IPS Cascais British International School vs Prime School - Lisbon
IPS Cascais British International School and Prime School - Lisbon are both in Lisbon, about 22 km apart. Both schools offer Cambridge IGCSE and Cambridge A Levels programmes. IPS Cascais British International School also offers British, and Prime School - Lisbon also offers Cambridge (Primary), Cambridge (Secondary) and Bespoke. Published annual fees are close, at €11,548 - 17,755 for IPS Cascais British International School and €9,253 - 22,160 for Prime School - Lisbon . Both take pupils from 3 to 18. Prime School - Lisbon is the larger school, with around 900 pupils to IPS Cascais British International School's 440. Typical class sizes are 22 at IPS Cascais British International School and 17 at Prime School - Lisbon .
IPS Cascais British International School is located in Bicesse, north of Cascais, Portugal. It is 25 kilometres from the centre of Lisbon. The campus address is Rua da Lagoa 171, 2645-344 Alcabideche, Portugal. The school serves a diverse international community with students from over 40 nationalities.
Location
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Stages
Stages
Foundation Stage to Year 9 is offered. iGCSEs are taken in Year 11. 6th Form (Years 12–13) coming soon.
Stages
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School type
School type
British international school delivering the National Curriculum of England.
School type
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Pupil nationality mix
Pupil nationality mix
440 pupils from over 40 nationalities.
Pupil nationality mix
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Additional learning support
Additional learning support
Learning support and EAL rooms are available.
Additional learning support
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Country affiliation
Country affiliation
Portugal
Country affiliation
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Religious affiliation
Religious affiliation
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Religious affiliation
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School day structure
School day structure
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School day structure
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Bus service details
Bus service details
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Bus service details
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Fees
Fees
Fee details
Fee details
Initial / Application charges
- Registration (one‑off, non‑refundable on acceptance): EUR 4,000. Split into two equal payments if the child starts in Nursery (FS1) or Reception; the second payment is due on entering Year 1. - Annual enrolment/registration charge (invoiced annually): EUR 925.
Tuition fees (per term) — full detail by year group
- Nursery (mornings only) — per term by number of mornings: - 1 morning: EUR 2,705 - 2 mornings: EUR 2,825 - 3 mornings: EUR 2,950 - 4 mornings: EUR 3,065 - 5 mornings: EUR 3,190 - Nursery (full days) — per term by number of full days: - 1 day: EUR 2,780 - 2 days: EUR 2,970 - 3 days: EUR 3,170 - 4 days: EUR 3,360 - 5 days: EUR 3,541 - Reception (per term): EUR 3,612 - Years 1 & 2 (per term): EUR 4,514 - Years 3 & 4 (per term): EUR 4,838 - Years 5, 6 & 7 (per term): EUR 5,144 - Years 8 & 9 (per term): EUR 5,343 - Year 10 (per term): EUR 5,610
All per‑term tuition figures above are published as the standard per‑term charge. Family discount for third child and subsequent (applied to the youngest children): 20%.
Billing schedule and payment terms
- Standard due date: fees and other charges are due on or before the first day of each term. Alternative instalment schedules are available where published; when paying in three instalments for the academic year the due dates for the three instalments are: 1st instalment by 26 August 2025, 2nd instalment by 26 December 2025, and 3rd instalment by 26 March 2026. - Payment conditions: acceptance of a place is confirmed only once required initial charges and completed documentation have been received; enrolment and registration fees are not refundable if the child does not attend. Late payment may attract interest and outstanding reports/documentation may be withheld until accounts are settled. Specific cheque clearance periods apply (Portuguese cheques: 2 days; UK cheques: 15 days; other cheques: 20 days). Payment by certain voucher systems must be processed in advance to allow for handling time. - Acceptance for less than a full term: enrolment during the first half of a term attracts a full term's fee; enrolment during the second half of a term attracts a half‑term's fee. Notice of withdrawal must be given in writing at least 90 calendar days before expected departure. If proper notice is not provided, one term's fee may be charged in lieu of notice.
Boarding fees
- Boarding provision is not listed among the school's standard fee charges for the current primary/secondary provision; there are no published standard boarding fees in the school fee schedules for the current academic provision.
Other costs and regular additional charges
- Lunch: - Nursery & Reception — per term: EUR 440; per day (1–4 meals/week): EUR 8.00 - Years 1 and up — per term: EUR 509; per day (1–4 meals/week): EUR 9.00 - Occasional lunches (payable on the day by 10:00): EUR 9.50 per day. - Bus transport (per term) — standard routes and fares: - 0–5 km (examples: Alcabideche, Estoril, Linhó): EUR 1,087 per term - 5–10 km (examples: Carcavelos, Cascais, Malveira da Serra, Oeiras): EUR 1,181 per term - +10 km (examples: Paço de Arcos, Lisboa): EUR 1,418 per term - Occasional trip (daily rate): single ride EUR 23; return EUR 31 - Discount on transport: second and subsequent children at the same address: 10%. Additional charges may apply for addresses outside usual routes. - Additional services / charges (examples and per‑session rates): - Special Education Needs (SEN) support: EUR 35 per session (30 minutes) - EAL / language tuition: EUR 35 per session (30 minutes) - Psychological & orientation services: EUR 40 per session (45 minutes) - Student transfer process administration: EUR 50 per student - After‑school VivaHUB activities and other extra‑curricular programmes are charged separately (prices vary by activity). Uniform items are charged separately (uniform cost varies by item and purchase).
