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Chile, Vina Del Mar
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1857 marks the founding of The Valparaiso Artisan School to provide a British education to the children of the British community in Valparaíso. Peter Mackay arrived as headmaster on 8 October 1857, and by 1866 the school counted 140 boarding students, with George Sutherland joining in 1861 to support leadership. In 1877 Mackay and Sutherland split to form The Mackay and Sutherland School. By 1905, after Mackay's death, Sutherland and Robertson renamed the institution The Mackay School, which was recognised as Valparaíso's leading educational establishment and drew both British and Chilean families. In the mid-1990s growth led to a new campus in Reñaca, the school briefly admitted girls in 1973–1975 before reverting to all-boys, and Cambridge assessments were introduced in 1981 with the IB Diploma Programme joining in 1986.
The Mackay School maintains an active community with events that involve families, including Student's Day featuring musical performances by teachers and dancing. The school hosts parent-attended events and exhibitions, such as the annual MYP Projects Exhibition for parents and guardians. Arts and innovations are showcased in events like the Inventions Fair, where parents observe student prototypes. The IB Diploma program is celebrated with a graduation ceremony on campus.
The Mackay School has a Parents' Center (Centro General de Padres) that engages families in school life. The Centre General de Padres runs fundraising activities, including Bingo, to support student activities, CAS, and technology/innovation initiatives. Parents attend and participate in academic showcases, such as the annual MYP Projects Exhibition for parents and guardians. Parents are regularly invited to participate in Junior School activities and other events, reinforcing a strong family-school partnership.
Situated in Reñaca, Viña del Mar, The Mackay School is a long-established bilingual school with a British educational heritage dating back to 1857. It delivers the full International Baccalaureate continuum: Primary Years Programme in the Junior School, Middle Years Programme, and the Diploma Programme across II Medio to IV Medio. Cambridge Examinations are offered in the Junior School. English is the language of instruction, and the Junior School maintains an English immersion programme from Play Group through Fifth Grade to foster bilingualism. The Mackay School is the only IB World School in the Valparaíso Region authorized to offer all three IB programmes, with university partnerships supporting admission via the IB Diploma or IB certificates. The Mantagua campus extends sport facilities with rugby pitches, and the school operates language-training centres for English and other languages for the wider community. 100% of IV Medio IB candidates earned IB certificates in 2023 successfully.
