A community that lasts a lifetime

"At SAIS I learnt to be resilient, never to give up even when things weren’t going the way I was expecting it, to ask for help when needed and communication skills.
As for words of wisdom I can share with pupils still at SAIS, I would have to say - spend time with your friends, because they are going to be there for you in the future."

"I am a Founding member at SAIS - I began not so long too, back in 2013!
I witnessed some changes like the opening of primary years and all the new classrooms for DT, ICT and Arts. My wishes for the new school are that, the family sensation remains and the contact that I have been able to experience will live on. Having small scaled classes should not be changed as information gets to the pupils more effectively."

"I started SAIS back in 2016 in the A3 class. I decided to move to SAIS because I wanted to learn English and try a different type of education. I was as SAIS for my IGCSE and ALevels – a total of six years that flew by! I am currently at FMH – Faculdade de Motricidade Humana in Lisbon completing my undergraduate degree in Sports Science. Whilst at SAIS the most important subject I took was definitely PE Option and Sports Science. When I was allocated my work experience in the A5s I had to develop my communication skills for group projects and that has been a skill I have transferred to the work I am doing at university right now. My note taking capability was also developed and enhanced at SAIS and I have taken that with me too."

"I started at SAIS at sixth form for my A levels in 2020 when I moved to Portugal. Out of all the schools to choose from, SAIS was the best choice for me due to them being one of the few schools not only offering the A levels (instead of IB) but also Design and Technology at A level (which the other few schools offering the A levels did not offer). I think SAIS successfully helped me prepare for university because the tutors really focused on individual work and allowed us to have the independence to explore our pieces of work in any direction we wanted to. Make the most of your days at school because you will 100% miss them when they are over. These years at SAIS have hands down been very amazing and better than any school I have ever attended."

"My sister was one of the founding members of SAIS, and I decided to follow in her footsteps and attend this school as well. I am now studying Medicine at NOVA Medical School in Lisbon. I managed to be the first person accepted into the university after studying hard for my A-levels and achieving excellent grades. However, more important than the knowledge acquired were the life skills I developed during my time in Santo António. My experience as Head Girl, as well as my involvement in MUNs, helped me become more confident and greatly improved my communication and organizational skills which, I am sure will help me in my future career as a Doctor. Finally, the exigent nature of my teachers, as well as their relentless support shaped me into becoming an assiduous and determined student, which is essential for a demanding course such as medicine."

"I started at SAIS in 2013 as a founding member of the school. After having attended another school for 6 years, I wanted to progress into a relatively small school, where the strong community spirit I had experienced also prevailed. SAIS offered exactly this - A school with a very gratifying family environment. From the beginning, a strong feeling of ambition was at the school´s core. I have taken so much from what I learnt at SAIS, that in all honesty, it is hard to innumerate. Nonetheless, I suppose there are 3 invaluable things I´ve learnt. Firstly I learnt how to be a critical thinker and go beyond black and white; secondly, I learnt that listening to others is extremely important to assess circumstances and situations, enabling me to make good decisions; and thirdly I was taught how to respect myself, others as well as the environment that surrounds me."