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The Mackay School

Chile, Viña del Mar

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The school at a glance
Instructs in Spanish, English
Fees Fees not listed
Ages 3 - 18 years
Pupil numbers 880
Type Co-educational
Opened 1857
Bus Service No
Academic offering
Curriculum IB (PYP), IB (MYP), IB (DP)
Taught languages Spanish, English, Latin
Strengths Sport, Visual and Creative Arts, Languages
Clubs Arts and Creative, Cultural and Language, Community and Service
Stages Early Years, Primary School, Secondary School
Introduction

Situated in Reñaca, Viña del Mar, The Mackay School is a long-established bilingual school with a British educational heritage dating back to 1857. It delivers the full International Baccalaureate continuum: Primary Years Programme in the Junior School, Middle Years Programme, and the Diploma Programme across II Medio to IV Medio. Cambridge Examinations are offered in the Junior School. English is the language of instruction, and the Junior School maintains an English immersion programme from Play Group through Fifth Grade to foster bilingualism. The Mackay School is the only IB World School in the Valparaíso Region authorized to offer all three IB programmes, with university partnerships supporting admission via the IB Diploma or IB certificates. The Mantagua campus extends sport facilities with rugby pitches, and the school operates language-training centres for English and other languages for the wider community. 100% of IV Medio IB candidates earned IB certificates in 2023 successfully.

Vicuña Mackenna 700, 2540197 Viña del Mar, Valparaíso, Chile

The Essentials

The Mackay School has 880 pupils, instruction in Spanish, English.

Location
Av. Vicuña Mackenna 700, Reñaca, Viña del Mar, Valparaíso Region, Chile. The Mackay School sits in the Reñaca district. The campus is accessible by local roads with connections to Viña del Mar center and Valparaíso. Main: 322386600; Portería: 322386621.

Stages
Junior School and Senior School. The school offers the International Baccalaureate Primary Years Programme (PYP), Middle Years Programme (MYP), and Diploma Programme.

Type
IB World School offering PYP, MYP, and Diploma.

Additional learning support
Welfare includes Learning and Support with psychologists, psicopedagogas, and vocational orientation.

Country affiliation
British educational heritage.
Diving Deeper

Uniform Requirement
The Mackay School has a school uniform that includes a tie. On sports days, students wear the institutional sports tracksuit. The tie is distributed at the opening ceremony of the school year on March 3.

Food Options
Lunch is included during the extended school day. Snacks are provided during Mixed Day activities.

House System
The Mackay School uses an Interhouses system with four houses: Robertson, Sutherland, Somerscales, and Mackay.

Governance and Ownership
The Mackay School is governed by the Fundación Corporación The Mackay School. The governance body is the Board of Governors, with a Chairman, Deputy Chairman, Treasurer, Secretary, and Governors.
Fees
Application fee

- The fee to submit an application (derecho a postular) is set at one Unidad de Fomento (1 UF).

Tuition and term fees by year group

- The school's standard published materials do not include a publicly available table of tuition amounts by year group or by term. The school issues a formal "Carta de Arancel de Referencia" (fee schedule) that contains the detailed tuition and ancillary charges and is provided to families during the admissions/matriculation process. Specific per-term and per-year tuition figures are contained in that fee schedule rather than published as an open price list.

Billing schedule and payment terms

- The detailed billing schedule (due dates, number of installments, and late-payment rules) is specified in the school's fee schedule (Carta de Arancel) and the school's administrative billing procedures; that schedule is provided to applicants and families as part of the admissions/registration documentation. The admissions process requires payment of the application fee before the evaluation process begins.

Boarding fees (if applicable)

- The Mackay School's current institutional documents and public information describe the school as an academic day-school community and do not set out boarding/residential provision or boarding tariffs as part of the offered services. There are no separate boarding fees published.

Other costs and fees (uniforms, materials, exams, extra services)

- Families are responsible for any school materials or property borrowed or held by a student (for example: books, equipment, or supplies) at the time of withdrawal. The school's procedures address return of school materials and settlement of any related charges. The fee schedule also typically lists charges for optional services, exam fees, extracurricular programmes and any insurance or special items; those specific amounts are provided in the Carta de Arancel de Referencia.

Refund and withdrawal rules

- If a pupil is withdrawn during the first semester of the academic year, the family is required to pay 50% of the annual tuition (colegiatura anual). If withdrawal occurs during the second semester of the academic year, the family is required to pay 100% of the annual tuition. Families must give at least 30 days' written notice and complete the formal withdrawal process so that accounts can be settled and school materials returned.

