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International schools around Lisbon

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sponger

Hello,

My wife and I are considering an early retirement from to US in/around Lisbon.  We also have a 15 year old child who is finishing the freshman year of high school here in the US.  We would look to put her into one of the International schools that offer an IB program.  I understand these programs are very strong academically and should position her quite well when she comes back to the US for college.

Question...does anyone on this forum have experience with students in one of the International schools around Lisbon (or know somebody who does)?  What I really want to understand....not to sound shallow...are the families that attend mostly wealthy or is there a good mix of students?  I know...wealth is a relative term but the schools tend to charge upward of E20,000 or more a year.  We will likely live in an 150m-200m T3 apartment within an easy drive of a school but nothing too fancy.  I know in the US, mostly wealthy people send their kids to private schools and most of these people live in very expensive homes.  We're not poor, but we're not rich. I wouldn't want to put her into a new social setting, in a brand new country, not know anybody, and then her not fit in because she not at a certain level of wealth.

If anyone has any experience with this or can speak to this...that would be very appreciated.

JohnnyPT

Hi, Welcome to this forum.   :)
Thank you for detailing what you want, so it is easier to answer.

Please, read this:
https://www.expat.com/forum/viewtopic.php?id=902215

in September 2020, two new international schools were opened in Lisbon, Tasis and United... But I think they were going to start in the first year with only basic school levels. But there other other schools.

At the school level your daughter is at at this moment, there are some schools on the list that I presented to you. I've put there the age range, but you need to check the websites and see if the level is the appropriate. It's all in English, so it's easy. I think your daughter will enter higher studies/university in 2/3 years, so I don't know if your family will be transferred before or during your daughter's higher studies.... this list is for primary/secondary education only. If you want university education, you will have to inform me.

These schools are attended by an upper/high middle class of many nationalities, I think integration will not be difficult. I don't think there is the problem that she will think she is not rich enough  :)  but you have the emails from each school there, so you can find out more about it.

If any members here would like to talk a bit about their experiences related to international schools, they are welcome.

----

Regarding Lisbon areas close to these schools, I give you some suggestions, which I have now remembered:

Villas and Apartaments:
Quinta da Beloura / Sintra
Belas Clube de Campo / Lisbon Green Valley, Belas
Parque dos Poetas / Oeiras
Cascais
Carcavelos
Alcochete (there are now new closed condominiums there, close to Lisbon, but on the other side of the river)
(...)

Apartaments only:
Parque das Nações/Expo
Alta de Lisboa
...

You can do your own research here:
https://www.expat.com/forum/viewtopic.php?id=904388


Please read this too (post #2)
https://www.expat.com/forum/viewtopic.php?id=903613

Best regards

sponger

JohnnyPT...a very belated THANK YOU for the detailed response!

I would be interested in hearing if any parents coming from the US have experience with a child coming from a US high school and then going to a British-based curriculum in grades 10-12.  Carlucci has an American system but I wonder how tough an adjustment would be if going to one of the British school?

JohnnyPT

Hi Sponger,

Maybe this can help. In Portugal, American and English schools follow the curricula of the US and UK systems respectively:

Comparison of the British and American education systems:

https://www.ourkids.net/pl-en/compariso … system.phphttps://www.relocatemagazine.com/articl … on-systemshttps://www.buzzfeed.com/jameskicksa/i- … -uk-school

(...)

sponger

Thanks again!

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