At Morna International College, we offer the best of both worlds: an international British education combined with a meaningful connection to the languages, culture and educational system of the place in which our students live and grow.

As an authorised foreign school in the Balearic Islands, our students follow the British curriculum, complemented by the Spanish, Catalan and Spanish/Balearic cultural studies required under the applicable education regulations.

Morna has a close and positive working relationship with the Balearic education authorities. We work with them regularly and welcome periodic inspections as an important part of maintaining our authorisation and educational standards.

Spanish and Catalan at Morna

Living and studying in Ibiza gives our students the opportunity to become genuinely immersed in the languages and culture of the place they call home. At Morna, Spanish and Catalan are not simply taught as foreign languages: they form part of our students' educational experience and their life in the Balearic Islands.

Spanish and Catalan classes are taught by native-speaking teachers, supported by native-speaking assistants. Students learn these languages in an authentic setting, with lessons designed to develop a genuine command of the language rather than simply following language courses for foreign learners.

  • A student reading through handwritten work in her Spanish exercise book

At the same time, Morna is a truly international community. Some students arrive already bilingual or multilingual and fluent in Spanish and/or Catalan, while others may join us with little or no previous experience. Our team recognises these different starting points and provides the support each student needs to progress and participate fully in the programme.

Spanish is introduced from Early Years and, from Year 2, Catalan is also incorporated alongside Knowledge of the Environment. From Year 8, this becomes Social Studies. Provision develops as students progress through the school:

  • Nursery and Reception: Spanish language teaching appropriate to the Early Years stage.
  • Year 1: Spanish language teaching appropriate to the students' age and stage of education.
  • Year 2: two Spanish sessions, two Catalan sessions and one Knowledge of the Environment session each week.
  • Years 3 to 6: three Spanish sessions, three Catalan sessions and one Knowledge of the Environment session each week.
  • Year 7: three Spanish sessions, three Catalan sessions and one Knowledge of the Environment session each week.
  • Years 8 to 11: three Spanish sessions, three Catalan sessions and one Social Studies session each week.

Alongside this curriculum provision, we frequently offer additional language-learning opportunities through our extracurricular programme, giving students even more opportunities to develop their language skills.

In this way, our students do not simply study the languages of the Balearic Islands; they learn and use them as part of their experience of living and growing up in Ibiza.

Why do our students study Catalan?

Catalan and Spanish are the two official languages of the Balearic Islands. Teaching Catalan forms part of the educational requirements applicable to Morna as an authorised foreign school.

For us, however, its value goes far beyond a requirement. In Ibiza, the local variety of Catalan is known as Eivissenc and forms an important part of the island's identity and cultural heritage. Learning Catalan also enables our students to understand and communicate more easily in Eivissenc, bringing them closer to the local community and to Ibizan families who have lived on the island for generations.

Why do our students study Knowledge of the Environment / Social Studies?

Through Knowledge of the Environment from Year 2 to Year 7 and Social Studies from Year 8 to Year 11, our students learn about the geography, history, society and culture of Spain and the Balearic Islands.

For our international students, these subjects provide a valuable opportunity to better understand the place in which they live and grow, learn about its history, environment and traditions, and develop a deeper connection with Ibiza and its community.

In this way, we complement the international perspective of the British curriculum with a genuine knowledge and appreciation of the local context.

Keeping both pathways open

Morna remains, first and foremost, a British-system school. Our principal academic pathway leads to internationally recognised qualifications, including IGCSEs and A Levels.

At the same time, completing the required Spanish and Balearic studies during compulsory education enables students who meet the relevant academic and administrative requirements to maintain recognition within the Spanish education system, including the possibility of obtaining the Spanish Graduado en Educación Secundaria Obligatoria (ESO) qualification.

This helps keep our students' future options open, both internationally and within Spain, including progression to Bachillerato, Formación Profesional (FP) or other Spanish educational pathways.

For students in Sixth Form who are considering university in Spain, Morna also offers additional tuition to support preparation for the PCE (Pruebas de Competencias Específicas) examinations. These examinations can provide students with the opportunity to increase their university admission score and strengthen their application to Spanish universities. Families interested in this pathway are encouraged to speak to our Sixth Form team for further information and individual guidance.

Families considering a future move into the Spanish system are encouraged to speak to the school in advance, as recognition, equivalence or homologation requirements can vary according to a student's academic history and intended next step.

Specialist leadership

Our Spanish and Catalan programme is led by qualified professionals with extensive experience in teaching, languages and the educational context of the Balearic Islands.

Beatriz Pachón Gutiérrez

Technical Director and Head of Languages – Secondary

Beatriz Pachón Gutiérrez, Technical Director and Head of Languages for Secondary, on the Morna campus

A graduate in Hispanic Philology from the Universidad Complutense de Madrid, Beatriz has extensive experience teaching Spanish Language and Literature. Her professional background includes teaching across different educational stages, preparing students for university entrance examinations and academic coordination responsibilities.

Alongside leading Languages in Secondary, Beatriz is Morna's Technical Director, supporting the coordination of the school's responsibilities within the Spanish educational framework.

Macià Barceló Carretero

Head of Languages – EYFS and Primary

Macià Barceló Carretero, Head of Languages for EYFS and Primary, on the Morna campus

A Primary Education graduate from the Universitat de les Illes Balears (UIB), Macià also holds a Master's Degree in Diversity in an Inclusive School from the Universitat de Girona.

He has teaching experience in schools across the Balearic Islands, holds the UIB qualification for teaching in Catalan and the official C2 Advanced Catalan qualification.

As Head of Languages for EYFS and Primary, Macià coordinates language provision across both sections and ensures coherent progression in language learning from the Early Years through to the end of Primary.

International by nature, connected to Ibiza

For many Morna students, multilingualism is a natural part of everyday life. English, Spanish and Catalan come together within a diverse, international school community with strong roots in Ibiza.

We want our students to leave Morna ready for an international future, while also carrying with them a genuine understanding and appreciation of the place they have called home.