Steps into Spain - Helping Families To Find The Right School for Your Child in Madrid

Kimberly Lawrence

2026-02-06

Google

We reached out to Sinead months before we relocated from the USA to Spain. Thanks to her guidance, she made us aware of several resources available for special needs children in Madrid. She really knows a lot about the schools and processes which differ greatly from the US. Patience is key when dealing with Spanish bureaucracy and she forewarned us. Shortly after arrival, we engaged Sinead to help us communicate effectively with the local education department and government officials. She attended meetings with us and communicated with them continuously on our behalf. While we had an unusual situation where it took the government agency several months to approve our daughter for school placement, Sinead did not let up and maintained constant contact with us and them. Sinead really is a wonderful advocate for families and children. She is responsive, knowledgeable and a lovely person. We definitely would work with her again.

Helena Requero Bravo

2025-11-26

Google

We are so glad we found Sinead. We were planning to move from London to Madrid over the summer with our two daughters, and we knew that finding the right school was key to the success of the relocation plan. Even though I was born in Spain and I speak the language I was very worried as navigating the education system and application process can be daunting- not to mention having to do that while planning all other aspects of an international move! Working with Sinead was brilliant, we felt supported and reassured the whole way and her help was priceless: from doing the research, getting the expert insights, to visiting the schools and handling all the paperwork and deadlines. After that, the transition went smoothly. Two months into the school year, the girls are settled and happy :) Massive thanks!

Ailyn La Torre La Torre Photography

2025-10-30

Google

I would highly recommend Sinead with Steps into Spain to anyone who needs any help with anything related to school in Madrid or anyone transitioning their children into the Spanish School system. Sinead was informative, patient and so wonderful to work with! 5 stars! Thank you again for all your help Sinead!

YK O

2025-09-11

Google

Sinead is a pleasure to work with - she has in depth knowledge of the schools in Madrid and offers grounded advice. She worked with us to find a school for our daughter and we could not be happier with the outcome. We would absolutely work with her again - and recommend her without hesitation.

Priscilla Walker

2025-09-09

Google

We moved to Spain in the summer, past the usual registration dates. We kept in contact with Sinead the whole time and she contacted schools in our desired neighborhoods to check on availability and updated us. Once we finally had the necessary paperwork on our end she confirmed space availability at our desired school then helped out with our application form. Her assistant, Kari, personally met us at the school to help communicate with the administration staff and she was also great at distracting our kids while we completed more paperwork. With the fast pace of our move it was a relief to have the guidance and extra helping hands from Sinead and Kari. We highly recommend their service to help navigate the Madrid school systems.

Ryan Rutan

2025-09-07

Google

Working with Sinead and Steps Into Spain was an absolute lifesaver during our international move.

We were juggling visas, housing, and all the stresses of relocating with three kids. Time and emotional resilience were in VERY short supply. What could have been absolutely overwhelming, Sinead turned into a smooth and comfortable process.

Despite the challenge of having three kids at very different ages, she got them all placed in the same school, walking distance from our home. This was an outcome we didn’t dream was possible.

She also helped us overcome a huge hurdle when we couldn’t get our Padron due to a rental contract technicality (Padron is a normal requirement for schools). Thanks to her personal relationship with the school, she made a call, explained our situation, and cleared the path for us.

Sinead was patient, kind, and understanding every step of the way. She took our specific needs and challenges and turned them into the perfect outcome for our family. We couldn’t recommend her more highly.

Jennie Sullins

2025-09-05

Google

Sinead was essential is planning our gap year in Madrid. Our 2 boys having a smooth transition was our biggest concern and we wanted to find a school that could help with that. She was great at explaining the whole process and type of schools, the dates that were important, but also more importantly putting us at ease with the decision making. She really listened to what would be best for our kids and helped find a school to align with that as well as get them registered. We did it all remotely from the states and got most everything on our wish list. We now live in Madrid, in a great family friendly neighborhood and are walking distance to our small bilingual school of choice. Thank you Sinead for helping make this happen. <3

Monica Dumitrescu

2025-09-03

Google

We had a wonderful experience working with Steps into Spain and Sinead!. She was always open, communicative, and genuinely caring throughout the process of finding a school for our daughter in Madrid. She answered all our questions, guided us with patience, and made us feel like we had a true partner rather than just a service provider. Thanks to her support, we found the school that best suits our daughter’s needs. We highly recommend her!

Carrie Davis

2025-09-03

Google

We worked with Sinead to enroll our three children in school in Madrid. I first attended a webinar about the school system in Madrid and found it extremely informative. Later she pointed us in the direction of the neighborhood we now call home and helped enroll my kids. She’s very helpful and knowledgeable and her services are worth their weight in gold! Highly recommend

Zeynep Santiroglu Sutherland

2025-06-30

Google

If you are looking for the right school in Madrid, don’t waste time trying to do it on your own — just leave it to Sinead. She’s excellent!

Sinead helped us find the perfect school for our 15-year-old twin boys. We were looking for a boarding school that specialized in sports, particularly football, for our non-Spanish-speaking sons. She immediately understood our needs, communicated clearly throughout, and made the entire process so much easier.

Sinead is not only incredibly efficient and well-connected, but also genuinely caring and supportive. Her excellent reputation and wide network were a great source of reassurance during what could have been a stressful time.

We feel very lucky to have found her and can’t thank her enough. She’s simply the best!

Marta Forai

2025-06-13

Google

Working with Sinéad was truly a gift — exactly the kind of support we needed during an important transition for our family. We were looking for someone who could recommend specific schools for our child, taking into account all the unique needs and priorities we had.

Despite doing extensive research on our own, everything started to blur — school websites and interviews all began to sound the same, and we still didn’t feel confident about how things would actually be in practice. What we needed was someone who really understands how schools in Madrid work — someone who knows the environment, the values, and even the kind of families each school tends to attract.

Sinéad provided exactly that. She took the time to understand our family, helped us clarify our goals, and brought focus to our decision-making. She knows the schools incredibly well, including some that weren’t even on our radar, and guided us through the pros and cons of each option in our desired area. Her insight comes not just from research but from knowing real families and their experiences — something that made all the difference.

Before starting with her, we also asked around at several schools — and interestingly, they themselves recommended her, noting how positive the experiences were with families she had supported. That gave us even more confidence.

She is highly organized, responsive, and genuinely cares. She answered all our questions — and in the end, her recommendation turned out to be the perfect fit for our child.

We’re very grateful to have had her guidance and would wholeheartedly recommend Steps into Spain to any family navigating this complex process.

Justin Lawless

2025-03-17

Google

Sinéad was amazing and so helpful. We were overwhelmed with our move to Spain and didn't know where to start with enrolling our daughters in school. She clearly explained the system and process to us and helped us throughout the admission process, even accompanying us to the school. Her assistance was invaluable and we can't recommend her enough. Thank you!