Updated: October 29, 2024
Are you thinking about relocating to Portugal with your children? Well, there are probably two lines of thought running through your mind. Firstly, you’ll want to ensure your child has access to the best education, and, secondly, you’ll be thinking about how to find the perfect home.
It can seem daunting knowing which consideration deserves more of your attention, but it is essential to think about both carefully, as this will have a lasting impact on your new life in Portugal.
It’s also essential to have a clear understanding of the schooling options on offer in Portugal to determine whether you want to opt for an international school or if a Portuguese school may be more suited to you.
Goldcrest recently hosted a live session where we delved into this question and more. While we delve into some crucial pointers from the session in this article, you can check out the full video below.
In addition to this, Global Intelligence Unit from our partner, Global Citizen Solutions, is currently working on their comprehensive international school report, which will you with key insights into international schools, keeping you informed on what matters, and advice on making your school selection that much easier.
What school options are there in Portugal?
Portugal has an excellent education system with three main types of schools available: Public schools, private schools, and international schools.
In our recent live session, Nathalie Willis Davis, Founder and Managing Director at Tendoria goes through the different options, “In Portugal, there are a variety of schooling options. So, besides the international schools, we have the public and private Portuguese schools. These schools are fully taught in Portuguese, except, of course, with a foreign language subjects that they offer, such as English, French or German.”
She goes on to talk about international schools where you will find English language schools as well as schools taught in other languages, such as French.
Narrowing down the English language curricula, you have Cambridge, American, and International Baccalaureate (IB). Below Willis Davis provides a brief overview of each.
Cambridge International Education and American Education
Cambridge International Education and American EducationWillis Davis highlights the Cambridge curriculum as being very available in Portugal, and which provides students with a holistic education that centers on problem solving.
“I mentioned Cambridge because it’s the most popular British curriculum. The Cambridge [curriculum] aligns with the British national curriculum, but it offers students a more international perspective. To give you an overview, the Cambridge and American curriculums are broadly similar in that they are inquiry-based. They both encourage the development of critical thinking and problem-solving. The differences between the programs are more noticeable in secondary school. The Cambridge curriculum requires students to become more specialized earlier on during the last two years of school. So 11th and 12th grade students typically choose three or four subjects to study in depth for A levels based on their intended career path or university degree.”
She then further expands on the key differences between Cambridge International Education and American education.
“In the American system, students take a broader range of subjects throughout their high school years. Assessments are also a big point of difference. Whereas in the American system, students are assessed through a combination of coursework, exams, quizzes, projects, etc., in the British system, students are assessed mainly through exams, especially for IGCSEs, which are taken in grade 10 and A levels, which are taken in grade 12. And these exams are externally graded, meaning not graded by teachers at the school, although coursework does play a role in some of the subjects.”
International Baccalaureate (IB)
The International Baccalaureate is a little different, based on a unique philosophy, as Willis Davis explains:
“The IB is structured differently. The IB philosophy is to create students who are capable of thinking critically, who can manage their own learning and interact with the world in a more meaningful way. So, for this reason, the focus is on the development of what they call approaches to learning skills, or ATL skills. These skills are thinking, communication, social skills, self-management, and research skills. And in the IB program, assessment is continuous, meaning that you don’t have it based on a one day exam at the end of the year, except for the diploma program of course, where you do have exams at the end of the two year program, but coursework also contributes to the students final results.”
How to Choose the Right School
The first thing to consider is finding the right school for you. Each option will have its advantages and drawbacks, but the important thing to remember is that there is no one-size-fits-all. What is the perfect choice for one family doesn’t mean that it is the right choice for you.
It is important to visit the schools to get insights into how they work and usually you will be able to get a feel for a school where you can see if it is the right one for your children.
Portuguese schools
You will first need to determine if it is a Portuguese school or international school that you’d like to children to attend.
As Willis-Davis mentions in the live session, a key advantage of having your child attend a Portuguese school is that they’ll become fluent in the Portuguese language. Alongside this, “at a local school, your child will be fully immersed in the culture of the country, so they then have the opportunity to develop a deep understanding of cultural norms and develop friendships within the community. So thereby, they are deepening their ties to it.
She also stresses the importance of considering the child’s age, to ensure they can keep up with their studies in a language that they may be unfamiliar with.
“The younger the child, the better. So Portuguese is not an easy language. The grammar is quite complex, so expecting a 14 year old with no background in Portuguese to become fluent in a short period of time isn’t really a reasonable expectation, unless that child is amazing at languages. I always encourage families to begin learning Portuguese before they move here, to get a head start.”
