Quick summary of key school information
School details
Number of students |
350 |
Number of nationalities represented in the school |
Over 34 nationalities |
Most common nationality |
British |
Ratio of local students to international students |
1:9 |
Native English speaking teachers |
98% of teachers are Native English speakers. |
Language support for students not fluent in English |
Yes, with specialist teachers. |
Additional language classes offered by the school |
Portuguese for all pupils; Dutch for the Dutch speakers; Secondary students are offered French and Spanish as an additional language. |
Max. number of students per class |
22 |
Average number of students per class |
19 |
Does the school employ teaching assistants? |
Yes, all classes from FS1 to Year 2 have a dedicated classroom assistant. Teaching assistants are shared between classes in Key stage 2. |
Use of technology in the classroom |
Interactive boards are available in all classrooms. IPads and Chromebooks are used for blended learning from Years 3 upwards. Our curriculum includes lessons in coding and digital literacy. |
Do students practice religion at the school? What religion? |
No |
External examinations or assessments available |
GL assessments, PASS tests, and NGRT assessments are completed at school. |
Results in these examinations |
English
|
Do teachers assign homework to their students? |
Yes |
Approximate hours of homework given |
Depends on the age of the child but it is kept to the minimum. Reading everyday is always encouraged. |
Percentage of students who pursue further education post-graduation |
N/A - IPS is expanding into Secondary with Year 7 available from September 2022. Year 8 to open in September 2023. |
Dedicated staff/programs for students with special learning needs |
Yes |
Learning support offered |
Students are given individual or small group support for a variety of issues from dyslexia, dyspraxia, hand writing, comprehension, English language. Major issues might require the help of external agencies for which there is an additional charge. |
The school supports gifted, able and talented students |
Yes |
Student access to education psychologist |
If required. |
Entry evaluation for students |
No. However, school reports from previous school are required for admission. |
Waiting list |
Yes, in all classes. |
Deadline for registration (new academic year) |
There is no deadline but the sooner parents apply and children join the waiting list, the better. |
Students can join after academic year begins |
Yes |
School start time |
8:50am |
School finish time |
4:00pm |
Supervised care before/after school |
Yes, for an additional charge. |
School bus service available |
Yes, door-to-door transport service is available. |
School provided lunches |
Yes |
Food alternatives for special dietary needs (ie. vegan, kosher, halal etc) |
A daily vegetarian option is available. Specific dietary requirements need to be discussed with the Chef. |
Uniform required |
Yes, from Year 1 upwards. |
Extracurricular activities or clubs offered |
A large variety of extracurricular activities are offered on a daily basis for all children. Options include team sports, knitting, arts & crafts, Lego; the list goes on. Clubs change annually to keep things fresh. On average, 30% of children enrolled at school stay for an activity. |
Sports activities included |
IPS employs a specialist PE teacher who teachers the curriculum. Additionally we have school teams that play football, basketball, athletics and cross country. The teams play competitively in the local area. |
Sports teams or sport competitions available for students |
Yes (football, basketball, cross county and athletics) |
Facilities at the school |
Facilities include a fully-stocked library, computer lab, STEAM room, and a dedicated outdoor learning area. |
Sports facilities at the school |
Sport facilities include a small gymnasium, as well as multipurpose areas for football, basketball and tennis. Developments expected on our Primary site in 2023. |
Qualities and characteristics best defining the school |
Small, friendly, professional, very international and a supportive PTA. Happy children are very important to us. When children are happy and relaxed, they are ready to succeed academically and personally. This is why we cultivate and protect the unique atmosphere at IPS Cascais; our approach means that pupils love learning with us and are enabled to achieve their potential. |
Teaching approach of the school |
We believe in teaching the basics well and everything else is built upon these foundations. Small classes, additional teachers and Learning Support Assistants working together helps build a friendly environment where the individual needs of each child can be catered for. The National Curriculum of England allows teachers to be creative with their topic work and balances the more traditional subjects of mathematics and literacy. A healthy balance of IT within the programme addresses the changing demands of the curriculum. |