Dare to reimagine education.
Academic rigor | Real-world skills | Nature integration
Open Day: November 21 and 28
Accredited By
Programs We Use
Welcome to Hypha International School
Set between Sintra’s forests and the Atlantic Ocean, Hypha is a growing international school, currently serving children aged 3 to 11. We combine strong academics with time in nature, movement and a close community, allowing children to enjoy a real childhood while building strong foundations for the future.
Children at Hypha learn well and grow up well.
Pre-Primary3 to 5 years old
Implementing the English curriculum and blending best practices from Reggio Emilia, Montessori, and Forest School we promote a holistic development in pre-primary. Our beautifully designed environments and highly trained, nurturing educators, provide an engaging and playful start to education.
Primary5 to 11 years old
Guided by the Cambridge International framework and enriched with evidence-based curricula and holistic pedagogies, including Socratic Seminars, Singapore Math, outdoor academic learning, mastery-based approaches, and project-based learning, our students develop strong critical thinking, problem-solving, and creative thinking skills.
SecondaryStarting in 2027
Hypha is preparing to extend its educational pathway into Secondary.
Our Three Core Pillars
1Academic Rigor
We set high expectations and follow the Cambridge International Curriculum with full accreditation, alongside established programs such as Read Write Inc. and Singapore Mathematics. Our educators are highly trained and experienced, and we invest in their growth through classroom observations, ongoing reflection and international training. The result is teaching that challenges every child and is shaped by the children in front of us.
2Real-World Competencies
We prepare children for the world they will actually live in. Through project-based learning, Socratic Seminars, and hands-on inquiry, our learners connect ideas to real contexts and develop clear thinking, real problem-solving, and the confidence to engage with hard questions.
3Nature Immersion And Wellbeing
Our students spend three hours of every day outdoors, learning and exploring in the forest, gardens, and grounds. Time in nature shapes how children grow at Hypha. They are calm, focused, and well-connected to the world around them.
21
nationalities
United States · Portugal · United Kingdom · Germany · Netherlands · Russia · Sweden · Brazil · Canada · Estonia · Italy · Mozambique · Switzerland · Turkey · Ukraine · Ireland · Israel · Lithuania · Poland · Slovenia · Venezuela
6
areas our families call home
Sintra · Cascais · Ericeira · Mafra · Oeiras · Lisbon
13,000
m² of outdoor space
7,000 m² of campus grounds, plus 6,000 m² of outdoor sports fields
180+
minutes of outdoor academics
Why Hypha
Academics
Hypha follows the Cambridge International Curriculum from Primary onwards.
For individual subjects, teachers use established programs such as Read Write Inc. for English and Singapore Mathematics. Pupils build strong foundations in literacy, mathematics, science and the humanities while learning to think independently and apply their knowledge.
Primary classes have up to 16 pupils, supported by two to three educators. Teachers follow each learner closely, identifying when they need more support, further practice or greater challenge. Families receive regular feedback and detailed reports that explain what their child has learned and what comes next.
Excellent Teaching
Hypha recruits experienced educators from different countries and school systems, alongside Portuguese and specialist teachers. Regular classroom observation, professional development and shared planning help maintain consistently high standards across the school.
Knowledge Children Can Use
Direct teaching is supported by experiments, practical work, projects and Socratic Seminars. Mathematics may move into the garden, a scientific question may become an investigation and a complex issue may be explored through structured discussion.
This helps children understand what they learn, make connections and approach new questions with confidence.
Wellbeing
Wellbeing at Hypha includes daily, age-appropriate mindfulness and social-emotional learning. Children learn to recognize emotions, communicate what they need, build healthy relationships and deal with setbacks.
Our educators are trained in Positive Discipline. When difficulties arise, they work with children to understand what is behind the behavior and find constructive solutions.
Nature
Hypha is surrounded by 7,000 m² of gardens and woodland in the Sintra-Cascais Natural Park, with another 6,000 m² at the sports complex. Children spend around three hours outside each day for learning, meals, movement and play.
Outdoor spaces are used whenever they add something meaningful to a lesson. Kids might measure a garden bed in mathematics, observe an ecosystem in science or use the local landscape as the starting point for a humanities project.
Regular Nature School sessions give them time to work more deeply outdoors. They may build shelters, look for signs of animals, use natural materials or solve a practical challenge together.
There is also time to climb, invent games and explore with friends. These less structured moments help pupils become more independent.
“The outdoors is part of the classroom, and part of childhood.”
