The British Schools of Montevideo
The British Schools of Montevideo is a private, coeducational, non-profit school, which aims to give an intensive bilingual education, combining the Uruguayan national curriculum with an English language program.
| The British Schools of Montevideo | |
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| Address | |
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38 - Máximo Tajes 6421 - Montevideo - Uruguay Uruguay | |
| Coordinates | 34.874°S 56.045°W |
| Information | |
| Type | Private |
| Motto | "Perfice" |
| Established | 1908 |
| Campus | Carrasco |
| Color(s) | Green |
| Website | portal |
Educational programs and governance
The school offers various English and international examinations, such as the IGCSE and IB (International Baccalaureate) programs.
The School is governed by the Board of Governors, elected by the British Schools Society in Uruguay, whose honorary President is the British Ambassador to Uruguay.
The School also provides Mandarin, French and Portuguese classes for High School students.
History
The School was founded on 8 October 1908, making it one of the oldest educational institutions in the country, and it has the reputation of being one of the best schools in the country. Its original purpose was to give children a complete education, with the level of the best schools of the United Kingdom. It was also meant to establish strong bonds between the British and Uruguayan children living in the country.
The British school was the first school to play rugby union in Uruguay, and nowadays its alumni club, Old Boys & Old Girls Club, gives the national squad a lot of important players.
The School's old building in Pocitos turned into a Jewish School. The School changed buildings in the 60s, moving to Carrasco Norte. Its current main building was erected by the engineering firm Giannattasio y Berta in 1960.
Prominent alumni
Prominent alumni include the current president of Uruguay, Luis Alberto Lacalle Pou, current finance minister Azucena Arbeleche, and former government ministers Ernesto Talvi, Pedro Bordaberry, Gabriel Gurméndez Armand-Ugon and José Amorín Batlle.
A prominent U.S. graduate was Charles Benham Larrabee, a highly regarded trial attorney in New Mexico who went on to become a Justice on the New Mexico Supreme Court.
Further, English author John Andrews, designer Gabriela Hearst, and tennis player Patricia Miller are notable alumni.
Noted activities
Each year the school plays different theater musicals, such as Grease, Les Misérables or Fame. For its 100th anniversary, most of the school participated on a version of Miss Saigon. In 2018, the school celebrated their 110th anniversary and the 20th anniversary since they had performed their first senior musical by presenting Grease once more in their theatres. On 2019, the school performed Mamma Mia: The Musical. This year (2020) the musical has been canceled due to the coronavirus.