Who We Are
ELIS Murcia follows the National Curriculum for England and Wales and offers its pupils IGCSE and A-Level examinations. The school is accredited by NABSS (National Association for British Schools in Spain) and is recognised by the Spanish Ministry of Education. The school is an approved examining centre for Edexcel and Cambridge International Exams as well as being a preparation centre for Cambridge English Examinations, Trinity College Examinations and ABRSM music exams.
Education at ELIS Murcia is based on each pupil‘s individual abilities, on their social integration and on academic success.
Students graduate from the school with dual official qualifications: at the end of Secondary, the British IGCSEs and the Spanish ‘Graduate in Compulsory Secondary Education’ certificate; and the Spanish ‘Baccalaureate’ certificate and English A-Level certificates, at the end of their Sixth Form studies.
Message from the Executive Principal: Christopher Eversden, MEd
#WeAreELIS
As Executive Principal of El Limonar International School (ELIS), as an educator and as a father, I base my work on a single, fundamental belief: children can, and will receive many gifts in life, but the only one that will truly stay with them forever is a high-quality education.
At El Limonar International School, we clearly see that the education we provide for our students must, first and foremost, open as many doors as possible for their lives after school has finished. We know that education must be a holistic experience that focuses as much on the development of self-esteem, social skills, thoughtfulness and the ability to reason and evaluate, as it does on pure academic achievement.
Thirty years ago, El Limonar was founded with the mission statement,
‘We educate for democracy, equality, respect and dignity’.
Since that foundation, the school has adapted and grown to suit the needs of the Murcian, Alicante and international communities which it serves, but the central philosophy has remained the same. Our educational programme is academically rigorous and produces outstanding results at all ages. At the same time the programme develops each pupil’s sense of respect and dignity in order for every member of our community to achieve excellence within a framework which nurtures, challenges and promotes intellectual growth. Our aim is for all ELIS students to achieve more than they ever believed possible.
El Limonar International School is the original bilingual English school in our region. We know that a person’s attainment of true bilingualism requires the learning of the second language from a very young age. When children are in the early stages of language development, they do not distinguish so readily between one language and another and are aware instead of the different sounds and meanings given by the person who is producing those sounds. At El Limonar International School our students have an exceptional command of the English language because they are exposed to it throughout the day from when they first arrive aged three. We do not teach English however, we teach in English; in the classroom, in the playground and in social and cultural activities that characterise our curriculum. This means that the ELIS educational offer is just as suitable for native English speakers who want a British curriculum education, or for international students looking to learn or improve their English, Spanish or additional languages. The very fact that our students master a second language at such a young age (be it English or Spanish as the second language, as should be the case in a truly bilingual school), it actually becomes misleading to label El Limonar International School as simply providing the best bilingual education in Murcia and Alicante: by the time of graduation, the language acquisition skills of our students mean that they are really trilingual, having achieved as high a level of fluency in a third global language as is available in any other school in the area.
Our exceptional staff and teaching strategies also result in unsurpassed university entry through A-Levels and ‘Selectividad’ results and particularly strong academic achievement in Mathematics, Languages and Sciences.
The ELIS commitment to the highest quality education also drives the constant investment into new, state-of-the-art facilities at our schools: from new Infant and sporting facilities at ELIS Villamartín, to the incredible ELIS Murcia Secondary and pre-university facility at Montevida; an ELIS Cognita Education provides what is needed for our students to excel.
At El Limonar International School there are no ‘tricks’, the schools in Murcia and Villamartin are honest schools where we pride ourselves on delivering what we say we will. They are not average schools in any respect, they are exceptional ones. We are driven by a mission and philosophy of inclusion and inquiry that means our students relish the learning process they experience each day. An experience that opens the doors a child needs to take their place in the global markets and societies of the future.
Executive Principal
Chris Eversden, MEd
After studying History and then Education at Nottingham University in England, I began my career as a teacher in...
Chris Eversden, MEd
After studying History and then Education at Nottingham University in England, I began my career as a teacher in North London. As an inexperienced 21-year-old teacher, I chose the most challenging and hostile working environment that I could find to learn as much about classroom management and discipline techniques as quickly as I could. I have never encountered a discipline problem that I couldn’t solve since.From London I moved to work in Washington D.C. in the USA as a Fulbright exchange programme teacher where I was inspired by the maturity of the students and their determination to work hard and create great futures for themselves. After a brief spell teaching back in London, I became a Middle Manager in an International School in Mexico City where I developed my ability to lead teams and improved my administrative efficiency.
