WELCOME

If you are making your first virtual visit, I hope that you will find this brief introduction informative, and that the rest of the site will offer you some idea of the vigour and variety of school life here. If you are tempted to enjoy this in person by coming to see us, we will be delighted to welcome you.

St. Julian's is especially fortunate in its setting. The school is centred around an 18th century ducal palace, extensively renovated and adapted, with surrounding gardens, playing fields and more modern purpose-built facilities. The school site is at Carcavelos, some 400 metres from the sea, and 20km from Lisbon. Carcavelos train station, on the Lisbon - Cascais line, is within walking distance.

With a well-qualified staff, and extensive and developing facilities, the school offers a very high standard of education, based on the English national curriculum, to just over 1,000 girls and boys from the ages of 3 to 18. Throughout the school's history, many Portuguese families have opted for an education here, either following the English system or, from ages 6 to 15, the Portuguese national curriculum. Whatever path they have chosen earlier, our pre-university students aim for the International Baccalaureate Diploma. We take justified pride in our academic achievements, and almost all our school leavers go on to University. Britain and Portugal are the most popular destinations but the IB Diploma is now recognised, indeed admired, throughout the world, so that we have recent graduates in a dozen other countries. Joint accreditation by The European Council of International Schools and the New England Association of Schools and Colleges is an assurance that our community continues to work together to meet the highest international standards. We are also members of COBIS, the British Council of Independent Schools in the European Communities.

Some students undertake the whole of their education at St Julian's, while others spend a shorter time with us. We welcome children from the international community, and more than 40 nationalities are currently represented here. We have a great deal of expertise both in settling newcomers in to a stable community, and in helping those who are moving on, to take their next step confidently. Whether permanent or transient, every student here enjoys a challenging education, within a caring environment. We seek to ensure that everyone enjoys coming to school, and beyond the classroom, a wide range of extra-curricular activities promotes creativity and responsible participation in the life of the wider community.

Thus St Julian's offers an international group of students an English style education in Portugal, and encourages a sense of personal achievement combined with concern for others. We are proud of what the school has become during its 70-year history, and we are enthusiastic about its future.

With very best wishes,

David Smith,
Headmaster