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The British School of Lisbon

Portugal, Lisbon

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The school at a glance
Instructs in English
Fees €13,110 - 21,375
Ages 3 - 16 years
Type Co-educational
Bus Service Yes
Academic offering
Curriculum British Curriculum
Taught languages English, Portuguese, Spanish
Strengths Sport, STEM, Languages
Clubs Academic and Intellectual, Arts and Creative, Cultural and Language
Stages Early Years, Primary School, Secondary School, Sixth Form
Introduction

The British School of Lisbon is a British international school in Lisbon offering the English National Curriculum with Cambridge IGCSE, Cambridge International AS Levels and Cambridge A Levels. It serves learners aged 3 to 15, with the Cais do Sodré campus for primary and the Restelo campus for secondary, housed within the CF Os Belenenses sports complex. Phase I of the Restelo campus opened in September 2024 and Phase II is planned for Summer 2025. The English National Curriculum forms the core and is adapted to provide an international perspective, including studies of local culture, language and heritage. From enrolment, a dedicated team creates a personalised academic plan guiding students through selecting and applying to universities in the UK, US and worldwide. Phase I provides bright classrooms, science laboratories, play areas and sports fields; Phase II will add more science labs, a design & technology suite, a large library and expanded outdoor space, plus extensive sports facilities including an indoor hall. Extracurricular activities include sports, languages and coding; after-school activities are compulsory and selected each term by parents to balance active and intellectual programmes.

Rua de S. Paulo 89, 1200-427 Lisboa, Portugal

The Essentials

The British School of Lisbon has instruction in English.

Location
The British School of Lisbon has two campuses in Lisbon, Portugal: Primary Campus at Rua São Paulo 89, Lisbon 1200-427, and Secondary Campus at Rua de Alcolena 10, Lisbon 1400-004. The school operates from two campus locations in Lisbon.

Stages
Early Years; Primary School; Middle School; Secondary School; Sixth Form

Type
British international school following the English National Curriculum

Additional learning support
Language support is available for a limited number of students

Country affiliation
United Kingdom

School day structure
School runs Monday to Friday, 8:30am–3:30pm; on Tuesdays and Wednesdays, finishes at 4:30pm for after-school activities; 10:30am break; lunch 12:00–13:00; a 15-minute break at 14:30.

Bus service
The school offers a bus service; routes cover most expatriate residential compounds.
Diving Deeper

Uniform Requirement
School uniform is compulsory for all students and must be worn neatly. Uniforms can be purchased at El Corte Ingles Lisboa, Avenida António Augusto de Aguiar 31; footwear should be black and business‑like. PE uniforms are worn on PE days, and summer and winter uniforms are worn according to guidance from the Headteacher; coats and anoraks are encouraged in cold weather and sun hats on sunny days.

House System
The school uses a four‑house system: Shackleton, Franklin, Eliot and Turing. Siblings are assigned to the same House; Houses run across the school and meet regularly in their House group. Each House supports a different charity and is led by a House Leader; the House Cup is awarded at Prize Giving after fundraising and competitions.

Governance and Ownership
The British School of Lisbon is part of Dukes Education, a family of schools across the UK and Europe. Governors work with the Head and Senior Leadership Team to set strategic goals and monitor educational quality, safety and wellbeing; operational responsibilities remain with the Head and Senior Leadership Team. The School Charter sets the mission, vision and guiding principles.
Fees

Annual tuition at The British School of Lisbon ranges from EUR 13,110 to EUR 21,375 for 2026/27.

Application and enrolment fees

- Application fee (one-time): EUR 250.
- Enrolment (acceptance) fee (one-off, charged per family): EUR 5,000 (non‑refundable).

Tuition fees by year group (annual and per term)

Amounts shown are annual tuition fees; the school offers payment either annually or in three equal instalments (three terms). Per‑term values below are the annual amount divided by three, rounded to the nearest euro where required.

- Kindergarten 1 (age 3): Annual EUR 13,110 — Per term EUR 4,370.
- Kindergarten 2 (age 4): Annual EUR 13,110 — Per term EUR 4,370.
- Kindergarten 3 (age 5): Annual EUR 15,219 — Per term EUR 5,073.
- Grade 1 (age 6): Annual EUR 15,219 — Per term EUR 5,073.
- Grade 2 (age 7): Annual EUR 16,445 — Per term EUR 5,482.
- Grade 3 (age 8): Annual EUR 16,445 — Per term EUR 5,482.
- Grade 4 (age 9): Annual EUR 16,445 — Per term EUR 5,482.
- Grade 5 (age 10): Annual EUR 17,171 — Per term EUR 5,724.
- Grade 6 (age 11): Annual EUR 17,171 — Per term EUR 5,724.
- Grade 7 (age 12): Annual EUR 17,171 — Per term EUR 5,724.
- Grade 8 (age 13): Annual EUR 17,171 — Per term EUR 5,724.
- Grade 9 (age 14): Annual EUR 21,375 — Per term EUR 7,125.