Sports and Movement
Movement is built into everyday life at Hypha. Children have regular Physical Education with specialist educators, spend time outside each day and take movement breaks between periods of focused learning.
Through Hypha’s partnership with União Mucifalense, pupils use professional local facilities including an indoor sports hall, a full-size football pitch, a gymnastics studio and a martial arts dojo. Even the journey there becomes part of the experience, with a walk through the forest from the school.
Across the year, children can experience activities such as football, gymnastics, swimming, martial arts and surfing. The program changes according to the season, age group and available partnerships.
Sport helps children develop strength and coordination while learning to practice, work with others and respond constructively to both success and disappointment.
Community
Hypha brings together families from more than 20 nationalities. Its small size means kids, parents and educators get to know one another naturally, helping new children settle in and families quickly feel at home.
Many families live in Colares and the surrounding area, so friendships continue beyond the school day. Children and adults meet for Friday afternoons at Aldeia da Praia, padel games, dinners, dancing and time at the local beaches.
Parents also bring a wide range of professional and cultural experience into the school, contributing to projects and connecting learning with the world beyond the classroom.
Meet the Team
Our international team brings together classroom educators, Portuguese teachers and subject specialists with experience across different school systems.
Fall in love with learning.
Visit the school, meet our educators and experience how academics, nature, movement and community come together in everyday school life.
Pre-Primary
Ages 3 to 5
At Hypha Pre-Primary, children spend their days exploring, creating and learning together, with nature as an extension of the classroom.
Our pedagogy draws on established principles from Reggio Emilia and Montessori, complemented by weekly Nature School sessions. Children spend at least three hours outdoors each day and develop early academic, social and practical skills through purposeful play, guided exploration and longer-term projects. Educators observe each child closely, adapt learning to their stage of development and gradually build their confidence and independence.
Nature Immersion
Nature as Part of Every Day
Nature is part of everyday life in Pre-Primary. Hypha’s campus includes 7,000 m² of gardens, wooded areas and outdoor learning spaces. Children spend a lot of time outside each day for learning, lunch, movement and free play.
They climb, build, grow plants, look for insects and explore how the environment changes throughout the year. Outdoor activities also connect with the curriculum. Children might count natural objects, measure a garden bed, draw something they have found or use leaves and sticks to create a structure.
Time outdoors supports physical development, curiosity and independence. Children learn to move with confidence, solve practical problems and make their own decisions. They also begin to understand how to care for plants, animals and the environment around them.
Nature School
Multiple times a week, children take part in a dedicated Nature School session in the school’s garden.
These longer sessions give them time to explore an idea and stay with it. They might build a shelter, search for signs of animals, collect natural materials or work together on a practical challenge. The activities change with the children’s interests, the weather and the seasons.
Educators set clear boundaries and help children take age-appropriate risks. They learn to judge what feels safe, keep trying when something is difficult and work with others. Over time, they become more capable and confident outdoors and build a close relationship with the natural world.
Pre-Primary Learning
Pre-Primary at Hypha follows the English curriculum while integrating Portuguese language and making full use of our gardens, woodland and outdoor learning spaces.
Children build early skills in language and mathematics, explore the natural world and learn how to take part in a community. Learning happens through guided activities, play, stories, projects and hands-on experience.
Communication and Early Literacy
Stories, songs and daily conversations help children grow their vocabulary and express their ideas.
Children explore sounds, letters and words at their own pace. Some may be starting to recognize their name, while others may already be reading. Our educators meet each child where they are and help them take the next step.
Portuguese
Children learn Portuguese through songs, stories, games and everyday conversation.
The focus is on enjoying the language and using simple words and phrases with confidence. Portuguese-speaking educators also bring the language naturally into play, lunch and time outdoors.
Early Mathematics
Numbers become easier to understand when children can see and use them.
Children count natural objects, sort materials, look for patterns, compare size and quantity, and explore shapes around the campus. These practical experiences create a foundation for more formal mathematics in Primary.
Understanding the Natural World
The school’s gardens and forest are part of the classroom.
Children observe plants, insects, animals and changes in the seasons. They garden, care for living things and take part in simple experiments. Weekly Forest School sessions give them more time to explore, ask questions and learn directly from nature.
Art, Music and Imagination
Children paint, draw, build, sing, move and create with a wide range of materials.
Nature often becomes part of their work. A leaf might inspire a drawing, sticks might become part of a structure and a story might grow into a group project.
Physical Development
Pre-Primary children spend a large part of every day outdoors, running, climbing, balancing, digging and building.
