Every international school claims to offer a world-class education. Accreditation is one of the few tools you have as a parent to verify that claim independently, rather than simply taking a prospectus at its word.
This guide explains what accreditation really means, which bodies matter most in Madrid, and what to check before you commit to a school.
Accreditation is an external review process. Independent evaluators assess a school against a fixed set of standards, covering teaching quality, safeguarding, governance, facilities and leadership, and revisit the school periodically to confirm standards are maintained.
This matters because a school cannot accredit itself. A school's own description of its quality is marketing. Accreditation is a check carried out by someone with no stake in the outcome.
Council of International Schools (CIS): an international body that reviews schools against standards covering the whole institution, from teaching and learning to safeguarding and governance
New England Association of Schools and Colleges (NEASC): Similar to NEASC, however, American in origin.Widely used by international schools, and recognised by universities in the United States
Spanish Ministry of Education approval: the baseline authorisation required for any school to legally operate in Spain
It is worth noting that authorisation as an IB World School is a separate matter from accreditation. It confirms a school is licensed by the International Baccalaureate Organisation to deliver its programmes, but it is not itself an inspection or accreditation body. A well-rounded school will usually hold both curriculum authorisation and independent accreditation.
It supports recognition of your child's education if you relocate again It gives universities and future schools a recognised standard to reference It means the school is subject to ongoing external review, not a one-off inspection It offers a level of accountability that a prospectus alone cannot provideWhy accreditation matters for your child
Which bodies currently accredit the school, and for how long has that accreditation been held?
When was the school's last accreditation review, and when is the next one due?
Were any conditions, recommendations or commendations attached to the most recent review?
Is IB authorisation full, or is the school a candidate school working towards it?
For the fuller list of questions worth asking on a visit, see our guide to [What to Ask During an International School Visit in Madrid].
ICS Madrid holds accreditation from the Council of International Schools (CIS) and the New England Association of Schools and Colleges (NEASC), and is an authorised IB World School delivering all three IB programmes – the Primary Years Programme, Middle Years Programme and Diploma Programme – in English. The Class of 2026 achieved an average IB Diploma score of 34 points, well above the 2026 global average of 30.88, contributing to a three-year rolling average of 35.3 points. Graduates went on to universities including Imperial College London, UCL, King's College London, Universidad Complutense de Madrid, NYU, and Boston College. Contact our admissions team to find out more about our accreditation, curriculum and approach, or book a visit to see our school for yourself. Is accreditation the same as being a good school? Accreditation confirms a school meets recognised standards, but it does not capture everything that makes a school right for your child, such as culture, pastoral care, or day-to-day atmosphere. Treat it as one important factor among several, not the whole picture. How often are international schools re-accredited? This varies by accrediting body, but most run on cycles of around five to ten years, with progress checks in between rather than a single one-off review. What if a school is only a candidate for accreditation? Candidate status means a school is working towards full accreditation and has not yet completed the process. It is worth asking what stage the school is at and what timeline they expect for full accreditation.How ICS Madrid is accredited
Frequently asked questions