What tuition covers and what is charged separately

- Tuition covers stationery, learning materials and consumables.
- The following are charged separately from tuition: school excursions, school uniform, school bus services and school meals.
- Uniforms are compulsory and are purchased externally (available at El Corte Inglés, Lisboa). Footwear, PE kit and seasonal uniform arrangements are specified by the school and paid for by families.

Billing schedule and payment terms

- Fees are payable either in a single annual payment before the start of the academic year, or in three equal instalments due before the start of each term. Fees are reviewed annually.
- The first-year total for a newly enrolled pupil includes the one‑off application and enrolment charges in addition to the annual tuition; an example breakdown for Kindergarten 1 first year: Application EUR 250 + Enrolment EUR 5,000 + Tuition EUR 13,110 = Total EUR 18,360 (first year).

Boarding

- The school does not offer boarding provision; it operates as a day school for ages 3–15.

Other costs and optional charges

- School trips and excursions: charged separately and billed as applicable.
- School bus: charged separately when used.
- School meals: charged separately.
- Uniform: purchased externally at the specified retailer; families should budget for uniform, footwear and PE kit.
- Additional optional costs (external examination fees, certain extracurricular activities, specialist resources or trips) may be charged where applicable; these are not included in listed tuition.

Refund information

- The school's public fee information identifies the enrolment (acceptance) fee as a one‑off charge; that fee is listed in directory summaries as non‑refundable. No detailed, publicly posted full refund schedule for tuition or termly refunds was available on the school's public fees page.

Fee payment options

- The school's public fees page sets out payment frequency and timing (annual or three instalments) but does not publish a definitive list of accepted payment methods on the public fee page. Parents should note that many international schools accept bank transfer and card payments, but accepted methods were not published explicitly on the school's public fee information.

Notes and verification summary

- Public school material states the billing options, what tuition includes/excludes and the requirement to purchase uniform externally, but the school's public fee page does not publish a full, line‑by‑line downloadable fee schedule on the public page for the 2025/2026 academic year. Third‑party school directories list the one‑time fees and the annual tuition amounts shown above (application EUR 250; enrolment EUR 5,000; annual tuition per year group as listed).

(End of fee overview)
Academics

The British School of Lisbon teaches British Curriculum for students aged 3 to 16.

Curriculum
English National Curriculum forms the core of the curriculum. The ENC is used as a rigorous standard and is adapted to provide an international perspective, including studies of local culture, language and heritage. In Lower School, an Integrated Curriculum for Years 1-4 covers Computing, Geography, Art and Design and History. From the moment a student joins The British School of Lisbon, a dedicated team of professionals is assigned to create a personalised academic plan tailored to the student's strengths and to guide them through the process of selecting, applying to and being admitted to top universities in the UK, US and worldwide.

Student Teacher Ratio
Small class sizes and a low student to teacher ratio.

Higher Education Progression
A dedicated team develops a personalised academic plan to guide students through selecting, applying to and being admitted to top universities in the UK, the US and worldwide.
Wellbeing

Social and Emotional Learning (SEL)
The British School of Lisbon aims for pupils to thrive academically, personally and socially, and ensures pupils are safe and happy through a holistic pastoral approach.

English as an Additional Language (EAL)
Classroom support is provided to students whose English is an additional language.

Mental Wellbeing
Staff emphasise wellbeing as part of students' development, with psychology-informed approaches and wellbeing-focused roles, including a teaching assistant whose work is informed by a Master's degree in Music Therapy.

Safeguarding
Pupils are to be safe and happy as guiding principles, and a health and safety policy protects pupil welfare.
Parent Experience

Community
BSL emphasizes a strong sense of community among staff, parents and students. The Parents' Connection is a social and welcoming organisation that promotes interaction between parents and the school community. It acts as a meeting place for parents and coordinates fundraising activities for the school community and charitable causes. The school aims to provide events for the whole school community and to welcome new families joining BSL, as well as activities that support the children during the school day, such as Lunch Mums and Dads and Reading Parents.