These experiences develop strength, coordination and confidence.
Social and Emotional Development
Children practice being part of a group every day.
They learn to share ideas and materials, communicate their needs and work through disagreements. Mindfulness activities help them recognize their feelings, slow down and find ways to regulate their emotions.
Preparing for Primary
We introduce structure gradually as children become ready for it.
Children learn to listen in a group, follow familiar routines, complete a task and do more for themselves. Alongside early literacy and mathematics, these habits help them move into Primary with confidence and curiosity.
Extracurricular Activities
After the school day, children can choose from a wide range of extracurricular activities. The program partly changes each term, allowing children to try something new or continue developing an existing interest.
This term’s schedule
Monday
- Supervised Play
- Gymnastics
Tuesday
- Portuguese Club
- Swimming
Wednesday
- Yoga and Mindfulness
- Coding, no screens
Thursday
- Arts and Crafts
- Emotional Skills
The current program is shared with families at the beginning of each term.
Activities run Monday to Thursday. Every day includes an activity at no extra charge, alongside paid options.
A Day in Pre-Primary
Each day follows a familiar rhythm of guided learning, free play, creative activities and time outdoors in Hypha’s gardens and woodland. Lunch and multiple healthy snack-times are provided. Lunch starts with soup followed by a balanced meal made from whole foods. Families are welcome to bring familiar food from home, and no child is ever pressured to eat.
For children starting school for the first time, settling in happens gradually and will not be forced. Educators work closely with parents, helping each child feel safe, build trust and become confident in their new routine.
Pre-Primary applications are open for September 2027 and September 2028. We add new Pre-Primary places every year.
Take a look around
Primary
Ages 6 to 11
Strong academics, time in nature, and room for children to think for themselves.
We follow the Cambridge International Curriculum with full accreditation.
For each subject, we complement it with carefully selected, internationally recognized programs and teaching methods, such as Read Write Inc. for English and Singapore Mathematics. This gives our teachers a clear structure and helps every child build strong foundations step by step.
Academics
Children work towards clear learning goals in every subject. Our mixed-age classes allow each child to progress at the right level and pace, while also learning from and supporting others. Teachers know exactly what each child is learning, where they are making progress and when they need additional support or greater challenge.
Our Primary Curriculum Covers
English and Literacy
We use Read Write Inc. to build strong skills in reading, writing, spelling and communication.
Children learn in focused groups, so teaching can match their current level. As they progress, they read more independently, build their vocabulary and learn to express their ideas clearly in writing and conversation.
Portuguese
English is the main language of instruction at Hypha. Children also have Portuguese literacy lessons.
Art, Music and Physical Education are taught by specialist educators. Some activities take place in Portuguese, giving children regular and natural contact with the language.
Mathematics
We use Singapore Mathematics, an approach that helps children understand how math works before relying on rules or repetition.
Children use objects, drawings and practical examples before moving towards more abstract problems. This helps them build confidence and develop a deeper understanding of numbers and mathematical thinking.
Science and Humanities
Science and Humanities help children understand the natural world, geography, history and the communities around them.
Children work towards clear curriculum goals through experiments, research and practical projects. Whenever possible, we bring the subject to life. They might study a local ecosystem outdoors, explore landscapes using maps, investigate an important historical period or taste the spices involved in the Portuguese spice trade.
Physical Education and Movement
Movement is part of everyday life at Hypha.
Primary children take part in regular Physical Education and use the professional facilities at União Mucifalense, including an indoor gym, football pitch, gymnastics studio and martial arts dojo.
They experience different sports and physical challenges throughout the school year. This helps children develop strength, coordination and confidence. They also learn to work as a team, keep trying and understand what their bodies can do.
Time outdoors and active play add to this. Children move throughout the day, rather than spending most of it sitting in a classroom.
Learning to Think
We want children to gain knowledge and know how to use it.
In Socratic Seminars, children sit together and discuss real questions. The teacher supports the process, but the children lead the conversation.
They learn to form an opinion, use evidence, disagree respectfully and sometimes change their mind.
Art and Music
Art and Music are a regular part of the school week and are taught by specialist educators.
Both subjects give children another way to communicate, work with others and turn ideas into something real.
Ready for What Comes Next
By the end of Primary, we want children to be confident readers, writers, mathematicians and thinkers. We also want them to know how they learn, how to ask for help and how to approach something they do not yet understand.
This prepares them for the move into secondary education and gives families clarity if they later change schools or move to another country.
