According to the IH ES Group, the Covid-19 outbreak has had a significant impact on business and after many months of trying to save the schools, the shareholders have taken the difficult decision to declare bankruptcy.

“It is heartbreaking to see the devastating impact Covid-19 has had on these much-loved schools”

“The closure of schools is due to a sustained deterioration in recent years of International House’s main lines of business, resulting from fundamental changes in the world of language teaching,” a statement on the website read.

“This downward trajectory worsened, without a doubt, with the crisis caused by Covid-19. All this placed the IH schools in an unsustainable financial situation, despite all efforts made to try to reverse this situation.”

Due to the IH Eastern Spain schools’ situation of insolvency, instructions have been given to the group’s legal advisers to move forward with the relevant insolvency proceedings.

“This is not only a legal obligation but is also the best way to protect the interests of IH Eastern Spain, their workers, clients, suppliers and other creditors,” the statement continued.

All IH schools are all independently owned and managed companies so no other IH affiliated schools are directly affected by this closure.

However, Lucy Horsefield, managing director, International House World Organisation said that as a network of friends and colleagues, “we are all united in our great sorrow and our thoughts are with those affected”.

“Our thoughts are with all of the staff and students impacted by this closure. It is heartbreaking to see the devastating impact Covid-19 has had on these much-loved schools who have been members of our network and played such a significant role in the industry for so many decades,” Horsefield added.

According to a tweet from a Spanish trade union, between 100 and 150 teachers are affected by the closures.

L’escola de idiomes @ihspain tanca les acadèmies de Terrassa, @IHMATARO, @ihtarragona, @IHSabadell, @IH_Barcelona. Afectarà entre 100 i 150 treballadores.

Organització i lluita. Aquí ens teniu companyes. pic.twitter.com/NTMhgulVmi

— CGT Ensenyament 🚩🏴 (@CGTEnsenyament) September 27, 2020