Fee payment options (methods accepted)

- The school's public materials and administrative policies reference the school's Finance/Cobranza area and the requirement to settle amounts owed through the billing process, but they do not publish a definitive public list of accepted payment methods (for example: bank transfer, Webpay, credit card or Servipag). Payment methods and instructions are provided to families together with the Carta de Arancel and in admissions/finance communications.

How the fee information is delivered to families

- The school provides a formal "Carta de Arancel de Referencia" and related billing terms to applicant families as part of the admissions/matriculation documentation; that document contains the precise tuition by year and term, any boarding charges (if applicable), ancillary fees, payment schedules, and the accepted methods of payment. The application must be accompanied by payment of the application fee (1 UF) before the evaluative process starts.

Key administrative notes (dates and procedural references)

- The school's admissions and withdrawal procedures are maintained as formal institutional documents; the withdrawal procedure was last updated 2 March 2026 and sets out the refund/obligation percentages cited above.

Summary statement for parents

- To obtain the exact per-term and per-year tuition figures, the exact billing schedule (number of installments, due dates, and late-payment terms), the list of ancillary charges (uniforms, exam fees, extras) and the accepted payment methods, the school issues a written fee schedule (Carta de Arancel de Referencia) to families during admissions and at matriculation; the application process requires payment of 1 UF as the application right. The school's official admissions and procedural documents describe refund amounts on withdrawal (50% if withdrawn in first semester; 100% if withdrawn in second semester) and require a minimum 30-day notice for withdrawal.
Academics

The Mackay School teaches IB (PYP), IB (MYP), IB (DP) for students aged 3 to 18.

Curriculum
IB is offered with three programmes: PYP in the Junior School, MYP for the middle years, and the Diploma Programme in II Medio through IV Medio. Cambridge Examinations are offered in the Junior School. The Junior School emphasizes an English immersion programme from Play Group through Fifth Grade to foster bilingualism. The Mackay School is the only school in the Valparaíso Region implementing all three IB programmes (PYP, MYP, Diploma). The school has university partnerships enabling admission via the IB Diploma or IB certificates.

Exam Results
IB Diploma examination results for 2025 show that students earned IB Certificates and Diplomas; every IV Medio student earned at least one IB certificate; core subjects English A, Spanish A, and History had a 100% pass rate; maximum marks (7.0) were achieved in English Language and Literature, Spanish Literature, History, and Biology; a Grade A was awarded in Extended Essay and Theory of Knowledge.

Higher Education Progression
Universities have agreements to admit Mackay students via the IB Diploma or IB certificates.
Wellbeing

Social and Emotional Learning (SEL)
The Mackay School established Welfare in 2019 to unify the school's values formation with convivencia escolar (school life). It follows the mission and aligns with the Ministry of Education indicators for Personal and Social Development, including convivencia escolar, motivation and self-esteem, healthy living, and citizen participation. The Learning Support unit comprises psychologists, psychopedagogues, and a vocational guidance counselor who accompany students and families when concerns arise, providing advice, support, tutoring and follow-up. The Guidance unit brings together the school's inspectors dedicated to care, protection and safety, and today also serves as guides and counselors for children and young people who require support. The Welfare area also runs the School Convivencia Committee, which includes teachers, psychologists, psychopedagogues, inspectors, and a parent representative, and works to promote, prevent and resolve School Life issues.

Special Educational Needs (SEN)
Learning Support exists to support the needs of students for appropriate personal, social, emotional and academic development. It is formed by specialists in Psychology, Psychopedagogy, and Vocational Guidance and covers all levels from Play Group to Cuarto Año Medio. The team implements and coordinates the formative programs that drive the school's development. The formative programs include Affectivity and Sexuality; Prevention of Alcohol and Other Drugs; School Motivation; School Life; Citizenship Formation; and Vocational Guidance.

English as an Additional Language (EAL)
The Mackay School teaches in English. The school offers all three International Baccalaureate programmes and uses English as the language of instruction. Early English immersion enables students to adopt English as a second language naturally, ensuring comprehension and expression in both spoken and written forms. The PYP includes a strong English immersion component supporting bilingualism across the IB continuum.

Mental Wellbeing
The Welfare area unites moral education with convivencia escolar, supporting students' emotional and social development. It aligns with the Education Ministry's Personal and Social Development indicators, which include convivencia escolar, motivation and self-esteem, healthy living and citizen participation. The Learning Support team coordinates programs that foster emotional development and wellbeing across all grade levels. The Head of Welfare and the Welfare team oversee a comprehensive approach to student wellbeing and resilience.

