriculum until the age of 16, when the children take their IGCSE examinations with the Cambridge International Board. For the last 2, pre-university years, we offer the International Baccalaureate Programme (since 1990) and the A levels (since 2012). This opens doors for the children at prestigious universities in the UK, Spain, rest of Europe, and North America.
From Year 1 upwards we have a 3-form intake, i.e. a maximum of 60 children in 3 classes. In Secondary we have a maximum of 80 children in 4 classes. We are a not-for-profit-making Foundation, and our statutes do not allow us to have more than 20 children in a class, although in practice the average is 17-18. (In the IB classes there is a maximum of 12 and an average of 8). All the children's classes are in English, although they have about 7 lessons a week in Spanish for their Spanish Language and Culture.
In Primary school children are regularly assessed from entry, so we can be sure they are covering the curriculum to the very best of their ability. There is still plenty of time for fun, though, as the first thing we must achieve is that children come to school happily, which they do.
In Secondary school children are regularly tested with the PCT's (Progress Check Tests) and, in Year 9, with the Cambridge Checkpoint exams. These make sure the children are on target for their IGCSE's.
School starts at 9 am and finishes at 15.50, except for those days when the children have after-school activities until 17.00 (and later if they have League football or basketball). There is also a breakfast club from 8.15. In the activities programme we offer creative, sporting and academic activities, most of which involve no extra cost for parents.
Each week in Primary we celebrate the children’s achievements in an assembly – they are congratulated not only for their academic progress but also for their acts of kindness towards their colleagues or for being ambassadors of Aloha outside school.
In Secondary there are also assemblies to which parents are invited, although some are directed particularly at the children with interactive sessions which help to put points over.
We have 45 nationalities in Aloha College, over half being made up of UK and Spanish.
Our Foundation status means that all surplus is reinvested in the school, there is no owner who takes away part of the profits. These are entirely dedicated to improving the facilities and resources for the children.
Children have a hot lunch in school, although they may bring packed lunch if they prefer. We give Primary children fruit or milk in the morning and afternoon breaks.
There is a bus from Estepona to the west and Fuengirola to the east.
Further information is available on our website, but please do not hesitate to contact the Registrar with any further queries you may have.
Aloha College: Purpose and goals
• The primary aims of Aloha College are to enlarge each student’s knowledge, experience and imagination and to enable him or her to develop a set of moral principles, within a spirit of international understanding and interchange.
• Academically we aim to enable students to achieve the best results they are capable of so they can choose which is to be their path in life.
• Our teaching methods encourage students to discover, to create, to think for themselves and to seek their own answers to the challenges of an ever-changing world.
Values
• The student code of conduct is based on the values of respect for others, oneself, for property and for the environment.
• Students come from a wide range of backgrounds and cultures, and friendships are forged which last a lifetime and promote tolerance and understanding worldwide. Nationality, race or religion are no longer an issue.


Address: Urb. El Angel s/n, Nueva Andalucia, 29660 Marbella
Tel: +34 95 281 4133
Email: via website, www.aloha-college.com