Boarding

The Boarding House here at SEK Catalunya offers an ideal setting for harmonious living in a multicultural, diverse, tolerant and open environment. It brings together young students and educators from countries around the world. Each and every one of them contributes their particular vision, way of understanding life, thoughts, cultural references and, of course, their mother tongue.

The two predominant languages that you will hear in the Boarding House at SEK Catalunya are Spanish and English. As a result local students enjoy their first opportunity to experience an international setting and improve their English, building two tools that will undoubtedly bring much value to their university and professional future. For international students there is a specific programme for learning the Spanish language with personalised or small group classes and which include entry into officially recognised language exams.

Aimed at

Students between 11 and 18 years of age who:

• Are looking for their first International experience in preparation for a possible university future in an international environment
• Wish to improve their level of English or Spanish by language immersion
• International students who want to take advantage of their stay in the Boarding House to get closer to, and to better understand the local culture

Students who wish to combine study and sports will find an ideal scenario for this at SEK-Catalunya. We boast first-class sports facilities enabling students to train and practice at the highest levels of their chosen sport. Without leaving the school grounds students have access to a wide range of sports, such as swimming, football, padel tennis, basketball, roller hockey or volleyball. And in addition, for fans of outdoor sports, the school also has a private forest and a privileged natural setting to practice disciplines such as trail running, mountain biking or hiking.

One of the hallmarks of our Boarding House is flexibility. To this end, every student who loves sport and wishes to take part in activities off school grounds are provided with the support and resources necessary to travel and fulfil their hobbies at other clubs. For example, very close to the school there is an interesting variety of golf courses, horse-riding centres, nautical clubs or gyms and fitness centres.

Weekends are special for the most athletic boarders. In winter, it is time to enjoy skiing and snow sports at some of the best ski resorts in the Pyrenees in Girona, less than an hour from SEKCatalunya. In spring and summer, students can travel to the coast to enjoy water sports such as surfing, paddle surfing, kayaking, scuba diving, sailing…

Aimed at

Students between 10 and 18 years, lovers of sport, interested in accessing high level sports and also:

• Who want to combine studies with the possibility of practising sports every day, both on and off school grounds.
• Who wish to join any of the SEK-Catalunya teams (football, swimming, hockey, figure skating, basketball …) or would like to compete with other clubs outside school.
• Who feel the need to play sports, understanding it as an essential component of a healthy and balanced lifestyle.

This programme is characterised by its ability to individualise. Understanding that each case is different, Boarding House educators prepare a personalised study plan for each student, designed to take into account their abilities, needs, interests and learning rhythms.

At the end of the school day, specialised teachers from different disciplines accompany boarders to guide and provide support for them during their study times. In this way, we ensure that every week they have extra classes in languages, sciences, mathematics and humanities. In these study sessions, students also receive the support from educational psychology specialists, who help them improve their study techniques and methods to get the very best out of their work.

This programme is particularly valuable for IB Diploma Programme and Spanish Bachillerato students. The Boarding House team of educators works in collaboration with academic tutors and the school counsellor to offer students the best university and career’s guidance and lead them successfully to manage their access to university, both at home or abroad.

Aimed at

Students between 10 and 18 years of age who:

• Are conscientious and committed
• Want to get the most out of their studies to ensure the very best university opportunities
• Wish to study in international universities and want a first hand experience in a diverse and multicultural environment

As a true international school, SEK-Catalunya offers a very all-round curriculum where any student will find a way to satisfy their interests. For the most technological profiles, we offer our Maker Space, a well-equipped classroom in which to learn and practice programming, robotics, multimedia, design and 3D printing, augmented reality … Students interested in the Arts will also find a way to unleash their creativity through theatre, drawing, painting or music (at our School of Music linked to the Trinity College of London). Scientists will enjoy fully-equipped laboratories for research and experimentation in Biology, Physics and Chemistry.

All personal interests have space to develop at SEK-Catalunya, through the content of the different curricular disciplines and also in the extracurricular programme. We make available to students a varied catalogue of extracurricular activities through which they can find a way to focus and reinforce their knowledge in their favourite areas.

Curricular enrichment activities are also designed to cover very diverse interests. For example, students who want to practice debate and public speaking can join the Debate Club and participate in the MUN events, The United Nations debate model and in SEKMUN, the SEK Education Group model offered to all its students at SEK schools. Another high-level experience is the academic stay that the SEK Education Group organises every year to NASA in Houston, designed especially for students with the desire to broaden their knowledge in science, technology and mathematics. Finally, it is worth mentioning that SEK-Catalunya is one of the few schools in Spain accredited to teach the Duke of Edinburgh’s International Award, an international programme of recognised prestige where students develop their personal skills and values through the practice of outdoor sports.

Aimed at

Students between 10 and 18 years old who:

• Have a curiosity and a passion for learning in any form
• Wish to complement their academic learning with activities that develop additional skills and competencies
• Understand that a stay in our Boarding House is an unbeatable opportunity for personal development and growth

SEK-Catalunya offers its boarders:

Four types of accommodation

• Full boarding (full month, including weekends)
• Weekly boarding (Monday to Friday)
• Stay on specific days
• Boys boarding house with double and triple rooms
• Girls boarding house with double rooms
• Full board service (breakfast, lunch, afternoon snack and dinner)
• Laundry service
• Academic support and study with teachers from different subjects and school counsellors

Sports activities on and off school grounds (swimming, football, basketball, padel tennis, volleyball, skiing, fitness, horse riding, mountain biking, golf, water sports, hiking, martial arts …)

Artistic activities (School of Music linked to the Trinity College of London, drama group, arts, dance, photography …)

Technological activities (multimedia production and design, robotics, Arduino, drones, 3D printing, programming …)

Cultural and recreational activities (outings to the cinema, to the theatre, to museums, cultural visits in Barcelona, routes to get to know other towns and cities, outings to see sporting events, organisation of thematic days at the boarding house …)

Facilities for the movement of borders in their free time (use of school coach routes, chaperones to Barcelona …)