Safeguarding
Guidance is the unit that brings together the school's inspectors dedicated to care, protection and safety of the school community, and now serves as guides and counselors for students who need support. The Welfare area administers the School Life Committee, established to promote, prevent and resolve School Life issues, in accordance with the norms that promote healthy convivencia. The committee, named annually by the Rector, includes teachers, psychologists, psychopedagogues, inspectors and administrators, and counts a representative from the Parents' Association. These structures support safeguarding and create a safe environment for learning.
Parent Experience

History
1857 marks the founding of The Valparaiso Artisan School to provide a British education to the children of the British community in Valparaíso. Peter Mackay arrived as headmaster on 8 October 1857, and by 1866 the school counted 140 boarding students, with George Sutherland joining in 1861 to support leadership. In 1877 Mackay and Sutherland split to form The Mackay and Sutherland School. By 1905, after Mackay's death, Sutherland and Robertson renamed the institution The Mackay School, which was recognised as Valparaíso's leading educational establishment and drew both British and Chilean families. In the mid-1990s growth led to a new campus in Reñaca, the school briefly admitted girls in 1973–1975 before reverting to all-boys, and Cambridge assessments were introduced in 1981 with the IB Diploma Programme joining in 1986.

Community
The Mackay School maintains an active community with events that involve families, including Student's Day featuring musical performances by teachers and dancing. The school hosts parent-attended events and exhibitions, such as the annual MYP Projects Exhibition for parents and guardians. Arts and innovations are showcased in events like the Inventions Fair, where parents observe student prototypes. The IB Diploma program is celebrated with a graduation ceremony on campus.

Parent Teacher Association (PTA)
The Mackay School has a Parents' Center (Centro General de Padres) that engages families in school life. The Centre General de Padres runs fundraising activities, including Bingo, to support student activities, CAS, and technology/innovation initiatives. Parents attend and participate in academic showcases, such as the annual MYP Projects Exhibition for parents and guardians. Parents are regularly invited to participate in Junior School activities and other events, reinforcing a strong family-school partnership.
Facilities

Facilities Overview
The Mackay School is a long-established bilingual school in Reñaca, Viña del Mar, located at Av. Vicuña Mackenna 700. It expanded its campus to Mantagua where more than 20 hectares of land were repurposed as sports facilities with rugby pitches. Rugby became the principal sport of the school. The Mackay School operates language-extension facilities, including The Mackay School Training Centre for English courses and The Artisan School Training Centre, open to the wider community. The school offers International Baccalaureate (IB) Diploma and the Cambridge programmes.

Sports Facilities
Mantagua provides rugby pitches as part of the school's sports facilities. Rugby is the principal sport of the school. Sport is a pillar of the school's educational project.

Academic Facilities
The Mackay School runs Cambridge Examinations as part of its Full Immersion Programme in the Junior School, with levels Flyers, KET and PET for Schools. The school offers the International Baccalaureate Diploma Programme across PYP, MYP and Diploma, with 100% of IV Medio IB candidates in 2023 receiving IB certificates and the school being the only IB provider across all levels in the Valparaíso region. The Mackay School Training Centre provides English language courses for children, adolescents, adults and teachers, with placement testing to form groups. The Artisan School Training Centre extends language learning to the wider community with English, German, French, Italian, Latin and Greek, plus after-school and cultural activities.

Extra Curricular Facilities
The Artisan School Training Centre offers English for all ages, German, French and Italian, Latin and Greek, plus extracurriculars such as Chess Club, piano, music in colors, and theatre in English; it also runs London immersion trips in winter and other international trips, with online classes available. The centre is open to the wider community and extra trips include Canada, Australia, New Zealand, Italy and Portugal. The Mackay School Training Centre provides English-language courses for different ages with placement tests to form groups. Sport is actively promoted as part of the extracurricular program, with rugby highlighted as a traditional focus and a weekly sports program.
Extra-Curricular Activities

Academic & Intellectual
The Mackay School offers the International Baccalaureate (IB) programmes: Primary Years Programme (PYP), Middle Years Programme (MYP), and Diploma Programme. Language of instruction is English. In an IB authorisation, English and Spanish are listed as languages of instruction for a programme. In the MYP, students undertake Personal Projects (Proyectos Personales).

Arts & Creative
Visual Arts are showcased in exhibitions, including the Visual Arts Exhibition 2025 for the IB Diploma. The Gareth Pugh Event is a music and performance gathering hosted by The Mackay School. BookJoy provides a 360-degree English reading experience from early childhood.

