Colegio Inglés San Patricio

What Colegio Inglés San Patricio does

Colegio Inglés San Patricio (St. Patrick's English School) is a private family cooperative school (colegio concertado) operating under the legal entity San Patricio S. Coop. from a single campus at Calle Lanberri 25 in the Aiete neighbourhood of Donostia-San Sebastián, Gipuzkoa, Spain. Founded in 1976 by families seeking a trilingual educational alternative for their children, the school delivers regulated education across four stages — Educación Infantil (ages 2-6), Primaria (6-12), ESO (12-16), and Bachillerato (16-18) — using a trilingual immersion methodology in English, Basque, and Spanish, with up to 70% of class time in English during Infant Education delivered by native-speaker teachers from Ireland, the UK, and the USA. The institution was declared an Entidad de Utilidad Pública by the Basque Government in 2008 and holds the Q de Plata (Silver Q) recognition under the EFQM quality management framework.

The school's core technology layer combines a structured trilingual curriculum with technology integration (TICs), including 600+ electronic devices and a 1:1 device programme from age 7, early-childhood robotics using Bee-Bots, the Science Bits science-teaching methodology validated by publication in the International Journal of Science Education, and Dytective by Change Dyslexia as a third-party dyslexia-support tool. Campus infrastructure spans 2,033 m² of green space, 7,059 m² of sports facilities, a 240-seat auditorium, and Infant Education classrooms designed on neuroarchitecture principles. The product surface is supported by an on-site music school (Aiete Musika Eskola, 13 instruments, 3 ensembles, rock groups, open to adults), 17 federated sports teams, school bus routes from five surrounding municipalities, a canteen producing 760+ daily meals, an extensive library, extracurricular activities, summer camps, and an Escuela de Familias parent education programme.

Revenue is generated through a combination of Basque Government per-student subsidies (concertado funding), family tuition and cooperative membership contributions, and ancillary service fees (transport, dining, music school, extracurriculars, summer colonies). As a non-profit social initiative cooperative, any surplus must be reinvested in the school's educational mission rather than distributed to members; the school has no external investors or parent company. Distribution is direct-to-consumer through on-campus enrollment with open enrollment windows (October–January for Infant/Primary/ESO, March for Baccalaureate), 'Ven a conocernos' open days, the school website and blog (in Spanish, English, and Basque), earned media via the El Mundo '100 Colegios' ranking (89th place in 2026, the school's best position in five years of participation), and organic social media presence. International projection is reinforced by reciprocal exchanges with Tabor Academy (Massachusetts), Southampton, Liverpool, and Libourne (France), and by an alumni network working across nine-plus countries.

Name

Colegio Inglés San Patricio

Legal name

San Patricio S. Coop.

Website

https://st-patricks.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1976

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Colegio Inglés San Patricio (St. Patrick's English School) is a family cooperative school (colegio concertado) in San Sebastián, Spain, providing trilingual English-Basque-Spanish education from ages 2 to 18 with native English-speaking teachers and comprehensive support services.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Private K-12 Education

NAICS

Elementary and Secondary Schools (6111), Educational Services (611)

SIC

Services-Educational Services (8200)

akta.pro primary industry

Language Immersion & Bilingual Private Schools (EDAJABAL)

akta.pro secondary industry

Nonsectarian Independent Day Schools (EDAJABAA)

Keywords

• Trilingual education services
• Private primary education
• Secondary education programs
• Cooperative school services
• Language immersion education

Headquarters

HQ city

Donostia-San Sebastián

HQ country

Spain

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Revenue model

1. Tuition and school fees: As a 'colegio concertado' (publicly-funded private school), the school is financed through a combination of government subsidies and cooperative member (family) contributions. Families pay tuition fees as cooperative members. The school is a non-profit cooperative — positive results cannot be distributed among members and must be reinvested in the school's educational mission.
2. School services (transport, dining, extracurriculars): Revenue from ancillary services including school bus transport, canteen meals (over 760 meals prepared daily on premises), music school (Aiete Musika Eskola), extracurricular activities, school sports, and summer colonies.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

Colegio Inglés San Patricio (St. Patrick's English School) is a publicly-funded private cooperative school offering regulated trilingual education (English, Spanish, and Basque) from early childhood (age 2) through Baccalaureate (age 18). The school delivers four academic stages (Infant, Primary, Secondary ESO, and Bachillerato) supported by a 1:1 digital device programme, native English-speaking teachers, Science Bits methodology, and integrated services including school transport, canteen, a music school, federated sports, and extracurricular activities.

