The British School Punta Arenas

Since 1896, The British School Punta Arenas has its origins in the Anglican community of Magallanes, a small community largely composed of sheep farmers and Scottish shepherds seeking an English-language education for their children. In 1895, Bishop Waite H. Stirling proposed establishing an Anglican ministry to address the religious and educational needs of the community and sent Reverend John Williams to Punta Arenas to establish the first chapel. In 1895, the Anglican Saint James Church was inaugurated in Punta Arenas, and in 1896 The English School of Punta Arenas was founded under the sponsorship of the London-based South American Missionary Society. The school began on Santiago Street (now Waldo Seguel) as Saint James College and remained linked to the Anglican Church; Saint James College closed in 1937 and re-opened in 1942 as The British School, receiving sponsorship from the British Council for about thirty years. In 1989, the Anglican Society of Punta Arenas formed the British Corporation of Punta Arenas to administer The British School. Today, the school follows the International Baccalaureate model, which began officially in 2007; it is a member of the International Baccalaureate Organization (IBO), FIDE Secondary, and ACHBI.

The Centro de Alumnos (Student Council) promotes unity and integration of students into school life. It is a nine-member executive body—President, Vice President, Treasurer, Secretary, Social Delegate, Sports Delegate, Culture Delegate, Environmental Delegate, and Communications/Social Media Delegate—elected democratically each year to lead for two semesters. Elections take place in March or April, and the 2023 leadership included Isidora Contreras (President), Andrés González (Vice President), Julián Gallegos (Treasurer), Lucas Ruíz (Secretary), Luciana Contreras (Social Delegate), José Ihnen (Sports Delegate), Vesna Nikovic (Culture Delegate), Antonia Covacevich (Environmental Delegate), and Eva Jacob (Communications/ Social Media Delegate). The Centro de Alumnos organizes activities that involve the school with the Punta Arenas community, including recreational tournaments, anniversary celebrations, cultural and sports events, and projects such as remodeling the “Mariposas” space.

The Parents Association strengthens the role of families in their children's education. Members connect with other parents, build friendships and mutual support, and share experiences, ideas, and challenges, feeling part of a united community guided by a shared objective to positively influence educational quality and strengthen links between family, the school, and the community. For the 2023–2024 period the board is led by President Mónica Espíndola, Vice President Anjela Rivera, Secretary Carolina Delard, and Treasurer Yohanna Alarcón, with delegates Makarena Vásquez (Social Media), Jacqueline Hernández (Convivencia), Catalina Karelovic (Acción Social), and Rodrigo Palomino (Deportes). The planned activities focus on sport, social action, and convivencia to foster a sense of community within the school and its educational project.