OUR HISTORY
The origins of Colegio San José date back to almost two centuries of history.
The pioneer of this work was D. Miguel Álvarez Bocanegraborn in Cadiz, who worked as a teacher in Cañete la Real (Malaga).
He was followed by his son, Mr. José Álvarez de la VegaHe was also a teacher, and numerous documents are preserved that prove his work and dedication in Estepona: End-of-year report written by him in which he expresses his concern about the “integral formation of the studentsor also “Actas de la Inspección de Enseñanza”, in which the inspector alludes to “the methods, teaching procedures and methods used by Mr. José as the most modern and adopted in accredited educational centers…“.
Upon his retirement, he founded the Alvarez Academy. His students were the brothers Augusto and Adolfo Suárez de Figueroa who, out of affection and admiration for their teacher, requested his admission to the Civil Order of Alfonso XII.
Mr. José Álvarez, for his teaching work, was named Adopted Son of the Town of Estepona.
Son and grandson of the above, Mr. Manuel Álvarez Pérez, a graduate in Philosophy and Letters and Law from the University of Granada, continued the work of his father and grandfather until his death in 1937.
His son, Mr. José Álvarez Gil takes charge of the school on this date.
After the war and in difficult times, in the midst of the post-war period, the Alvarez Academy continues its work training the boys and girls of Estepona.
D. José rehabilitates and adapts the old Hospital de Caridad, thus having two separate buildings as required by current regulations, one to house the male school and the other for the female, both would adopt the official name of “Colegio Patrocinio San José”.
Son and grandson of the above, Mr. Manuel Álvarez Pérez, a graduate in Philosophy and Letters and Law from the University of Granada, continued the work of his father and grandfather until his death in 1937.
His son, Mr. José Álvarez Gil takes charge of the school on this date.
After the war and in difficult times, in the midst of the post-war period, the Alvarez Academy continues its work training the boys and girls of Estepona.
D. José rehabilitates and adapts the old Hospital de Caridad, thus having two separate buildings as required by current regulations, one to house the male school and the other for the female, both would adopt the official name of “Colegio Patrocinio San José”.
During this difficult period, Mr. José organized courses for adults, people who, after a day’s work, came to the Academy eager to learn and to acquire sufficient knowledge to improve their situation. In this way a good number of professionals of that time were forged, civil servants, bank employees, merchants, industrialists, in short, people who exercised their work with the highest degree of professionalism coupled with irreproachable human qualities.
This period also saw the beginning of the preparation of those students who, thanks to the Free Education, were able to obtain a university degree.
In 1953 he married Mrs. Antonia Eugenia Núñez Guerra, teacher.a teacher, who was to direct the girls’ school.
During this difficult period, Mr. José organized courses for adults, people who, after a day’s work, came to the Academy eager to learn and to acquire sufficient knowledge to improve their situation. In this way a good number of professionals of that time were forged, civil servants, bank employees, merchants, industrialists, in short, people who exercised their work with the highest degree of professionalism coupled with irreproachable human qualities.
This period also saw the beginning of the preparation of those students who, thanks to the Free Education, were able to obtain a university degree.
In 1953 he married Mrs. Antonia Eugenia Núñez Guerra, teacher.a teacher, who was to direct the girls’ school.
In the sixties, this enterprising couple, both teachers and passionate about teaching, acquired, with extraordinary foresight, land in a privileged area of Estepona to locate the new facilities of Colegio San José.
In September 1973, the first phase of the school was inaugurated with a model infrastructure, very advanced for its time, with large landscaped areas, sports facilities, laboratories, library, dining room and transportation services, now that Since then, the school has been attended by students from a wide geographical area ranging from La Línea de la Concepción to Mijas Costa. The school would cover all educational stages, from kindergarten to university entrance.
July 26, 1987 was a painful day for the school, when Mr. José Manuel Álvarez passed away, coinciding with the fiftieth anniversary of his teaching work. His widow, Mrs. Toni-Ena, continues the work undertaken by both developing another project, the construction of a school in Marbella.
In September 1994, the San José de Guadalmina School was inaugurated, equipped, as in Estepona, with magnificent facilities.
Both the Estepona and Guadalmina centers constitute a single school, the training of students is identical in all aspects, which has contributed to the implementation of a quality management system in accordance with ISO 9001 certified by AENOR that covers the entire field of education from Ed. The program offers services from kindergarten to high school, as well as canteen and school transportation. The Organization has been strengthened since 2013 with the implementation of the. EFQM European Excellence Model.
Teamwork, concern for culture, curiosity for knowledge, critical thinking and international mentality are goals whose scope is the hallmark of Colegio San José.
Currently, more than 1,300 students from a wide area ranging from Mijas Costa to Algeciras study at the school.
The prestige achieved by the school is due to the dedication of 180 people, both teachers and non-teaching staff who, following the Mission, Vision and Values, make respect and love for the student the center of their activity.
Today, St. Joseph’s College is one of the International Baccalaureate World Schoolscommitted to the development of knowledgeable and informed young people prepared to successfully face their future and to contribute to a more harmonious and peaceful world.
Multilingualism, the participation of its students in international programs or in research projects with other institutions, always promoting academic excellence through personalized attention that allows each student to develop his or her own learning strategies, are key to the achievement of its objectives.
Currently, more than 1,300 students from a wide area ranging from Mijas Costa to Algeciras study at the school.
The prestige achieved by the school is due to the dedication of 180 people, both teachers and non-teaching staff who, following the Mission, Vision and Values, make respect and love for the student the center of their activity.
Today, St. Joseph’s College is one of the International Baccalaureate World Schoolscommitted to the development of knowledgeable and informed young people prepared to successfully face their future and to contribute to a more harmonious and peaceful world.
Multilingualism, the participation of its students in international programs or in research projects with other institutions, always promoting academic excellence through personalized attention that allows each student to develop his or her own learning strategies, are key to the achievement of its objectives.
Academic training is combined with education in values through the complementary curriculum. Respect, personal growth, companionship, coexistence and teamwork are values that are promoted through a series of sports, artistic and cultural activities that also include care for the environment and commitment to society, a globalized society with which students must interact.
The current Colegio San José has excellent facilities equipped with the material means in accordance with the challenges that the technological revolution and new teaching and learning methodologies impose. the challenges that the technological revolution and the new teaching and learning methodologies impose.
The promotion of the arts in general and its students’ love for music in particular, prompted in 2015 the founding of the San José Music SchoolThe students can obtain the official Elementary and Professional Music Degrees in eighteen symphonic specialties. Students can also obtain international accreditation of their studies according to the European Qualifications Framework (E.Q.F) through Trinity College London.
Ms. Toni-Ena devoted sixty years of her life to the College, which earned her a multitude of awards and recognitions. He retired in 2010 and left us definitively in November 2021.
Mr. José and Mrs. Toni-Ena have passed on a great legacy, a great College whose work throughout its history has been widely recognized:
- It has appeared every year for 24 editions as the first school in the province of Malaga and on numerous occasions as the first in Andalusia in the ranking published annually by the newspaper El Mundo.
- It is also considered one of the best Spanish schools by Forbes magazine.
- Students have won countless prizes in the competitions in which they participate.
But the greatest recognition is undoubtedly that of so many parents who have chosen Colegio San José as the best educational option for their children as they are former students of this school.
This legacy has been received by the four Álvarez Núñez brothers who form the current Board of Directors, who, while maintaining the traditional principles and values of the school, have adapted the spaces and methodology to the demands of current and future society.
Today the entire educational community, Board of Directors, students, parents, teachers and non-teaching staff form, as José Manuel Álvarez liked to call, “the great family of Colegio San José”.