Alongside the advantages in your child learning Portuguese and being integrated into the local culture, another significant is the cost – the cost of local schools is a fraction of the cost of international schools.
International schools
Many expat families moving to Portugal consider international schools and there are wide range of reasons for this, not least concerning the style of teaching and the fact that they offer a wide range of extracurricular activities outside the classroom to foster creative thinking and growth outside the classroom environment.
As Willis-Davis puts it, “There are certain advantages that international schools offer. So, the IB, American and Cambridge curriculums encourage inquiry based learning and critical thinking. Students are encouraged to think globally and explore a range of perspectives. In contrast, a Portuguese education is more teacher centered with traditional teaching methods, so the curriculum is more theoretical, with a strong focus on memorization and mastering the national content.
Also, international schools typically offer a wider range of extracurricular activities than local schools do. This allows children to explore their interests and develop their skills beyond the classroom.
To sum up she says that” An international school is really a softer landing for families relocating to Portugal, especially for children aged 12 plus, who will need more time to learn Portuguese than their younger counterparts. And international schools offer an international setting, meaning that the students have come from different backgrounds, and that makes it sometimes easier to integrate and make friends”.
How Schools in Prime Locations Can Influence Property Prices
Choosing the right type of school is crucial if you are moving to Portugal with family, but alongside this, you will also need to think about where you would like to live. This brings the dilemma of whether you should choose the school first or the property first. There is no right answer to this question, but looking at both in parallel can definitely help.
High demand for property close to the top schools can also boost up property prices and while this is not uniform and depends on the area, Gonçalo Peixoto, the Head of Real Estate at Goldcrest, mentions in our live session that “there are certainly some areas that were impacted by this increase in the search of those areas. I would say Beloura in Sintra is one of those, one of those places where you see a lot of people that are there with their children in international schools. There are some smaller areas in Lisbon where that is also a feeling that [property price increases] was felt because of the increasing search” [in schools].
Lisbon Neighborhoods Close to International Schools
More international schools in Portugal are located in Lisbon than in any other location in the country, with eight in the city and a further 20 in the Greater Metropolitan Area. If you be looking to move to Lisbon, then knowing where to live can be tricky, particularly if you are also on the hunt for an international school.
Gonçalo Peixoto provides some advice on potential locations to consider if looking for properties close to international schools in Lisbon, identifying the areas of Lapa, Estrela, and Campo do Ourique as top choices if you are seeking out an apartment where prices will stand at around €5,000 per square meter, with the neighborhood of Parque das Nações in the east of the city also being a good option, and which has plenty of modern developments.
For those looking for more spacious properties, he mentions that “other areas that you might choose could be Monsanto, for example, or Alvalade, where you can find bigger properties than apartments, and you will have more space as well as Sintra. You have a lot of choice in Sintra, and you’re actually quite close to Lisbon anyway, so Sintra might be something to look at, and you’re looking at a much cheaper price of €2,000-3,000 per square meter. […]. Cascais, if you’re looking for a place close to the sea as well. You can take your children to the beach after a school day or on weekends. It’s a very good place for its lifestyle attributes”.
When it comes to striking the balance between finding your ideal place to call home with the school, it can be a good idea to live in the Greater Lisbon Area. You’ll find 20 of the international schools located here, with 13 in Cascais and Estoril, three in Sintra, two in Oeiras, and two in Carcavelos.
Gonçalo mentions that if you are looking to live in Sintra and then opt for a school in Lisbon, or vice versa, the distance is not too far.
So Sintra would be 35 minutes away from Lisbon, with the rush hour traffic, you’d be looking at, probably, 45 minutes to 50 minutes to get to Lisbon. From the center of Lisbon to Cascais, it’s usually a bit quicker. You’re about 35 kilometers away from the center of Lisbon. It would take you 35 to 45 minutes to get to the center of Lisbon from Cascais.”
There is also a big lifestyle benefit of living in Cascais- “Cascais, if you’re looking for a place close to the sea as well. You can take your children to the beach after a school day or on weekends. It’s very good place to have that kind of lifestyle as well.”
The challenge of finding your ideal home and perfect school for your children can feel like a balancing act. We recommend noting down your requirements, for example are you looking for a school with a particular curriculum? If so, then where are these schools located? Also, consider commute times and which neighborhood you are attracted to – as this will have a huge impact on your experience in Lisbon.
To make the process easier, it is very worthwhile to speak with experienced real estate professionals that can get to know your needs and advise you on the local property market, talking over the best neighborhoods and prospective homes close to schools that meet your requirements.
Looking to explore the property market in Portugal? Check out our complete guide to finding your dream home.