Refunds and cancellation
- Enrolment/registration fees are non‑refundable once paid and a place is accepted. If a child is enrolled but does not attend, enrolment and registration fees are still payable and non‑refundable; the first term's fees remain payable. Refunds of tuition are not made if the school is forced to close for reasons beyond its control (force majeure). Refunds will be made for lunch or transport services that have not been provided; lunch credits may be issued when a child is absent for three or more authorised days. Notice and withdrawal rules (90 calendar days' written notice; charge in lieu of notice where applicable) apply as stated in the school's payment regulations.
Fee payment options
- Accepted payment methods: Bank transfer; TICKET, EDENRED, COVERFLEX or UP Portugal (voucher/payment providers); bank cheque; cash. Bank transfers should be made to the school owner's bank account; payments via voucher providers must be made four weeks prior to the first day of each term to allow processing; cheque clearance times apply as above. Credit card payment is not listed among the standard options. All bank charges are borne by the payer unless otherwise arranged.
Discounts
- Family discounts noted in the current fee schedule: third child and subsequent: 20% discount applied to the youngest children. Transport discount for second/subsequent children at same address: 10%. Other sibling discount structures or early‑payment discounts may be specified in the school's published payment regulations.
(Amounts and procedural dates are the school's published charges and terms for the current published fee schedule.)
Fee details
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Diving deeper
Diving deeper
Boarding arrangements
Boarding arrangements
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Boarding arrangements
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Uniform requirement
Uniform requirement
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Uniform requirement
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Food options
Food options
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Food options
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House system
House system
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House system
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Governance and ownership
Governance and ownership
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Governance and ownership
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Academics
Academics
Curriculum details
Curriculum details
IPS Cascais follows the National Curriculum for England, adapted to an international context. In Primary, core subjects are English, Mathematics, and Science, with additional language provision including Portuguese and Dutch, and English as an Additional Language (EAL). In Year 7, pupils receive a language taster in French (Term 1) and Spanish (Term 2), before choosing a language option from Term 3 onward. In Secondary (Years 7–11), pupils follow the National Curriculum for England and prepare for iGCSEs, with iGCSE study beginning in Year 10 and examinations in Year 11. A Sixth Form (Years 12–13) with A Levels is coming soon, and a new Secondary School campus will open in September 2026 to deliver Years 7–13.
Curriculum details
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Student teacher ratio
Student teacher ratio
The school has a 1:10 staff-pupil ratio. Average class size is 22 pupils.
Student teacher ratio
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Exam results
Exam results
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Exam results
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Higher education progression
Higher education progression
Globeducate pupils secure places at leading universities worldwide; in 2020/2021 our students gained admission to 25 of the world's top 50 universities.
Higher education progression
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Gifted and talented
Gifted and talented
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Gifted and talented
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Academic calendar
Academic calendar
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Academic calendar
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Wellbeing & support
Wellbeing & support
Social & emotional learning
Social & emotional learning
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Social & emotional learning
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Special educational needs (SEN)
Special educational needs (SEN)
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Special educational needs (SEN)
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English as an additional language
English as an additional language
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English as an additional language
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Mental wellbeing
Mental wellbeing
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Mental wellbeing
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Safeguarding
Safeguarding
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Safeguarding
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Safeguarding policy
Safeguarding policy
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Safeguarding policy
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Facilities
Facilities
Facilities overview
Facilities overview
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Facilities overview
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Sports facilities
Sports facilities
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Sports facilities
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Academic facilities
Academic facilities
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Academic facilities
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Extra curricular facilities
Extra curricular facilities
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Extra curricular facilities
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Parent experience
Parent experience
History
History
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History
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Community
Community
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Community
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Parent teacher association
Parent teacher association
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Parent teacher association
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Extra-curricular
Extra-curricular
Academic & intellectual
Academic & intellectual
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Academic & intellectual
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Arts & creative
Arts & creative
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Arts & creative
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Cultural & language
Cultural & language
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Cultural & language
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Social & hobbies
Social & hobbies
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Social & hobbies
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Community & service
Community & service
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Community & service
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Leadership & professional
Leadership & professional
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Leadership & professional
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Lifestyle & wellbeing
Lifestyle & wellbeing
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Lifestyle & wellbeing
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Language provision
Language provision
Language provision
Language provision
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Language provision
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Bilingual teaching
Bilingual teaching
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Bilingual teaching
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Immersion programs
Immersion programs
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Immersion programs
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Reputation
Reputation
Awards
Awards
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Awards
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Accreditations
Accreditations
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Accreditations
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Admissions
Admissions
Admissions
Admissions
IPS Cascais welcomes children from all over the world and is currently enrolling, accepting applications throughout the school year. IPS Cascais offers the National Curriculum for England to primary and secondary-aged students and is a proud member of Globeducate. The admissions process comprises six steps: express your interest; visit the school or schedule a meeting; submit the Registration Form and send previous school reports; pupil sits an entry task; confirmation of place; pay charges to secure the pupil's seat. Places are mainly awarded on a first-come, first-served basis, depending on availability. Priority is given to siblings of current students; children whose first language is not Portuguese or who have had the majority of their education in English; first-language English speakers; and families from organisations with whom IPS has long-standing protocols. A new Secondary School opens in September 2026; it will move to a new campus with specialist facilities near the current site and will deliver an educational programme from Years 7 to 13, preparing pupils for universities worldwide.