See Learning in Action
The best way to understand Hypha is to see a school day for yourself. Book a visit or online meeting
Academic Progress
Clear Goals, Personal Progress
We have clear learning goals for every subject. Teachers closely follow each child through daily work, observation and individual conversations.
Regular feedback and detailed reports show what each child has learned, where they need support or greater challenge and what comes next. We document academic and personal development, giving children strong foundations for secondary education or a move to another school.
Each Report Includes:
- Subject-by-subject competency assessments
- Individual comments from teachers
- Achievements and clear next steps
- Academic and personal development
- Real-world competencies
- The child’s own reflections and learning moments
A parent's story
A Primary parent talks about their child’s experience at Hypha.
Extracurricular Activities
After the school day, children can choose from a wide range of extracurricular activities. The program partly changes each term, allowing children to try something new or continue developing an existing interest.
This term’s schedule
Monday
- Supervised Play
- Gymnastics
- Football
Tuesday
- Origami
- Beatboxing
- Swimming
- Volleyball
Wednesday
- Yoga
- Robotics
- Football
- Surfing
- Design and build a home for our rabbits
- Study skills and money basics
Thursday
- A school musical
- Violin
- Soft Skills
Piano lessons are also available.
Football, volleyball and gymnastics take place at our sports center nearby.
The current program is shared with families at the beginning of each term.
Activities run Monday to Thursday. Every day includes an activity at no extra charge, alongside paid options.
A Day at Hypha
We structure the day in a thoughtful rhythm that reflects how children learn and feel.
Mastery Time
Mornings are dedicated to core academic learning, when children are fresh and ready to focus. They learn as a class, in small groups and individually, with regular breaks for snacks and movement.
Recharge and Connect
Hypha provides a morning snack, lunch and an afternoon snack for every child. Lunch starts with a soup, followed by a balanced meal made from whole foods. The approach is Portuguese in style, built on traditional and familiar ingredients. Afterwards, children have time for free play, usually outdoors, to move, relax and connect with friends before the afternoon begins.
Explore and Create
Afternoons bring a broader mix of languages, science, creativity, sport, Forest School and social-emotional learning. Activities take place across the campus and at nearby partner facilities.
More to Discover
The regular school day ends at 15:45. From Monday to Thursday, children can join extracurricular activities until 16:45. The program changes throughout the year.
Secondary
Year 8 and above
We'll open more year groups as Secondary grows. Register your interest and we'll let you know when your child's year opens.
Admissions
The best way to start is to visit.
Who Can Apply
Admissions Process
Within 1–2 weeks. We may invite your child for a trial day.
If we offer a place, confirm it with the €1,500 enrollment fee.
Fees 2026/27
| Year group | Per year | Per term | Per month |
|---|---|---|---|
| Pre-Primary | €10,900 | €3,634 | €1,145 |
| Year 1 | €12,800 | €4,268 | €1,344 |
| Year 2 | €13,400 | €4,468 | €1,407 |
| Year 3 | €14,000 | €4,668 | €1,470 |
| Year 4 | €14,000 | €4,668 | €1,470 |
| Year 5 | €14,900 | €4,968 | €1,565 |
| Year 6 | €14,900 | €4,968 | €1,565 |
What is included
- Cambridge-accredited educationA rigorous, child-centered education that combines academic learning with wellbeing, independence and personal growth.
- Portuguese language learningTwo Portuguese lessons a week, plus Portuguese in Physical Education, Art and Music, and spoken daily by our support staff.
- Hot lunch and two snacksPrepared fresh at school each day, following common dietary restrictions and allergies. Children are also welcome to bring their own lunch.
- After-school activitiesExtracurricular activities after the school day, Monday to Thursday (subject to minimum enrollment).
- Field trips and educational outingsSchool-organized trips and outings are included in the school fees.
- Books and learning resourcesAll textbooks, books and learning resources required for your child’s education are provided by the school.
- School supplies and consumablesClassroom materials and everyday consumables, including the supplies children use for their daily activities, are provided by the school.
- Special events and school traditionsFrom camping nights to celebrations, shared experiences that bring the school community together.
- School insuranceYour child is covered by school insurance.
Not included: optional school transport from Cascais and Ericeira.
English Level for Primary
Most lessons at Hypha are taught in English. Children joining Primary need enough English to understand lessons and complete work for their age group.
Hypha does not currently offer extra English language classes. If your child needs more support, we are happy to help you find the right English tuition outside school.
Download the guidelinesHave More Questions?
Visit our FAQ page for details on curriculum, daily life, and more.
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