Cultural & Language
The Mackay School is an IB World School with English as the language of instruction. Cambridge University collaboration and the Chileno Brite1nico de Vina del Mar support English learning, and an English Assistant helps learners. The school participates in ABSCH events and hosts international exchanges and events, including cross-border rugby and other activities. Cambridge assessments, such as PET mock tests, are used in the Junior School.

Social & Hobbies
Interhouses hosts athletics and English-language competitions, including Intercasas Athletics and an Interhouse English Story Writing Contest. Rugby is a hallmark sport with ABSCH bilateral matches and annual derbies, including Seven-a-Side tournaments. Interhouse Cross Country and other interhouse sporting and cultural activities are regular features of school life.

Community & Service
The Mackay School observes Mes de la Solidaridad (Month of Solidarity) with varied activities across the community. The school engages in community service and social responsibility initiatives throughout the year. ABSCH events and partnerships reflect the school77s commitment to service and collaboration.

Leadership & Professional
Welfare and support services are available to students, including psychologists and guidance resources. The Diploma Programme has a Diploma Coordinator (Mr Silvio Bermudez Salas), and the Middle Years and Primary Years Programmes have coordinators; The Head of School is Mr Matthew Taylor.

Lifestyle & Wellbeing
Physical education and sport are central, with Rugby, Football, Athletics and Basketball cited as core activities. The school participates in interschool competitions and ABSCH rugby derbies, including matches with The Grange School. CPR and first-aid training for students (from 6th Basic to IV Medio) is part of health and safety education.
Languages

Language Provision
The Mackay School teaches English and Spanish. English is the instructional language in Junior School and Spanish remains the primary instructional language in Senior School, with continued bilingual development in both languages. The school offers a support plan for students who do not master the instructional language, with bilingual teachers providing tutoring and collaborative planning. English assessment and IB-related language certificates are included (Trinity College London in I Medio; IB English certificates in IV Medio; external exams such as FCE, CAE, TOEFL, IELTS after IB); Spanish language work aligns with Chilean national programs, including SIMCE in earlier years and PSU in the final year.

Bilingual Teaching
The Mackay School uses a bilingual program in English and Spanish. In Junior School, most students have Spanish as their mother tongue, and the school provides an English immersion environment. From Pre-Kinder to Kinder, the classroom language is English; from First through Fifth Grade, English is the language of instruction in all areas except language and communication, sport, and arts. In Senior School, the language of instruction is Spanish, with ongoing development of bilingual proficiency in both languages, supported by bilingual teachers.

Immersion Programs
Junior School provides an English immersion environment. English is the classroom language from Pre-Kinder to Kinder, and from First through Fifth Grade English is the instructional language for most subjects. Teachers are bilingual and address students in English as part of daily instruction.
Admissions

Admissions
1. Eligibility and vacancies for 2026: The Mackay School accepts applicants who meet the minimum age for their level as of March 31 of the enrollment year. Play Group requires 3 years, Pre Kinder 4 years, and Kinder 5 years; applicants for these levels and higher must have the age by March 31 of the enrollment year. For 2026, vacancies are: Playgroup 8; Pre Kinder 10; Kinder 0; Grade 1 7; Grade 2 10; Grade 3 11; Grade 4 6; Grade 5 3; Grade 6 11; Grade 7 12; Grade 8 4; Year 9 0; Year 10 0. The Mackay School is the only school in the Valparaíso Region to offer the full continuum of all three IB programmes. 2. Online application: Parents must submit the Online Application Form (Postulación en Línea), which is received by the Admissions area, which will respond with the relevant information about the process. It is essential that the required documents are attached; the application cannot proceed until documents are properly attached. The Policy for Postulation is available for reference. 3. Selection and language environment: The admissions process ensures that every admitted student can benefit from the school's plans and programs and develop socially and academically in an English-immersion environment. 4. Contact and policy: The Admissions team can be reached via the Admissions email address listed on the page, and the section also provides the Policy of Admissions linked for review. 5. Confirmation: The school provides confirmation when an application is received and notes that it will contact the applicant promptly with next steps. “Gracias por postular” confirms that submissions are received and the school will be in contact shortly.

Scholarships
Ian B. Taylor Academic Excellence Scholarship: Las Empresas Taylor established a scholarship of Academic Excellence for the student with an outstanding average between I to III Medio, who has demonstrated excellent academic performance, participation, and impeccable conduct, reflecting the values of the school. The scholarship is awarded in honor of its founder, Don Ian B. Taylor. This year the recipient was Benjamín Bravo Parra of IV Medio A.
School Events
The school has not added events
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