Gimnasio La Colina

What Gimnasio La Colina does

Gimnasio La Colina is a private bilingual K-12 school in Cali, Colombia, serving approximately 480 students from age 1.5 through grade 12. The institution operates exclusively from a single campus (Av. 9N # 56N-81) organized into four academic divisions: Unidad Infantil (Early Years, 18 months to 5 years), Primaria (grades 1-6), Básica (grades 7-9), and Media Académica (grades 10-12). It implements the Cambridge International curriculum alongside the Colombian national curriculum, with bilingual English instruction starting at age 3 and French as a third language from grade 7. The school delivers international credentials including Cambridge AS Level, AICE Diploma, and IELTS preparation, and offers international exchange programs with Canada (Mountain View School Division) and the UK (Study Union). Pedagogical frameworks include Reggio Emilia philosophy in early years, STEAM methodology, and a PASOS inclusive education program. The school is managed by the non-profit Fundación Cultural Las Casitas and has been operating since 1975.

The school operates on a tuition-based subscription revenue model with periodic billing cycles, supplemented by paid complementary activities (sports, arts, robotics) priced at $150,000-$749,000 COP per quarter, transportation (via Transportes Brasilia partnership), and a parent-operated healthy food store (Bgood). Admissions follow a structured 5-step process via the website and Phidias/Salesforce platform. The go-to-market is sales-led with marketing through website, social media (Instagram, Facebook, YouTube), community events, and word-of-mouth referrals. The school's technology infrastructure includes Phidias for academic records, Salesforce for admissions, AvalPayCenter for payments, and Microsoft 365 for communications. Physical infrastructure includes two MakerSpace classrooms (since 2021), robotics and 3D printing labs, and sports facilities.

Gimnasio La Colina has earned multiple quality credentials: EFQM Recognised for Excellence 5-star (2024, 515 points, only 5-star institution in Cali and one of 13 in Colombia), Cambridge Associate School (2017), and Cambridge Early Years certification (2024). It received the Orden a la Democracia Simón Bolívar from the Colombian Congress in 2020. Leadership includes Rector Geoffrey Watson, Director Ximena Iragorri Casas (who assumed leadership in 1985 after founder Rosario Casas de Iragorri's passing), and an international program team. The institution has produced 30 graduating classes since 1992, with 32 students graduating in the 2025-2026 class.

Name

Gimnasio La Colina

Legal name

Fundación Cultural Las Casitas

Website

https://lacolina.edu.co

Company type

Private

Founded year

1975

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

51–100 employees

Short description

Gimnasio La Colina is a private non-profit bilingual K-12 school in Cali, Colombia, serving 480 students from age 1.5 through grade 12 with Cambridge International curriculum, bilingual English-French instruction, and an AICE diploma pathway. It is operated by Fundación Cultural Las Casitas and holds EFQM 5-star recognition.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Private K-12 Bilingual Education

NAICS

Elementary and Secondary Schools (6111), Language Schools (611630)

SIC

Services-Educational Services (8200)

akta.pro primary industry

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

akta.pro secondary industry

Language Immersion & Bilingual Private Schools (EDAJABAL)

Keywords

• Bilingual K-12 education
• Cambridge international curriculum
• Private preschool education
• STEAM primary education
• International high school diplomas

Headquarters

HQ city

Cali

HQ country

Colombia

HQ region

Latin America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Educational Services - Tuition: The primary revenue stream is tuition fees for educational services covering all academic programs from Unidad Infantil through Media académica. Tuition is paid per academic year with periodic billing cycles.
2. Complementary Programs: Extracurricular activities including swimming, dance, karate, robotics, and other sports/artistic programs are offered at additional cost ranging from $150,000 to $749,000 COP per quarter.
3. School Store (Bgood): The healthy school store operated by the Parents Association sells food items including sandwiches, salads, bowls, and beverages to students during school hours.
4. Transportation Services: Bus transportation service provided through partnership with Transportes Brasilia, with separate fees for families.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

Gimnasio La Colina is a private bilingual school in Cali, Colombia that delivers Cambridge International curriculum alongside the Colombian national curriculum from early childhood (18 months) through 12th grade. Its core offering is full-time, on-campus K-12 education organized into four divisions (Unidad Infantil, Primaria, Básica, Media Académica) with English-Spanish bilingual instruction from age 3 and French as a third language from grade 7, capped at 22 students per class in Primaria. Complementary fee-based programs (robotics, swimming, ballet, STEAM, karate, etc.) and partner-provided services (transportation, cafeteria, nursing) round out the educational experience.

