We’ve noticed a trend in our little town, and it really picked up during and right after the pandemic…
Buyers are no longer just retired Americans and Canadians looking for a warm place to enjoy their new found freedom…
We have had a huge influx of families relocating to Puerto Morelos from all over the world!
Our inbox used to be full of inquiries like “is there a pickleball court?” or “what do people do for health care?”, and it still is, but now we are also fielding a ton of questions about playgroups, kid friendly activities, and the most common: “Where can my kids go to school in Puerto Morelos?”
That was the number on question on the mind of our friends Colette and Darren, who recently sold everything in Canada and moved to Puerto Morelos with their three school aged kids. Very brave! Check out this recent episode of House Hunters International to hear more about their story, and why they chose Puerto Morelos for their busy family.
We love the energy these families have brought to our community, and we totally understand that for families moving to Puerto Morelos, finding the right school for their kids is a top priority.
So we put together this little guide to the schools in and around Puerto Morelos!
And believe it or not, there are quite a few options Puerto Morelos, including bi-lingual schools, traditional schools, and alternative schools.
Moving internationally with your kids is a huge leap of faith!
And typically an incredible learning experience for both parents and the kiddos…
But diving into the unknown can be scary! Especially when it comes to your child’s education.
While there are public schools in Puerto Morelos, of course, the sad news is that they are very underfunded and the facilities aren’t in great condition. Instruction is exclusively in Spanish and there is a cost to attend the schools.
For these and other reasons, in most situations, families moving from outside of Mexico will opt for private schooling. Not only are private schools very affordable here (a fraction of what you would pay in the US, Canada, Europe), they are often bilingual and have nice facilities.
Home schooling is also a popular option for families moving to Puerto Morelos. Or a combination of private and home schooling.
KINDERGARTEN & ELEMENTARY SCHOOL OPTIONS
Kindergarten (or “Kinder”) is broken into 3 years.. Kinder 1, 2, and 3. Kinder 1 and 2 are the equivalent of pre-school in the US. Kinder 3 would be similar to Kindergarten in the states and is for 5 year old’s. Some of the following schools do offer Kindergartens, but not all.
In Mexico, elementary school (aka Primary School or “Primaria”) is typically for ages 6-11 or grades 1-6.
INSTITUTO
Instituto is a primary school that comes highly recommended. It offers classes starting from pre-school up until the 6th grade (ages 3-11) and is bi-lingual. Click HERE for more info!
ARBOLE
This is a new project that will be opening in the fall of 2023 and will be accredited by the SEP. Grades available are from Kinder 3 and on (ages 5-11). This new school will be located in the Zona Urbana. Enrollment is open now! For more information CLICK HERE!
CARL ROGERS
Carl Rogers is another primary school certified by the SEP. It is know for small class sizes, personalized attention and English and French classes. It is open to grades 1-6 and it does not offer kinder. Click HERE for more info!
ALTERNATIVE EDUCATION OPTIONS
If you are looking for alternative education for your littles, check out the following schools. While these schools are not accredited by the SEP (Secretaría de Educación Pública) but placement exams are offered by the government once it comes time for your child to transition into a SEP certified school.
GAL MONTESSORI
GAL is a Montessori based daycare/learning facility for ages from 18 months to 5 years. Click HERE for more info!
Baaxal Waldorf Community
Baaxal has been offering it’s education system to Puerto Morelos for over 25 years! This Waldorf based learning school offers classes from Pre-k through the 6th grade. There are 2 locations- the earlier grades are located in the Zona Urbana while the upper grades are located off of La Ruta de los Cenotes. Click HERE for more details!
La Aldea
Another alternative school located in the Zona Urbana is La Aldea. It offers small class sizes from Kindergarten-4th grade. Click below for more info!
MIDDLE SCHOOL OPTIONS
Grades 7 to 9 in Mexico is considered middle school or “secundaria”. Typically it is for kids that fall in the age group of 12 to 15.
KAANS
In Puerto Morelos, at this time there is just one private middle school which is located in the Zona Urbana. It is called KAANS and it actually offers grades 7 to 10.
Click HERE for more information!
HIGH SCHOOL OPTIONS
High school or “Preparatoria” in Mexico is typically for kids 15-18 years of age or grades 10-12. At this time, Puerto Morelos does not have a private high school (only up until Grade 10 at KAANS). Typically kids will go to either Playa Del Carmen, Cancun, or take online high school classes. Since many families have their kids in school in Playa del Carmen or Cancun, there are several ride sharing options.
Click the links below to check out recommended high schools in the neighboring cities!
CANCUN
Modern Academy (MAcC)
PLAYA DEL CARMEN
OK- we KNOW that’s a lot of information, but we hope this blog helps give you a general idea of education in Puerto Morelos!
If you are looking for kid friendly outings in the area be sure to check out our Local Guide HERE.
Also, don’t forget to follow along on our Facebook group Puerto Morelos Life! We post our weekly events calendar with family friendly happenings.
Another great resource for families is the Facebook group Moms de Puerto Morelos (dads are welcome too!). It’s a great community of families that love sharing their local tips and helping answer questions.
Also, be sure to subscribe to our YouTube channel for more great videos about buying and living in Mexico!
Saludos!
