What is Gresol International-American School?
It is a secular school with an international and American curriculum, whose educational project starts from the premise of immersion in English. It is a private school with a global vision and multicultural thinking, which promotes knowledge of the arts, sciences, music, and technology. Gresol International-American School is part of an international project platform that expands our vision and internationalizes it. A project strengthened and consolidated thanks to our latest achievements.
We are accredited by COGNIA (AdvancED), the world leader in certification of educational institutions that seek excellence. COGNIA serves more than 36,000 institutions in more than 85 countries around the world, educating more than 25 million students.
Furthermore, we have become the first international school in Spain to sign a cooperation agreement with the Clarion University of Pennsylvania, one of the best universities in education and pedagogy in the United States.
What does total immersion in English mean?
100% English immersion instruction means that the vehicular language of all subjects is English. Logically, at Gresol International-American School, other languages are taught: Catalan as the language of Catalonia, Spanish as the language of the whole of Spain, and French and German as the fourth and fifth languages.
What is the difference between learning English and learning in English?
English, as a foreign language, is taught in all educational centers, both public and subsidized, as well as many elite schools. At Gresol International-American School, English is the vehicular language of all subjects. For example, the math class is taught in English by a native teacher, science classes are also in English, and physical education classes. For our students, English will become the language of daily expression. They will think in English in the same way that, in Catalonia, they already do it in Catalan or Spanish indifferently when they use one language or the other.
What type of Early Childhood and Primary education is taught at Gresol International-American School?
At the earliest ages, students develop their skills as they explore the world around them. We offer activities that encompass all aspects of children’s learning: language and literacy, cognitive and creative skills, performing arts and visual arts, social and emotional development.
In Primary, we encourage students to communicate effectively, to be critical thinkers, to cooperate, and to collaborate constructively in a welcoming environment. We base the educational approach on the idea of student-centered learning, awakening their curious mind. Educational experiences are engaging, relevant, challenging, and meaningful to the school community. In Primary, the curriculum is aligned with the US Common Core and adapted to the needs of our students: English (ELA); Visual and Performing Arts; Personal, social, emotional and physical education; Sciences; Social Sciences; Mathematics.
Is there a 100% English nursery in Terrassa, Sabadell or el Vallès?
Yes, in the center of Terrassa, and it’s called Gresol Kids (www.gresolkids.com). It is our Nursery School, where, from 0 to 3 years old, girls and boys grow up in an immersive environment 100% in English.
At Gresol Kids, we provide the tools for full creative development. Through an innovative method of musical and game stimulation, we associate sounds, colors, rhythms, and timbres that contribute to enhancing emotional intelligence. Gresol Kids provides an environment of safety, happiness, and constant stimulation in which English is the vehicular language, accustoming the child to its sound and familiarizing him with the language, which favors multilingualism in his future academic career.
Will my son or daughter speak English as if it were their mother tongue if they study at Gresol International-American School?
Yes effectively. In Catalonia, we have an easy way to understand it: English will be like Spanish for a Catalan speaker, or like Catalan for any Catalan who regularly speaks Spanish. For a student of Gresol International-American School, the ease of changing languages and communicating in English will be the same as in the two official languages of Catalonia. This creates an immensity of opportunities for the future.
What is the International Baccalaureate?
The International Baccalaureate (IB), also known as the Diploma Program (PD), is a 2-year educational program for students between the ages of 16 and 19, which offers an internationally accepted certification for access to higher education, and is recognized by universities around the world. This training will help you develop the intellectual, personal, emotional, and social skills to adapt to a globalized world.
What national and international universities can Gresol International-American School students access?
The PD is accepted by the most prestigious universities around the world for the holistic and rigorous education it offers. In Spain, the International Baccalaureate Diploma is academically recognized as the equivalent of the Spanish Baccalaureate Degree. Students holding the IB Diploma, who wish to enter universities or Technical Schools, no longer have to pass the university entrance exam Spanish nationals (Selectividad).
Also, from G9, G10, and throughout the Baccalaureate, students receive support and academic guidance to help them in the decision process in the higher education programs to follow.
What is an international school?
An international school is one that promotes education in an international environment, either by adopting a curriculum such as the International Baccalaureate or following a national curriculum different from that of the country of residence of the school. In our case, we offer both options: graduating with the International Baccalaureate and/or with the National Baccalaureate. And, all this, studying in English without the need to leave Spain.
Why is having a perfect level of English essential for the future?
Studies confirm that the proper use of languages, preferably English, is one of the skills most sought by companies today. More, taking into account the new paradigm that is presented before us, in which English will be essential.
Why will the English that is taught in a language school not be enough in a few years?
An international and American school like Gresol International-American School offers the teaching of the language and its corresponding practice, but also deeper learning, for better understanding, and with the development of different skills. For this, an immersion in the language is essential, beyond studying it a few hours a week in an academy.
Is Gresol International-American School better than other schools or colleges in English?
Gresol offers a first-rate curriculum and facilities. Barcelona is a magnificent city, a fantastic place to learn and develop. However, like any big city, it can have its drawbacks. For this reason, the Gresol International-American School facilities are in Terrassa, near Barcelona (30 minutes), and in a privileged environment where students enjoy a quiet and relaxed for study but with unbeatable communications.
At what age should my son or daughter start learning English?