Parent Teacher Association (PTA)
The Parents' Connection is a parent-led organisation that operates outside of school governance. All parents become members automatically when their child joins the school. It runs events and fundraising activities for the school community and for charitable causes. Its main goals are to provide events for the whole school community, to facilitate fundraising for charities, to welcome new families and to organise activities that aid the children during the school day (Lunch Mums and Dads, Reading Parents). It is self-funding, with funds raised used for charity or for school events and finances are transparent.
Facilities

Facilities Overview
BSL has two Lisbon campuses: Cais do Sodré for primary and Restelo for secondary. Restelo is located within the CF Os Belenenses sports complex. Phase I of the Restelo campus opened in September 2024; Phase II is planned for Summer 2025. Phase I provides bright, spacious classrooms, fully equipped science laboratories, and play areas and sports fields. Phase II will introduce a building with over 6000 square metres of landscaped outdoor space, specialist facilities including science labs, a design & technology suite, and a large library with panoramic views, plus extensive sports facilities including an indoor multi-purpose hall.

Sports Facilities
Extensive sports facilities include an indoor multi-purpose hall. The Restelo campus is situated within the Os Belenenses football club complex, providing access to Lisbon's sporting environment. Phase I includes sports fields as part of the campus.

Academic Facilities
Phase I features bright, spacious classrooms and fully equipped science laboratories. Phase II adds science labs, a design & technology suite, and a large library with panoramic views.

Extra Curricular Facilities
Extracurricular activities include a wide range of clubs (sports, languages, coding); after-school activities are compulsory for every child; clubs are chosen each term by parents and balance active/sport with intellectually stimulating programmes; enrichment activities support physical development, creativity, well-being, self-confidence and teamwork.
Extra-Curricular Activities

Academic & Intellectual
The school offers a broad range of clubs that develop academic skills and inquiry, including Chess, Science and Robotics & Coding. Young learners engage in Inventors Club to problem-solve, and older students may participate in inter-school Chess tournaments. Enrichment activities promote curiosity, collaboration, resilience and self-confidence. After School Activities are compulsory for every child at school.

Arts & Creative
The school offers arts and creative enrichment including Violin, Ballet and Choir, and Drama activities. These activities nurture creativity and performance skills. Participation in drama activities and choir supports expressive communication and collaboration. Roller Skating is also part of the enrichment options.

Cultural & Language
Language learning is provided as part of enrichment activities. Portuguese is emphasised as a second language and the school supports students to develop high fluency.

Social & Hobbies
The school offers social and hobby clubs such as Chess, Choir, Science and Robotics & Coding, and Inventors Club. Drama activities support teamwork and expressive communication. Sailing, Judo, Ballet and Roller Skating provide additional recreational options. Older students have opportunities to compete in inter-school Chess tournaments.

Lifestyle & Wellbeing
The school offers a broad programme of sports and activities to promote a healthy, active lifestyle. Physical education introduces students to a wide range of sports and activities and supports physical fitness as well as emotional, intellectual and personal development. Enrichment activities such as Sailing, Judo, Ballet and Roller Skating provide additional opportunities for physical activity and personal development. These experiences contribute to students' wellbeing and development.
Languages

Language Provision
The curriculum is based on the English National Curriculum (ENC). Portuguese is taught as a second language with the aim of fluency. Middle School includes modern languages; in Senior School, students study a modern foreign language at GCSE level, and all students study a language other than English. Language support is available for a limited number of students.
Admissions

Admissions
The school is selective. Entry assessments are required and can be organised either at the campus or remotely for applicants from abroad. A decision is typically communicated within 5 working days of applying. The school delivers the English National Curriculum with adaptations for an international setting, and studies are accepted by British and international universities. Lead classroom teachers are UK qualified and experienced. Nursery class size is capped at 18; Primary and Secondary class sizes are capped at 22. The curriculum is delivered in English, and language support is available but limited; typically a child with no English above age 10 will not gain admission. Enrollment can occur throughout the academic year and new arrivals are integrated. The timetable runs Monday to Friday from 8:30 to 15:30, with Tuesday and Wednesday finish times at 16:30 due to after-school activities. The school offers a bus service with routes covering most expatriate residential compounds; some remote or untypical areas may not be served. The school has a Primary Campus at Rua São Paulo 89, Lisbon 1200-427 and a Secondary Campus at Rua de Alcolena 10, Lisbon 1400-004. The school is licensed by the Portuguese Ministry of Education under Authorisation No. 266/EPC/Lisboa e Vale do Tejo/2022.
School Events
The school has not added events
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