Colegio San Patricio La Moraleja, College San Patricio Moraleja

• Year of foundation/opening: 1987
• Location: Alcobendas, Madrid, Spain
• Number of students: 700
• Type of education: mixed
• Type of institution: private Catholic day school for primary level and kindergarten
• Language of instruction: Spanish and English.

Colegio San Patricio La Moraleja is part of a network of three Colegio San Patricio campuses in Madrid. The history of the educational group began in 1958 with the opening of the first building on Serrano Street. Later, in 1967, the El Soto de La Moraleja campus was established, intended for educating older students, and the La Moraleja campus opened in 1987.

La Moraleja accepts children from one year of age and accompanies them through the completion of primary school, after which education continues at El Soto, where the middle and upper levels are located. This structure allows education to be built around age-based stages: at La Moraleja, the main focus is on early development, language learning, basic academic skills, emotional intelligence, sports, and creativity.

The school adheres to Catholic values, but is not affiliated with any religious order and places emphasis on respect for freedom of belief. Since 1975, Colegio San Patricio has educated boys and girls together, and in 2019 it joined Inspired Education Group — an international network of private educational institutions.

In the preschool department, the daily schedule combines structured activities and free play: children participate in sensory games, language practice, sports activities, swimming, motor skills development exercises, and creative projects, gradually mastering basic academic skills. The school day in Nursery and Preschool typically runs from 8:45 to 16:45, with extended care available from 7:30 to 18:00.

Student support is built on collaboration between psychologists, teachers, and families. The school conducts assessments of children's abilities, organizes special workshops for high-potential students, and offers advanced-level assignments. The gifted education program combines research projects, flexible educational approaches, development of emotional and social skills, and individual support for each child.

• Colegio San Patricio was founded in Madrid in 1958 thanks to the initiative of Luisa and Luz Murias, Jaime Marugan and Gabriel Castellano. The first school building began operating on Serrano Street.
• The school's motto is Libris Liberi: Culture sets us free. In Russian, it can be rendered as «Culture sets us free».
• The La Moraleja campus has historically borne the name La Casita, which translates as «little house»: this name emphasizes the cozy atmosphere and the campus's focus on the youngest students.
• Since 1975, the school has educated boys and girls together.
• In 2008, when Colegio San Patricio celebrated its 50th anniversary, the school received several awards at once, including the Encomienda de la Orden Civil de Alfonso X el Sabio, the bronze plaque of the Real Orden del Mérito Deportivo, and the silver medal of the Community of Madrid.

The campus is located in the prestigious La Moraleja district in the municipality of Alcobendas, in the north of the Madrid metropolitan area. The district is known for its calm residential atmosphere, a large number of international and private schools, green spaces, and convenient transport infrastructure. The center of Madrid can be reached quickly by car or public transport, and the journey to Madrid-Barajas international airport takes relatively little time thanks to convenient access to the main highways.

The school operates bus routes between three San Patricio campuses and across Madrid districts. Parents can track the journey via the BatOnRoute app: it shows the approaching bus, delays, the child's boarding, and arrival at school.

Meals are served in the school cafeteria, with all dishes prepared in their own kitchen. Menus are designed taking into account food allergies and the individual needs of the children, and families receive information about the following week's menu in advance. Students have a program for learning table etiquette.

After school, students participate in sports, creative, and club activities, go on excursions and school events. The school offers programs in painting, visual arts, music, theater, ballet, contemporary dance, guitar, ensemble performance, and arts and crafts.

The sports program covers athletics, basketball, chess, mini-football, martial arts, swimming, tennis, and volleyball. For primary school students, gymnastics classes and participation in competitions with other schools in the district are additionally organized.

Students have access to additional clubs and sections: ballet, contemporary dance, arts and crafts, musical instrument lessons, classes for gifted children, chess, martial arts, fashion and design, robotics, library programs, and various sports activities.

