The National Association of British Schools in Spain (NABSS) exists to defend members' interests, to help maintain the quality of British education in Spain, and to support school development. All member schools are fully authorised- at least for a large section of the school-and are subject to inspection.

NABSS offers regular training to schools and there is an annual conference. The Association has its own inspection system, which is recognised by the British Council, and which also forms part of the British Schools Overseas inspections within Spain.

In order for a school to be a member of NABSS, they must fulfil the criteria of `Britishness´ published on this website and achieve full authorisation, via British inspection, from the appropriate Spanish authorities.

(Affiliate membership is available to universities and bodies of further education or educational providers.)
The rigour of the NABSS inspection system, and of the authorisation process itself, provides a yardstick for parents and teachers, who are  choosing schools in Spain.

The National Association of British Schools in Spain insists on regular inspection of member schools and provides continuous professional training for Heads and teachers throughout Spain.

Nabss is held in high regard by both the Spanish and British educational authorities and is consulted on new developments. The Association enjoys a very strong relationship with the British Council in Spain, and Council members sit on the Inspection Monitoring Committee.

1. Represent and defend the interests of member schools
2. To uphold the prestige of British education
3. Develop the spirit of collaboration among member schools
4. To promote, maintain and defend British education and co-operate with the British Council, Spanish Ministry and other authorities regarding legalisation relating to foreign schools in Spain.
5. Provide a legal, administrative and accounting  service for the Association
6. Promote educational and cultural events as well as publishing educational materials related to British education
7. To support the professional development of staff in NABSS schools.
8. To provide an effective inspection service.

NABSS´ schools base the pupils´ studies on the National Curriculum, employ fully qualified staff, and are expected to follow standard British practice in teaching and learning, leadership and management etc (see document of `Britishness´). Students and staff in NABSS´ schools  benefit from the multilingual and culturally diverse environment of British schools in Spain. Pupils are well prepared for life in an increasingly complex world.

NABSS´ schools offering the whole age range are required to run a broad selection of GCSE, AS and A level courses, or the International Baccalaureate, and to prepare students for university entry in Spain or the UK. The Spanish authorities give full recognition to A levels and grant direct access to Spanish universities for NABSS´ students with the appropriate A level passes.

An elected committee of Head teachers and owners of NABSS´ schools is responsible for the general management of the Association and its inspection service. Members are also kept up- to-date with all relevant legislation, both in Spain and the UK.

As NABSS is a membership organisation, all queries and requests for information should initially be directed to the individual member schools. The NABSS´ website lists all schools both alphabetically and by geographical area. Each school site contains full information regarding contact names, e-mail and site addresses and telephone numbers. Many schools can be contacted via a link to their own websites.

CODE OF ETHICS

All schools which are members of the Association agree to abide by the following Code of Ethics:

A. Integrity of the School

1. A school should meticulously carry out the commitments and contracts made with any person, school, organisation or the general public.

2. A school should carefully avoid misleading or ambiguous statements about its work, situation and status.

3. A school should respect normal conventions regarding confidentiality.

4. A school should avoid giving misleading information about member schools and avoid passing value judgements on them.

B. Recruitment Practices

1. The right of a teacher to visit and to consider employment in another NABSS school, without notifying his/her current employer, should be respected.

2. The right of a school to consider employing a teacher employed in another NABSS school, without notifying the candidate’s current school, should be respected.

3. A school may not offer employment to a teacher from another NABSS school during the course of the academic year, unless this is acceptable to the teacher’s current school. In order to employ a teacher from another NABSS school for September, the employing school must ensure that the teacher in question notifies his/her current school by May 31^st at the latest.

4. Once the availability for employment of a teacher in a NABSS school has been confirmed, a reference must be requested by the interested school, and provided by the candidate’s current place of employment.

5. A school should not attempt to influence a person to break a contract already signed with another school nor should it knowingly initiate attempts to employ a teacher currently employed elsewhere.

C. Employment Practices

1. The terms of contract for professional personnel should be clearly stated and in agreement with Spanish law.

D. Transfer and Enrolment of Students

1. The right of a pupil and his/her parents to visit and consider schools, other than that which the pupil is currently attending, is recognised. The right of schools to hold preliminary discussions with parents of prospective candidates from other NABSS schools, without notifying such schools, is also recognised. However, a school should not initiate attempts to enrol pupils currently enrolled elsewhere.

2. Before enrolling a pupil from another NABSS school, a school must make a written request to the pupil’s current school to check that that there is no outstanding debt. If such a debt exists, enrolment should be delayed until the situation is resolved. When a pupil is transferring from one NABSS school to another, the current school must, if requested by the receiving school, provide an academic and character report.

3. Schools must not discredit other NABSS centres nor engage in any activity

that causes unfair competition among them.

4. A school’s most important consideration in enrolling a new pupil should be his/her welfare.

1. E. Procedure in the case of breach of the NABSS Code of Ethics

1. Any reported failure to comply with the Code of Ethics will be referred to the Executive Committee. The Committee will investigate the incident, giving

each school the opportunity to present its case and supply supporting

evidence.

2. If a breach of the Code is confirmed, the Committee will decide what sanctions to apply, according to the severity of the case. Both schools will be informed of the outcome of the investigation.

3. All proven instances of a breach of the NABSS Code of Ethics will be reported, in writing, to all member schools. The report will specify the name of the offending school, details of how it has breached the Code of Ethics, and the sanction applied.

F. Sanctions

1. Written warning.

2. In the case of a serious or repeated breach of the Code of Ethics the school’s right to attend the AGM and to vote, will be withdrawn for a period determined by the executive committee.

3. In extreme or repeated breaches, as referred to in Article 16 of the Statutes, the case will be discussed at a general assembly of the Association, and the school’s membership may be withdrawn.

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Name of School:________________________________________________________________

has read, and agrees to abide by, the principles enclosed in the NABSS Code of Ethics.

Signature of Headteacher / legal representative: _________________________________

Place:­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­_______________________________________

Date: _______________________________________