[4] The idea for a Spanish school came from Vicente Cañada Blanch (1900–1993), a Valencia-born businessman and philanthropist who made his fortune in the United Kingdom as a fruit and vegetable importer.

Aware of the challenges immigrants face when adapting to a new country, he wanted to create an institution that would support Spanish-speaking families in preserving their language and culture while integrating into British society.

In 1972 Cañada Blanch bought and gifted the Spanish government a property at 151 Charlton Road in Greenwich.

However, due to space constraints and a less-than-ideal location, the school relocated in 1982 to its current site on Portobello Road.

[3] The new premises had previously served as St Joseph's Convent, a care home for the elderly managed by the Little Sisters of the Poor.