From 0 to 3 years old, the brain is in the process of development and maturation, and it is the most intensive period in the acquisition of speech and language skills. For this reason, more parents are investing in the future of their children by enrolling them from Early, or even earlier, in a school like Gresol International-American School.
How many languages should my daughter or son know?
More than 7,000 different languages are spoken in the world, according to the publication Ethnologue. And, among them, the official language spoken in more countries is English, with 59. Therefore, language learning improves communication and relationships between people, in addition to stimulating our brain. That is why the more languages you learn, the better. Furthermore, adding languages to a child’s mother tongue, no matter how small, does not interfere with their learning. Children can learn two, three, even four languages from an early age, which will favor their predisposition and ease to learn more.
What is the arts program at Gresol International-American School?
With the arts, we provide our students with different opportunities to explore, play, investigate, experiment with ideas, materials, and processes. Therefore, by developing an awareness of the arts, they appreciate both creative experiences and the environment.
What is the musical program of Gresol International-American School?
GIAS offers an Advanced Music Program. Our teachers have a higher degree in music and arts. We instruct our Elementary students on a classical instrument, which provides them with self-discipline, order, precision, and cultural sensitivity to the art. Besides, we offer different musical extracurricular activities to deepen their learning.
What is the science and technology program at Gresol International-American School?
At Gresol International-American School, we are committed to STEM education. It is a discipline that proposes interdisciplinary projects (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics), taking advantage of the common elements between these subjects. With this, students will acquire taste and knowledge about concepts and basic disciplines and keys to the globalized and technological world in which we find ourselves. They will continue to learn English, and they will master the language of the 21st century: technology.
What is the sports program of Gresol International-American School?
The recreational sports program upholds the core values of growth, community, integrity, and caring for the school by fostering character development, teamwork, sportsmanship, responsibility, and a sense of fairness and respect. We aim to offer appropriate pathways for sports development from Pk3 to G12 with a wide range of individual and team sports, all in unbeatable facilities. Our students play soccer, baseball, volleyball, basketball, and swimming. Besides, our baseball team, the Gresol Rays, plays in the Catalan League.
What extracurricular activities does Gresol International-American School offer?
The extracurricular activities program offers a wide variety of activities, from Kindergarten to Secondary: sports, music, dance, languages , and technology. We design our activities to inspire students, enhance learning, develop skills, and foster new friendships. The activities are taught by school teachers, together with professional specialists, for better complementary development of the school activity.
How many native English teachers does Gresol International-American School have?
At Gresol International-American School, we have American and British teachers, as well as from Commonwealth countries. At GIAS, we have about fifteen teachers who are native English speakers.
Is Gresol International-American School teaching other languages?
Yes. Besides English, the vehicular language of teaching at Gresol International-American School, Catalan is also taught, as the language of Catalonia; of Castilian, like own of the set of Spain; and the option of studying French and German is also offered, as the fourth and fifth languages.
Do you learn Catalan and Spanish at Gresol International-American School?
Being an international school, GIAS prioritizes teaching in English, with 100% immersion in the language. But Gresol International-American School does not forget, logically, Catalan and Spanish.
How has Gresol International-American School prepared for the Covid-19 crisis?
For GIAS, the protection of the health of its entire educational community is a priority. For this reason, the school implemented a “Manual of good practices” and specific measures during the trip to the school, the time required in GIAS, and when leaving the center. GIAS developed all the measures following the health recommendations of the WHO and the competent authorities. All of them will be updated and adapted over time, respecting the demands of each de-escalation phase.
Besides, GIAS has carried out, through a specialized company and suitable products, cleaning and disinfection of all its facilities. At present, cleaning continues to be daily, maintaining specific and adequate antiviral protocols, with emphasis on common areas, entrances, and exits, receptions, and spaces of greater shared use. We are in the process of incorporating additional disinfection, such as the use of Ozone Cannons.
How many students are there per class at Gresol International-American School?
At Gresol International-American School, quality prevails over quantity. We have the ratio of students, always below 20, perfect to keep a safe distance in classes, and also to be able to offer personalized and student-centered teaching.
How does school transportation work at Gresol International-American School?
GIAS makes different school bus routes available to their families to facilitate the arrival of their students to the center. We design the bus-routes to cover the maximum area and offer the best service:
Manresa, Gresol;
Cerdanyola, Barberà, Sabadell, Gresol;
Montornès, Martorelles, Mollet, Santa Perpètua, Gresol;
Castellar del Vallès, Matadepera, Gresol;
Sant Quirze del Vallès, Terrassa, Gresol.
What price does Gresol International-American School have, with extracurricular activities, dining room, and school transport?
The monthly fee for Gresol International-American School students, depending on the course, ranges from 630 to 693 euros, to which should be added the 195 euros for the compulsory dining room service. That is, it would cost less than 900 euros per month, to which other services would have to be added, if necessary, such as school transport (between € 65 and € 150 per month, depending on the route) and extracurricular activities.
Until when can I enroll my daughter or son at Gresol International-American School?
At Gresol International-American School, we have open enrollment all year long, as long as there are places available in the required course. In many cases, international schools are chosen by students who are not from the country, such as the sons and daughters of workers from international companies or foreign embassies, organizations with much mobility, and that may require enrollment at any time. Local students who attend centers such as Gresol International-American School also take advantage of this.
Besides, we have the International Homeroom Service, a transition program whose main objective is to integrate new students into our school community. Our focus is on developing the base of interpersonal communication skills in English and Spanish to support them until they are ready to join the regular classes.
