St. Dominic's International School

Located in Cascais and about to celebrate 50 years, St. Dominic's School is an international English-language school that welcomes students from more than 60 nationalities . It offers all levels of education, from nursery to 12th grade , and fosters a multicultural environment enriched by a great diversity of languages and the presence of at least 12 different religions.

According to Stephen Blackburn, Director of St. Dominic's International School:

Our students come from different parts of the world, speak several languages and bring with them rich and varied cultural traditions. In our corridors and classrooms, respect and tolerance prevail. We are proud to promote inclusion, tolerance and respect for all, as we believe that it is above all through Education that we can achieve a more just and peaceful world.

Academic program

St. Dominic's International School is the only school in Portugal that offers all three programs of the IB Diploma Program at all three levels:

1. Primary Years Program (Nursery to 5th grade)
2. Middle Years Program (6th to 10th year) and
3. Diploma Program (11th and 12th year)

All programs - Primary Years Program (PYP), Middle Years Program (MYP) and Diploma Program (DP) - are taught in English. Students also take classes in Portuguese, French and Spanish as additional languages. Visual Arts, Music, Drama, Design and Physical Education are part of the weekly class routine.

Brief History of St. Dominic's School

Located in São Domingos de Rana, in Cascais, St. Dominic's International School (SDIS) is a prestigious international school. Founded by the Irish Dominican Sisters as St. Dominic's College, the school has its roots in the Bom Sucesso convent in Bethlehem since 1639, in response to the persecution of Catholics in Ireland. She accepted the first boarding students in 1829 and founded the Bom Sucesso Day School for Girls.

With the construction of the bridge over the Tagus River in 1962, now called Ponte 25 de Abril, the English expatriate community in Portugal asked the sisters to establish a new school. The transition to a co-educational school began in 1963, with fewer than 20 students, but quickly needed more space. The new school opened at its current location in 1975. It was renamed St. Dominic's International School in 1988.

As the oldest international school in Portugal certified to offer the three International Baccalaureate (IB) programs since the 1990s, SDIS is a reference in IB education in the country. Committed to education and Dominican values, such as the search for truth, the institution significantly impacts the communities of Cascais and Lisbon, offering an academically enriching curriculum, in addition to human skills and soft skills essential for an international education and a globalized world.

From 15 January 2010, St. Dominic's International School became officially owned and managed by Veritas Educatio, SA, which established a Board of Governors in line with international school best practice.