JEREZ DE LA FRONTERA, 11 October 2026. Jerez City Council has held an official reception for the chess team of El Altillo International School, which won the Spanish Under-18 Inter-School Chess Championship this year. Mayor MarĂa JosĂ© GarcĂa-Pelayo hosted the team, and the school published the news on 29 September.
The national championship took place in Guardamar del Segura, in the province of Alicante, from 24 to 26 April. More than 400 players from 84 schools across Spain took part, and El Altillo's five-player team finished as champions of the Under-18 category.
The title completed a full season for the team. It first won the Jerez inter-school championship in the Under-18 category, then the provincial championship, and finally the Spanish title, three titles in a row in the same season.
At the reception the mayor was joined by the city's Education Councillor, Nela GarcĂa, and its Sports Councillor, Tomás Sampalo. According to the school, the mayor praised chess for the way it builds concentration, logical reasoning, decision making and resilience in young people.
The students were accompanied by their chess teacher, Daniel Escobar DomĂnguez, a FIDE-rated player who coaches the team, and by Deputy Head JosĂ© Luis GarcĂa Deza.
The season is not over yet. The school has announced that students from El Altillo will compete in the FIDE World Youth Chess Championship, which will be held in Roquetas de Mar, in AlmerĂa, from 13 to 21 October, with age categories from Under-7 to Under-17.
About El Altillo International School
El Altillo International School is an IB World School in Jerez de la Frontera, in the province of Cádiz, for students aged 1 to 18. It is part of International Schools Partnership (ISP) and is led by Principal Vanessa Moore.
Teaching is in Spanish, English and French. Younger pupils follow the International Early Years and Primary Curriculum, secondary students take the IB Middle Years Programme, and in the final two years students choose between the Spanish Bachillerato and the IB Diploma Programme. The school lists WASC accreditation alongside its IB authorisation.
What this means for families
For families in Jerez and the Bay of Cádiz, a national title against 84 schools says something about the depth of a school's extracurricular programme, not just its exam results. Chess is taught here by a specialist coach, and the path from city to province to national level shows a programme that keeps students competing all year.
Families comparing schools in the area can see how El Altillo sits among its neighbours in the International School Advisor ranking of the best international schools in Cádiz.