Product overview

Colegio Inglés San Patricio (St. Patrick's English School) is a publicly-funded private school (colegio concertado) and family cooperative offering regulated education from ages 2 to 18. The institution operates a unified educational platform organized into four core academic stages: Educación Infantil (ages 2-6), Educación Primaria (ages 6-12), Educación Secundaria (ESO, ages 12-16), and Bachillerato (ages 16-18). The educational offering is distinguished by a trilingual linguistic project (English, Basque, Spanish) with native English-speaking teachers, complemented by technology integration (TICs) with 600+ devices. Support services include school bus transport, canteen (760+ daily meals), Aiete Musika Eskola music school (13 instruments), 17 federated sports teams, library services, extracurricular activities, summer camps, and the Escuela de Familias family education program. The school was established in 1976 and celebrated its 50th anniversary in the 2026-2027 academic year.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Educación Infantil (Early Childhood Education) Early childhood education programme for children aged 2-6, focused on developing habits of listening, attention, effort, and work through immersive language learning in English, Spanish, and Basque. Approximately 70% of class time in Infant Education is delivered in English through native-speaker teachers.
• Educación Primaria (Primary Education) Six-year primary education programme (ages 6-12) focused on mastering literacy in Spanish, Basque, and English while developing intellectual, emotional, and social skills. Science Bits methodology is validated by international academic research published in the International Journal of Science Education.
• Educación Secundaria (ESO) Compulsory secondary education programme (ages 12-16) guiding students through adolescence with family-tutor collaboration toward post-obligatory education. Subjects are progressively taught through English as students advance.
• Bachillerato (Upper Secondary) Upper secondary education (ages 16-18), the final stage of integral formation and preparation for higher education studies in sciences or social sciences. Scientific Culture is taught through English at Baccalaureate level. 86% of students achieve Cambridge C1 and 44% reach C2 (Proficiency).
• School Bus Transport Service School bus service covering routes from Irún, Errenteria, Oiartzun, Trintxerpe, and Lasarte, supporting family work-life balance.
• School Canteen Service Canteen service preparing over 760 meals daily on the school premises, providing full meal service to enrolled students.
• Aiete Musika Eskola (Music School) Music school offering instruction in 13 instruments, three instrumental ensembles, and rock groups to students from age 2 and adults, homologated by the Basque Government.
• Extracurricular Activities Wide variety of extracurricular activities complementing formal education and completing cultural and sports formation for enrolled students.
• School Sports Programme Collective school sports programme with 17 federated and school sports teams, forming a fundamental pillar for values education including respect, teamwork, and fair play.
• Library Service Extensive library for digital or physical consultation of encyclopedias, books, stories, atlases, and dictionaries, available to enrolled students.
• Summer Camps (Colonias de Verano) Summer camp programme open to students from age 2 to 2nd grade of Primary Education, supporting work-life balance for families during school holidays.
• Escuela de Familias (Family School) Family education programme providing insight into child developmental processes based on latest scientific advances and offering a dialogue space for sharing concerns, covering all ages from early childhood through post-adolescence.

Quantifiable outcome

• 86% of students achieve Cambridge C1 (Advanced English); 44% of Baccalaureate students reach C2 (Proficiency)
• +5 more outcomes

