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 Principal: Vanessa Grimward, MEd
#WeAreELIS
El Limonar International School was founded in 1990 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 community 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 Murcia students to achieve more than they ever believed possible.
Our ongoing commitment to the safety and wellbeing of all our young people; the quality of the teaching in our classrooms; the academic progress and performance of our students; and the performance management of all staff are the foci that underpin all our work.
El Limonar International School is the original bilingual English school in our Region of Murcia. 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 ELIS Murcia 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 Murcia 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 ELIS as simply providing the best bilingual education in Murcia 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 and resources at our schools: the incredible ELIS Murcia Secondary and pre-university facility at Montevida; investment in 121 digital devices for all students from Year 3 to Year 12, and a commitment to ongoing professional development for all our staff.
At ELIS Murcia there are no ‘tricks’ and we pride ourselves on delivering what we say we will. 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.
ELIS Murcia continues to strive to prove itself to be one of the very best internationally focused education providers in Spain. Last year saw ELIS Murcia commence the process towards international recognition through the highly prestigious Council of International Schools (CIS): an 8 month-period of exhaustive self-evaluation and reporting to CIS and a weeklong visit by CIS inspectors, led to ELIS Murcia being granted Membership to CIS in May 2021. This year, we will continue to push the academic standards and ensure continuous development across the whole school to achieve CIS Accreditation during the school year 2022 – 23.
Principal
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 ELIS 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, a role that saw 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.
As a result of the above, and through hard work and commitment, working closely for 9 years with the former ELIS Cognita Executive Principal, I am delighted to have been named Principal of ELIS Murcia commencing 1 September 2021. I am privileged to have been afforded this opportunity, and truly excited about leading ELIS Murcia through the next phase of its continuous improvement journey. As we continue to prove ourselves to be one of the very best internationally focused education providers in Spain, I believe that the rigorous and prestigious Council of International Schools (CIS) Accreditation process is the necessary next step in our school history.
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.
Assistant Director of Education Spain
Chris Eversden, MEd
After studying History and then Education at Nottingham University in England, I began...
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.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 at that stage in my career. My professional challenge since 2017 changed into providing 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 relied heavily upon the excellent leadership teams of both schools to run them on a daily basis and to ensure that all members of both communities are fully supported at all times.
From 2021 onwards, my new professional challenge centres around using all that I have learnt to date to support the professional growth of our family of schools in Spain. My key objective is to facilitate understanding between our educational leadership and the broader requirements and objectives of the Group and to work with my colleagues to ensure that a range of educational and performance projects across the region are successful.
Group 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...
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.