Four years later, I found myself, with a young family, working in one of the UK’s top state schools in Cumbria, northern England. The school was a beacon of excellence in terms of the education offered, learning outcomes for students and staff professional development. It inspired me to believe that I had what it took to lead a whole school.
My first Directorship took my family and I back to Mexico City to take charge of a High School. I was able to shape a fantastic team there which, over the course of the following four years, transformed the school into a centre of educational excellence with a fully-deserved good name across the city. I was also awarded a distinction in a Master’s Degree in Educational Leadership at the University of Buckingham during that time.
In 2012 the opportunities that the new position at ELIS (El Limonar International School) Murcia offered were impossible to resist. After five years leading the school through significant curriculum, academic and organisational change, I’m completely convinced that it was the best possible move both professionally and for my family: ELIS Murcia is a fantastic school which continues to develop as a learning community and is expanding onto a beautiful new Secondary and Sixth Form site from 2020.
My professional challenge since 2017 has been to provide overall leadership for the two ELIS schools in Murcia and Villamartin. Despite being ‘sisters’, the two schools are very different in terms of needs, community and organisation. I rely heavily upon the excellent leadership teams of both schools to run them on a daily basis and must ensure that all members of both communities are fully supported at all times. This task is made easier because ELIS, as part of the Cognita group, also has all the necessary financial, technical and educational support the two schools need to grow and improve in order to maintain their positions as the leading providers of quality education in their respective regions.
Headteacher
Vanessa Grimward, MEd
After graduating from the University of Southampton with a First Class Honours degree, my journey at...
Vanessa Grimward, MEd
After graduating from the University of Southampton with a First Class Honours degree, my journey at El Limonar International School Murcia commenced way back in 1999 as a part-time classroom assistant. My first full-time teaching posts at the school were in the English Immersion Department and, later, as a Primary class teacher and tutor.Over time, I assumed roles in the school’s middle management: firstly, as English Department Coordinator, and from 2007 as Primary School Coordinator. In September 2014, whilst completing a Master’s degree in Educational Leadership, I was delighted to be named Deputy Head, a role that allowed me to further consolidate my skills as a leader and to develop my knowledge of our wonderful school at a much deeper level.
September 2017 saw my promotion to the role of Headteacher at our school, a challenge which I honestly undertake on a daily basis with an enormous sense of responsibility combined with great enthusiasm. This role sees me working with parents, staff and students from all areas of our school community, whilst gaining more knowledge of the working practices of the Cognita Schools Group. I am committed to supporting the Executive Principal in leading our school into the next exciting stages of its continuous development which currently sees us planning the growth of our school across two sites.
El Limonar International School Murcia is a truly special place that has grown and progressed immensely over the years but one thing remains unchanged: the unswerving dedication and care of all our employees, teaching and non-teaching staff alike, who always strive to provide an exceptional service to the children entrusted in our care. We are a true team, motivated by the desire to offer each and every one of our students the best possible start in their personal learning journey, in order that they might become the successful and confident leaders of tomorrow.
Director of Education
Fidelma Murphy, MA H. dip ED
ELIS Murcia is grateful to be able to call upon the expert guidance of Ms Fidelma Murphy, who serves as the school's...
Fidelma Murphy, MA H. dip ED
ELIS Murcia is grateful to be able to call upon the expert guidance of Ms Fidelma Murphy, who serves as the school's Chair of Governors and has over 25 years of experience at the forefront of International Education both in Spain, Ireland and the Middle East.Ms. Murphy comments: ‘It is a privilege to be the Chair of Governors for ELIS Murcia. The students at ELIS are a joy to interact with; they are open minded global citizens who are actively involved in the learning process. They are reflective communicators who embrace opportunities to develop their learning skills.’
Ms. Murphy has an MA in languages and a Higher Diploma in Education from Trinity College Dublin. She has extensive experience in education as a teacher, Coordinator of International programmes, academic Vice Principal, Consultant to start-up schools in the Outstanding Schools Programme in the Middle East, Recruiter, a Principal at international schools and an IB School Visitor. Fidelma joined Cognita in August 2018.
As Chair of Governors, Ms. Murphy works closely with the Headteacher in the appointment of staff, monitors the school's performance in a range of areas and works as a critical friend to support us as we strive for excellence in everything we do.
As well as serving as Chair of Governors at ELIS Murcia, Ms. Murphy also attends meetings regularly with the team of Directors of Education at Cognita, the global schools group of which ELIS Murcia is one. Being part of the Cognita family helps us to connect with other schools, share best practice and benefit from a broad professional network. Every school within the Cognita family is different: we embrace this diversity and learn from each other.
