Barlavento International Primary School

Barlavento International Primary School has been teaching children in the western Algarve since 1975, when it was set up by a small group of parents and teachers living around Lagos. In January 1982 the school moved to its permanent home near Espiche, on land donated by a local couple, Colonel and Mrs Vickers, and it has taught from that farmland site ever since. Governance passed to a board of governors, then in 2013 pedagogic management moved to the Nobel group. In August 2020 the building and running of the school passed to Karen Whitten and Silvia Catarino, the directors of nearby Aljezur International School, continuing a relationship between the two schools that goes back to shared projects from 2005. The school is run by Silva, Sadler & Vickers Lda. Barlavento teaches children aged 3 to 11 a curriculum based on the UK National Curriculum, broadened with mindfulness, Portuguese, gardening and drama. Pupils move up through class groups as they progress: Foundation Stage (Pearl), Key Stage 1 (Coral) and Key Stage 2 (Moonstone and Amber). The school describes itself as a 'school family', giving pupil wellbeing equal weight to academic progress. The rural campus includes a sports field, an indoor gym/hall and shaded outdoor play areas. For the 2025/26 school year, published annual fees are EUR 7,050 (or EUR 2,350 per term, or 10 monthly instalments of EUR 705), plus a one-off EUR 300 non-refundable enrolment fee and a EUR 2,350 refundable deposit. A 5 percent discount applies to a second sibling attending full time in the same year.