Colegio San Patricio La Moraleja introduces children to their first forms of responsibility: students can take on the roles of duty assistants and class representatives.

The extracurricular program includes trips to museums, educational farms, theaters, and winter sports events (usually already included in the tuition fee).

• La Moraleja specializes in educating young children — from 1 year old through the end of primary school. All premises, play spaces, and daily schedules are adapted to the age-specific needs of the students.
• The program is bilingual, with instruction in Spanish and English; additionally, children are introduced to French and German from an early age.
• The preschool department uses modern pedagogical approaches, including Reggio Emilia and Montessori, as well as the Fernández-Bravo method for developing mathematical thinking and a phonetic-phonological reading instruction system.
• Swimming lessons begin from an early age — from 1 year old.
• Students with high academic potential have access to a dedicated support program that includes ability assessment, additional workshops, individual assignments, and specialist guidance.

The campus is designed for 700 students and is specially organized for preschoolers and primary school children.

• A separate Nursery Center has been allocated for preschoolers, equipped with bedrooms with small beds, early development spaces using tablets, Reggio Emilia-style classrooms, rooms for psychomotor activities, playgrounds, rest areas, and swings. All premises and equipment are adapted to the needs of young children.
• The primary school has spacious classrooms equipped with modern digital technologies. On the premises there are art studios, San Patricio Arts Centre, music classrooms, rooms for ballet, theater, and visual arts. Students have access to two libraries, a lecture hall, an assembly hall, a cafeteria with its own kitchen, a medical room, play areas, and a separate space dedicated to the program for supporting gifted children.

For sports activities, the campus has football, basketball, and volleyball courts, an indoor sports hall, a martial arts space, a gymnastics hall, and a swimming pool.

The academic year is divided into three trimesters, with classes beginning in September and ending in summer. Holidays fall on Christmas, spring, and summer.

Payment is split into ten monthly installments — from September to June. The cost includes printed and electronic educational materials, school supplies, a technology fee, day trips and cultural activities, medical support, school photos and yearbook, morning student reception, accident insurance, psychological and pedagogical support, language and creative development programs, participation in competitions and school events.

Paid separately:

• registration fee,
• meals,
• school transport,
• uniform,
• personal expenses,
• some additional classes,
• medical insurance,
• additional trips.

• The child's representative submits an application to the La Moraleja campus and contacts the admissions committee.
• Parents receive an initial consultation and arrange a school visit.
• During the visit, parents get acquainted with the campus, the learning environment, and the programs.
• To have the candidacy reviewed, parents provide the required documents and the child's previous school reports; the prospective student undergoes an interview and an assessment of academic preparation and language skills.
• After reviewing the documents, the school sends an admission decision.
• Upon confirmation of a place, parents complete the enrollment process and pay the registration fee.
• After completing all stages, the child officially becomes a student of Colegio San Patricio La Moraleja and prepares for the start of classes.

After completing their studies at La Moraleja, children usually move on to the El Soto campus, where they continue their education at the middle and upper levels: the Spanish Bachillerato program and the international diploma are available there.

Admission depends on the child's age and readiness for the program.

• For preschoolers, the ability to adapt to a school environment, level of independence, and comfortable perception of bilingual learning are important.
• For admission to primary school, parents submit the child's previous school reports if the child previously studied at another school. The prospective student undergoes an interview and an internal assessment of academic preparation and language proficiency.

The school provides family benefits for large families: if several children from the same family are enrolled simultaneously at Colegio San Patricio, the third child receives a 25% tuition discount, the fourth — 50%, and the fifth child's tuition becomes free. A similar system applies to meal payments: the third child receives a 25% discount, the fourth — 50%, and the fifth is fully exempt from payment.

The school is part of the Nsouli Scholars Programme, created by Inspired Education Group: gifted students can receive full funding at Inspired network schools for the entire period of study.

• Guardianship services during the studies
• Student supervision