Colégio Vasco da Gama

What Colégio Vasco da Gama does

Colégio Vasco da Gama is a private K-12 educational institution founded in 1959 by Dr. João António Nabais, located on a 4.5-hectare campus in Meleças, Belas (Sintra municipality), Portugal. The school serves students from pre-school (ages 3–5) through upper secondary education (ages 15–18) across five cycles, supplemented by the Cambridge English certification program and the iClass interactive classroom technology deployed in the 3rd cycle. It operates 83 employees and is currently directed by Dr. Inácio Casinhas and Dra. Renata Hilário.

The school generates revenue primarily through recurring tuition fees paid by families, with subsidies channeled via the Portuguese government's Contratos Simples and Apoio Financeiro ao Ensino Particular e Cooperativo programs. Pricing is not publicly disclosed. Ancillary revenue streams derive from on-campus facilities including an equestrian school, tennis school, half-Olympic swimming pool, music courses, robotics club, and a broad extracurricular activity portfolio (ballet, judo, karate, football, dance, acrobatics). Its underlying technology stack is a conventional educational SaaS bundle — Microsoft 365 (Showcase School designation), Inovar Prof/EE for student management, Khan Academy (TIKA competitions), Microsoft Teams, FlipGrid, Padlet, and Escola Virtual — with no proprietary AI/ML systems disclosed.

The school is a member of the International Schools Partnership (ISP), a global network of schools that provides access to international pedagogical methodologies and cross-school programs such as Skype-a-Thon. Customer acquisition is event-driven, anchored by an annual Open Day (500+ visitors in 2026) and supported by the school's website, Facebook presence, and email newsletters. Customers are individual families in the Sintra region, with no disclosed enterprise or institutional contracts.

Name

Colégio Vasco da Gama

Legal name

Colégio Vasco da Gama

Website

https://colegiovascodagama.pt

Company type

Private

Founded year

1959

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

51–100 employees

Short description

Colégio Vasco da Gama is a private Portuguese K-12 school founded in 1959 in Sintra, serving pre-school through secondary students on a 4.5-hectare campus and operating as part of the International Schools Partnership network.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Private K-12 Education

NAICS

Elementary and Secondary Schools (6111)

SIC

Services-Educational Services (8200)

akta.pro primary industry

International/Global Curriculum Schools (IB, Cambridge, etc.) (EDAJABAG)

Keywords

• K-12 education
• Private school
• Secondary education
• Pre-school programs
• Cambridge English certification

Headquarters

HQ city

Meleças, Belas

HQ country

Portugal

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Others

Revenue model

1. Tuition and School Fees: Primary revenue from tuition fees paid by families for educational services across pre-school through secondary education levels. The school participates in government financial support programs (Contratos Simples, Apoio Financeiro ao Ensino Particular e Cooperativo) which subsidize tuition for eligible families.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels2 records

Marketing channels4 records

Core offering

Colégio Vasco da Gama is a private K-12 educational institution offering comprehensive academic programs from Educação Pré-Escolar (pre-school, ages 3-5) through Ensino Secundário (secondary education, ages 15-18). The school delivers the Portuguese national curriculum across five cycles, supplemented by the Cambridge English certification program, iClass technology-enhanced classrooms, and an extensive extracurricular portfolio including equestrian, tennis, swimming, ballet, martial arts, music, and robotics. It operates on a 4.5-hectare campus in Meleças, Sintra, Portugal, and participates in government financial support programs (Contratos Simples) that subsidize tuition for eligible families.

