Quick summary of key school information
School details
| Number of students |
Around 260-280 students |
| Number of nationalities represented in the school |
Around 5-7 nationalities among our students |
| Most common nationality |
Portuguese |
| Ratio of local students to international students |
Around 20% of our total students are international |
| Native English and Portuguese speaking teachers |
Yes |
| Language support for students not fluent in English and Portuguese |
Yes |
| Additional language classes offered by the school |
Portuguese Studies follow the Portuguese Education Ministry programme and offer either Spanish, German or French from Year 7 upward as a third language.
|
| Max. number of students per class |
25 |
| Average number of students per class |
16-20 students |
| Does the school employ teaching assistants? |
Yes |
| Use of technology in the classroom |
Yes |
| Is the school ready to use virtual classrooms when needed? (e.g. teaching lessons online if the school is closed, e.g. during COVID-19 closures) |
Yes. CBR is fully equipped to do online or hybrid classes at any given moment through Microsoft Teams and the Microsoft 365 suite. |
| Do students practice religion at the school? What religion? |
CBR is not bound to any religion |
| External examinations or assessments available |
English Studies complete the Cambridge Assessment English exams. Portuguese Studies complete the Cambridge English Qualitications in Years 6 and 9 and the Portuguese National Exams |
| Results in these examinations |
Students rank high in these examinations |
| Do teachers assign homework to their students? |
Yes |
| Approximate hours of homework given |
1 hour per day |
| Dedicated staff/programs for students with special learning needs |
Yes |
| Learning support offered |
CBR has a Technical and Pedagogical Office consisting of a Special Needs Teacher, a Special Needs Teaching Assistant and a team of specialized therapists. The teacher and assistant provide both in-class support for special leaning needs children, and extra specialized classes. The therapists provide speech therapy and occupational therapy sessions. |
| The school supports gifted, able and talented students |
The school monitors the students and their academic progress closely, as well as any aptitudes they might show (music, sports, IT, etc.). Students at a higher level than average are provided with tools to advance in the curriculum, always with the approval of the family. Students are encouraged to exercise their talents by joining regional and national competitions, teams and bands. |
| Student access to education psychologist |
Colégio Bernardette Romeira offers Psychology and Guidance Services, which has the presence of a specialized technician ready to help its students whenever they, their teachers and/or members of the educational community deem necessary. |
| Entry evaluation for students |
Acceptance of the student into the school is not dependant on any evaluation. However, CBR can test new students to ascertain their academic knowledge and capabilities, and help parents make a decision regarding placement. |
| Waiting list |
No |
| Deadline for registration (new academic year) |
None |
| Students can join after academic year begins |
Yes |
| School start time |
9 AM |
| School finish time |
For English Studies, usually 4.30 PM. For Portuguese Studies, most days end at 4.30 PM, but they can have classes until 5.30 PM maximum (and some free afternoons). |
| Supervised care before/after school |
School is open from 8 AM to 7 PM. Students can come to school from 8 AM forward and stay at school after the school day until 7 PM. The school has staff watching over all playground areas until 6.30PM, and then the remaining students are taken to the library, where a technician watches over them and does activities with them until 7 PM. |
| School bus service available |
Yes, for an additional fee |
| School provided lunches |
Yes, at an extra fee |
| Food alternatives for special dietary needs (ie. vegan, kosher, halal etc) |
CBR provides vegan meal options |
| Uniform required |
Yes |
| Extracurricular activities or clubs offered |
- Karate, Basketball, Handball and Gymnastics teams
|
| Sports activities included |
Portuguese and English studies both have Physical Education classes, in which they can explore a plethora of sports. |
| Sports teams or sport competitions available for students |
Yes; CBR has Karate, Basketball, Handball and Gymnastics teams that participate and regional and national sports competitions. |
| Facilities at the school |
CBR has a fully-equipped auditorium, a library, two science and chemistry labs, a piano classroom, a specialized music classroom and a specialized IT classroom. |
| Sports facilities at the school |
CBR has two indoor gyms and two outdoor sports fields. |
| Qualities and characteristics best defining the school |
Colégio Bernardette Romeira's mission is to educate for Freedom and Independence. CBR provides a warm, welcoming environment and prides itself in being like a family to its students. Teachers and staff not only provide state-of-the-art in education, but also teach students confidence in their abilities, empathy, compassion, curiosity and a globalized/international understanding of the World - qualities that foment lifelong learning and are crucial for their academic, personal and interpersonal success and a fulfilling life. |
| Teaching approach of the school |
CBR has a transdisciplinary, teamwork-oriented approach to teaching. Guided by the subjects of the curriculum, classes revolve around the students' natural curiosity and draw connections between various subjects under one theme. Teamwork is encouraged and plays a central role in completing tasks. Students are encouraged to ask questions, do their own research, posit theories and discuss their ideas. Portuguese Studies and English Studies' students share the same spaces and are encouraged to interact and find ways to communicate despite possible language barriers, which stimulates their problem-solving skills and immerses them in different languages and cultures. |