Product overview

Gimnasio La Colina is a private bilingual school in Cali, Colombia, offering comprehensive educational programs from early childhood (18 months) through high school (grade 12). The institution operates a single-campus, multi-level structure with four main academic divisions: Unidad Infantil (Early Years), Primaria (Primary), Básica (Secondary), and Media (High School). The school implements the Cambridge International curriculum alongside the Colombian national curriculum, supported by methodologies including Reggio Emilia philosophy in early years and STEAM education throughout. A broad portfolio of complementary programs includes bilingual education (starting at age 3), robotics, arts, sports, international exchange, and the GLC MUN program. Additional services encompass transportation, cafeteria, and nursing care. The institution is managed by Fundación Cultural Las Casitas and maintains EFQM excellence certification.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Cambridge Early Years Center: Early childhood education program for children ages 3-6, part of Cambridge International's international education framework.
• PASOS
• Colegio Gimnasio La Colina

Products and services

• Unidad Infantil / Las Casitas Early Years Early childhood education program for children from 18 months to 5 years, incorporating the Cambridge Early Years curriculum and Reggio Emilia pedagogical philosophy in a campestre (nature-based) environment.
• Primaria Primary school program for grades 1 through 6 (ages 7-11), following the Cambridge curriculum with maximum 22 students per class, emphasizing positive discipline and active learning methodologies.
• Básica Secondary school program for grades 7 through 9, promoting exploration and development of talents in artistic, technological, and sports fields alongside bilingual academic formation, with French as a third language.
• Media Académica High school program for grades 10 through 12, offering personalized learning through elective courses (business, digital design, music), IELTS preparation, and Cambridge AICE diploma preparation with English studied at near-native C1 level.
• Complementary Activities (Actividades Complementarias) Fee-based extracurricular programs including robotics, karate, ballet, swimming, urban dance, rhythmic gymnastics, football, roller skating, photography, cooking lab, and yoga, priced from $150,000 to $749,000 COP per trimester.
• International Exchange Programs International exchange opportunities through the Mountain View School Division in Manitoba, Canada (cultural and academic exchange starting grade 6) and Study Union summer camp programs in the United Kingdom (mid-July to early August) for students in the International Program.
• GLC MUN (Model United Nations) Student-led simulation of United Nations committees developing diplomatic skills and international awareness, hosted at www.glcmun.org.

Quantifiable outcome

• 515 points on EFQM evaluation achieving 5-star recognition
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers3 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration5 records

Feature5 records

Partnerships

Seven partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Mountain View School Division (Manitoba, Canada)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerEducational exchange partnership with a school division comprising 16 schools across 7 communities in Manitoba province, Canada. Promotes cultural and academic exchange experiences for students from grade 6 onwards, strengthening international learning opportunities.
• Study UnionminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaboration providing summer camp programs in the United Kingdom, typically running from mid-July to early August, for students in the International Program, offering educational and cultural activities abroad.
• Transportes BrasiliaminorOthersTransportation service provider offering school bus services to students. All buses comply with necessary safety specifications according to traffic regulations. Contact: (+57) 310 292 6992.
• Casa SilvanaminorOthersUniform provider for daily school uniforms. Located at Cl. 26 Norte No. 5N-59, San Vicente neighborhood, Cali. Phone: (602) 668 3906 / (+57) 317 501 8635. Online store: casasilvana.co
• Vitality SportsminorOthersSports uniform provider. Contact: [email protected] / (+57) 316 448 9436. Online store available at uniformes.vitalitysports.co/categoria-producto/colina/
• COOMEVAminorOthersHealth services partner providing medical services and emergency care coverage through their healthcare network. Nursing services operate Monday to Friday from 7:30 AM to 5:00 PM.
• ASOBILCAminorOthersSports association hosting congress events. La Colina serves as the venue/sede for ASOBILCA activities.

Scale indicators6 records

Recent moves8 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Colegio Rochester: Bogotá-based bilingual international school with similar premium positioning and full K-12 Cambridge/IB-style offerings; comparable value proposition targeting Colombia's upper-middle-class families.
• ASPAEN (Gimnasio Los Andes / Colegio San José): Colombian private school network operating premium bilingual K-12 campuses with Cambridge curricula; directly comparable offering and target market to Gimnasio La Colina.
• Liceo de Cervantes: Cali-based bilingual private school with similar grade-level coverage and international pedagogy, competing head-to-head for families seeking private international K-12 education.
• Colegio San Carlos: Private K-12 school in Cali with bilingual program and international orientation, directly competing for the same mid-to-premium family segment in the Valle del Cauca market.
• Colegio Bolívar: Long-established bilingual/private school in Cali, Colombia with international curriculum and comparable primary-through-high-school structure serving similar upper-middle-class families in the same city.
• Colegio Mayor de San Bartolomé: Historic Bogotá-based private school with Cambridge-aligned programs and IB offerings; comparable in offering premium bilingual K-12 international credentials.
• Colegio Anglo Colombiano: Premier Bogotá bilingual K-12 school with strong international diploma pathway and exchange programs, competing in the same premium Colombian international education segment.
• Colegio Colombo Americano: Elite Colombian private school with strong bilingual and U.S.-style curriculum, attracting the same premium family segment with international university placement focus as Gimnasio La Colina.

Others

• Cambridge Assessment International Education: Standards and assessment body governing the Cambridge curriculum La Colina delivers; not a competitor but the enabling credentialing authority whose framework the entire school's international proposition depends on.

Broad incumbents

• Nord Anglia International School: Global premium international school network with a Bogotá campus; broader portfolio and brand recognition position it as a higher-end incumbent competitor for families seeking international K-12 education in Colombia.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/channel/UCJeny1rAtAL9Lqg2WeXEMBw
• Facebookfacebook.com/gimnasiolacolina
• Instagraminstagram.com/gimnasiolacolina
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/gimnasio-la-colina

Compliance4 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles3 records

Subsidiaries1 record

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 Gimnasio La Colina