Product overview

Colégio Vasco da Gama is a private educational institution founded in 1959, offering a comprehensive educational program from Pré-Escolar (pre-school) through Ensino Secundário (secondary education). The school operates as part of the International Schools Partnership (ISP) network. Its core educational offerings span five levels: Educação Pré-Escolar, 1º Ciclo, 2º Ciclo, 3º Ciclo, and Ensino Secundário, supplemented by specialized programs including the Cambridge English program and iClass technology-enhanced classrooms. The institution provides extensive extracurricular activities through its Atividades de Complemento Educativo, including the Escola de Ténis (tennis school), Escola de Equitação (horseback riding school), music courses, and sports facilities including a half-olympic swimming pool. Additional student support includes a psychology cabinet, robotics club, Eco-Escolas environmental program, and the Young Volunteam CVG volunteer program.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Educação Pré-Escolar Pre-school education program for children aged 3-5, focusing on early childhood development, English language introduction, and school preparation.
• 1º Ciclo do Ensino Básico First cycle of basic education covering grades 1-4 (ages 6-10), with emphasis on foundational literacy, numeracy, and digital literacy skills.
• 2º Ciclo do Ensino Básico Second cycle of basic education covering grades 5-6 (ages 10-12), with expanded curriculum including sciences, humanities, and technological education.
• 3º Ciclo do Ensino Básico Third cycle of basic education covering grades 7-9 (ages 12-15), including preparation for national exams, career guidance through the Rumo ao Futuro program, iClass technology-enhanced learning, and Cambridge English certification.
• Ensino Secundário Upper secondary education (grades 10-12, ages 15-18) with multiple course options, preparation for university entry, psychology services, university visits, and career guidance.
• Programa Cambridge Cambridge English language certification program integrated into the curriculum, providing international credentials in English proficiency for students.
• iClass Innovative classroom program for 3rd cycle students featuring enhanced technology integration, interactive learning, and modern pedagogical approaches.
• Atividades de Complemento Educativo Comprehensive supplementary educational activities including Ballet, Theatre, Dance, Acrobatic Gymnastics, Guitar, Tennis, Swimming, Horseback Riding, Judo, Karate, Football, and English classes.
• Escola de Ténis Dedicated tennis school offering lessons and competitive participation in inter-school tournaments, with summer camps during school holidays.
• Escola de Equitação On-site horseback riding school within the 4.5-hectare campus, offering riding lessons and summer programs.
• Cursos de Música Music education program offering guitar lessons and participation in the Spring Concert, integrated within the complementary educational activities.
• Clube de Robótica Robotics club where students participate in competitions such as CanSat Portugal, building and programming satellite replicas.
• Gabinete de Psicologia School psychology service providing student support and counseling.
• Piscina Meia Olímpica Half-olympic swimming pool on campus supporting swimming lessons and aquatic activities.
• Eco-Escolas Environmental education program that earned the school the Green Flag (Bandeira Verde) eco-schools award.
• Young Volunteam CVG Student-led volunteer group organizing solidarity campaigns, food drives, and community service activities.

Quantifiable outcome

• Over 500 visitors at Open Day 2026
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers1 record

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles1 record

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration6 records

Feature2 records

Partnerships

Eight partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• International Schools Partnership (ISP)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerColégio Vasco da Gama is an active member of the International Schools Partnership, a global network of schools united by a common vision of inspiring and empowering young people to be confident, curious, and prepared for an evolving world. The partnership provides access to international pedagogical approaches, research-based teaching strategies, and enriched international programs.
• Cambridge EnglishcoreTechnology or IntegrationThe school offers Cambridge English language certification programs, providing students with internationally recognized English qualifications and preparation for international exams.
• MicrosoftcoreTechnology or IntegrationDesignated as a Microsoft Showcase School, the school uses Microsoft 365 for education and participates in Microsoft Education initiatives including Skype-a-Thon. The school integrates Microsoft technology tools throughout the curriculum.
• Instituto de Geografia e Ordenamento do Território (IGOT)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership with the University of Lisbon's Geography and Territorial Planning Institute for student visits and academic orientation. Students participate in open days and university orientation programs.
• Faculdade de Ciências e Tecnologia da Universidade Nova de Lisboa (FCT-UNL)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership for physics and chemistry students to visit university facilities including CENIMAT research center. Students experience laboratory work and academic presentations.
• Hospital da Luz, Clínica de Santo AntóniominorStrategic or Co-development PartnerHealthcare professionals conduct health and wellness seminars for students covering topics such as adolescence, sleep, electronic games, smoking, and drugs.
• Cruz Vermelha Portuguesa (Portuguese Red Cross)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerFood donations collected through volunteering programs are distributed to the Sintra delegation of Cruz Vermelha and fire victims in Midões, Tábua.
• Associação de Solidariedade Social Ajuda de BerçominorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCharitable donations and fundraising proceeds from the 2nd cycle students are donated to the Ajuda de Berço social solidarity association.

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Market position

Competitive moat5 records

Key highlights5 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/colegiovascodagama
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/col%C3%A9gio-vasco-da-gama

Compliance1 record

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles2 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Colégio Vasco da Gama