Named customers2 records

Segments1 record

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature5 records

Partnerships

Eleven partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• IKASGILTZAcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerIKASGILTZA is an association of lay teaching cooperatives in Spain's Basque Country, with a clear public service orientation that contributes to the improvement of its member cooperatives and the Basque education system overall. St. Patrick's is a founding member of this federation. Three IKASGILTZA schools (Colegio Vizcaya, Colegio Urkide, and San Patricio) ranked among Spain's 100 best schools in 2026.
• ERKIDE — Federación de Cooperativas de Trabajo Asociado, Enseñanza, Consumo y Crédito de EuskadicoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerERKIDE is the Federation of Associated Work Cooperatives, Education, Consumption and Credit of the Basque Country. St. Patrick's is a member of this regional federation of cooperatives, reinforcing its cooperative identity and network within the Basque cooperative ecosystem.
• Tabor Academy (Massachusetts, USA)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerTabor Academy in Massachusetts, USA, conducts student exchange programmes with St. Patrick's. In 2024, students from Tabor visited the school and 4th-year ESO students travelled to Massachusetts on a reciprocal exchange. These exchanges form part of the school's internationalisation strategy and multicultural learning environment.
• Universidad de DeustocoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerThe University of Deusto (Facultad de Educación y Deporte) awarded its inaugural Teacherpreneur Award 2026 to St. Patrick's teacher Beatriz Costa. The university also organises practical sessions for Biology Olympiad participants at its Faculty of Science and Technology, which St. Patrick's student Aimar Corredera attended in preparation for the national phase.
• Amigos SolidariosminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerA solidarity initiative through which St. Patrick's has collaborated on the reconstruction and rehabilitation of schools in Uganda, and from 2022 supports the OMUKISA project helping children leave street life and receive vocational training. The school conducts annual solidarity tombolas and awareness sessions for students from 1st Grade Primary through 2nd ESO.
• Cruz Roja GipuzkoaminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerSince 2013, the school participates in Cruz Roja's 'Ahora + Que Nunca' project against poverty and exclusion. Students conduct various fundraising activities throughout the year including the 'Christmas Cookie Sale' (3rd ESO), and visits to understand local social aid programmes.
• Banco de Alimentos de GipuzkoaminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerThe school collaborates with the Food Bank of Gipuzkoa through volunteering at ARCCO shopping centre (4th ESO and 1st Baccalaureate) during the December food drive, and by organising an internal food collection each June to address summer hunger when school canteens are closed.
• Fundación GoyenecheminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerFundación Goyeneche works for real inclusion and quality of life for adults with intellectual disabilities. The school conducts joint activities including human rights awareness sessions (3rd ESO), adapted reading programme visits, and shared Christmas concerts at the school auditorium.
• Residencias Hermano Gárate and San Ignacio (care homes)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerAt Christmas and Carnival, students visit elderly residents at Hermano Gárate and San Ignacio care homes, performing songs, dances, and presenting cards and jokes they have prepared. This intergenerational community engagement is part of the school's values education programme.
• Aiete Musika EskolacoreOthersAiete Musika Eskola is a music school (homologated by the Basque Government) that operates within St. Patrick's campus, offering instruction in 13 instruments, three instrumental ensembles, and rock bands to students from age 2 through to adults. It is an integral part of the school's extracurricular service offering.
• Semi Zabala (NASA chip manufacturer)minorOthersSemi Zabala, a company that develops chips used in space missions, has a connection to the school through CEO Simon Wainwright, who was interviewed on Habla Radio's programme broadcast from the school. The school name is included on a USB drive that will travel on NASA's Artemis II mission.

Scale indicators14 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Broad incumbents

• SEK International Schools: SEK International Schools operates multiple K-12 campuses across Spain (Segovia, Madrid, Barcelona, etc.) offering IB and bilingual programs. As a multi-campus international school group, it competes for the same Spanish families seeking premium international education but at meaningfully greater scale.

Direct peers

• Colegio La Salle (San Sebastián): La Salle is a long-established concertado K-12 school in San Sebastián offering trilingual programs (Spanish, Basque, English) under a cooperative-inspired model. It is one of the closest local competitors for families seeking concertado education in Donostia.
• British Council School: British Council School in Madrid is a British-curriculum K-12 school serving Spanish and international families with English-medium instruction. It competes in the same premium K-12 English-immersion segment as St. Patrick's across Spain.
• Colegio Urkide: Colegio Urkide in Vitoria-Gasteiz is an IKASGILTZA founding member and lay-teaching cooperative school providing K-12 education. It also ranks in Spain's top 100 schools alongside St. Patrick's, making it a closely comparable Basque Country trilingual/cooperative peer.
• Colegio Vizcaya: Colegio Vizcaya in Bilbao is a fellow IKASGILTZA cooperative school offering K-12 education with comparable trilingual and concertado positioning. It appears alongside St. Patrick's in the El Mundo 100 Colegios top 100, making it one of the most directly comparable peers in the Basque Country cooperative ecosystem.
• American School of Bilbao: American School of Bilbao is an international, English-medium K-12 school in the Basque Country serving a similar expat and bilingual-Spanish family demographic. It competes for the same pool of families seeking English-immersion schooling in the region.
• Hastings School: Hastings School in Madrid is a British-curriculum K-12 school delivering English-medium education to Spanish and international families. It is comparable as a private K-12 English-immersion operator targeting academically ambitious Spanish families seeking international credentials.
• International School of Bilbao (ISB): International School of Bilbao is a private K-12 school offering English-medium IB programs to Spanish and international families in the Basque Country. It competes for the same demographic of families seeking English-immersion international education in northern Spain.

Regional players

• Lycée Français de Bilbao - Mater Salvatoris: Mater Salvatoris is a French-medium K-12 school in Bilbao serving families seeking French-curriculum international education. It is a comparable foreign-language immersion K-12 operator in the broader Basque Country, competing for internationally-minded families in the region.
• Colegio Alemán San Sebastián (Deutsche Schule): The German school in San Sebastián is a German-medium K-12 international school serving local and expatriate families in the same city as St. Patrick's. It competes for the same pool of families seeking foreign-language immersion schooling in Donostia.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat6 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xtwitter.com/StPatricksSS
• YouTubeyoutube.com/user/StPatrickss
• Facebookfacebook.com/StPatricksEnglishSchool
• Instagraminstagram.com/stpatricksss
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/colegio-ingl%C3%A9s-san-patricio

Compliance2 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Colegio Inglés San Patricio