The Iberia Language Academy Story
How we started
Our roots can be traced back to TEFL Iberia, an English teacher training academy founded by Richard Davie in 2012. As we worked with numerous students, primarily from English-speaking countries, who were keen on relocating to Barcelona for work and life, we realised the growing demand for Spanish language education. This realisation inspired us to expand our offerings and establish Iberia Language Academy.
We taught our first Spanish class in 2015. What started as occasional groups of Spanish learners has grown, over more than ten years, into an independent school with its own team of teachers and coordinators. Raquel Rojo joined us in 2024 as our academic director and raised our academic standards and rigour, alongside an action-packed cultural activity calendar.
Today, Iberia Language Academy combines a strong commitment to student support with an open, welcoming atmosphere that reflects life in Barcelona. Through well-structured courses, personalised attention and a lively programme of cultural activities, the school creates an engaging and inclusive environment in which international learners can learn Spanish while actively connecting with the local culture.
Our Mission
Our mission is to teach Spanish in Barcelona with academic rigour and a personal approach, connecting students directly with the life of the city, Spain and the Spanish-speaking world. We want our students to develop the Spanish they need to navigate the situations they encounter in their daily and working lives.
Qualified, experienced teachers
All our teachers are qualified and experienced in teaching Spanish. You’ll learn with the same team throughout your course, so your teachers know your history, understand your needs and follow your progress.
Communicative Approach & Visual Grammar
Learn Spanish through real communication, supported by visual grammar techniques that make meaning clear and intuitive.
Fun Cultural Activities
Spanish is best learned when you get out there and use it in the wild. And have some fun along the way!
Small Groups
Our classes have a strict limit of 12 students, ensuring you get plenty of practice and time with the teacher.
Our Vision
We want to build a Spanish school in Barcelona that combines academic quality with a personal, welcoming approach, and that sees learning as part of the experience of living in the city.
We aim to provide rigorous teaching and continuous support, with a team that knows each student’s journey and follows their progress closely. We want to help students integrate into life in Barcelona and create a welcoming, accessible environment where every student feels recognised, heard and part of the educational community.
How We Do It
We’ve taught Spanish to hundreds of students and they’ve all got great things to say about the school. They’ll definitely mention:
The personalised attention from the coordination staff and teachers.
Visual grammar techniques that help Spanish feel more intuitive.
Small groups (12 maximum, not 20).
Lots of speaking practice in class.
Getting to meet people from all over the world.
Feeling at home in the school.
Progress reports, a learning diary and the library, all in the ILA portal.
Who Are Our Students
In the twelve months to July 2026, 158 people enrolled at Iberia Language Academy, from 49 countries in total. The largest groups were from the United States, Germany, the United Kingdom, Turkey, France and Italy. Eighteen of those countries were represented by just one student, reflecting how international our classrooms can be.
Our group courses are for adults, with students ranging from 19 to 79. The median age was 34, and almost half were between 25 and 34. On any given morning, a class might include someone on a gap year, a software engineer, a doctor, a designer and someone who has just retired to Barcelona.
The school is busiest from September to November and again from January to April. December and late spring are quieter, often making them the best times to be in a small group.