St Nicholas School Alphaville serves families who primarily live in the Alphaville or Tamboré residential neighbourhoods, seeking a personal and purposeful learning experience: a unique learning adventure following the programmes of the International Baccalaureate.As an IB World School offering the PYP and MYP (currently a candidate school for DP, with the first cohort expected to begin in August 2024), communication, collaboration, and reflection are highly valued. We are extremely proud to call ourselves a truly inclusive school, with strong Personalised Learning and Wellbeing teams to support individual students and their needs.

As an international school, we strive to nurture students who are global citizens and internationally-minded young people, where cultural diversity is celebrated, valued, and respected. St Nicholas students connect their learning with local, national, and global communities. Learning is led through inquiry and agency, and by activating creative and critical thinking skills, developing their passion for learning. Students discover and use their voices, engage in service learning opportunities, and take purposeful action to make an impact.

Our beautiful, purpose-built campus is situated in a semi-rural area, surrounded by nature, and still only 35 minutes from the dynamic city of Sao Paulo. With a community composed of approximately 20 nationalities, we learn from each other, building our appreciation for the languages, cultures, and backgrounds represented on campus.

Our excellent, dedicated, and qualified teachers who are passionate about excellence in teaching and learning, allow us to prepare St Nicholas graduates for their onward learning journey for a life in Brazil or overseas. A caring culture with a belief in every child and a commitment to holistic education, provides a truly enriching learning experience for all St Nicholas Alphaville students.

Inquiry, principled action and critical reflection underpin the work at St. Nicholas School
Throughout the curriculum the school offers a vibrant and innovative education which seeks to inspire and challenge our learners to develop a deep-seated love of learning. Emphasis is placed on the process of how students learn as much as what they are learning.

We offer an inquiry-based curriculum which is both rigorous and relevant, grounded in the real-world. Learning at St. Nicholas focuses on higher-order thinking skills and multiple intelligences, alongside an integrated use of technology and multimedia.

Our learners develop intercultural understandings, as they are key members of our international community. They learn that communicating in multiple ways in more than one language is critical in today’s globalised world.

At St. Nicholas, we seek to develop a diverse community of lifelong learners who are internationally minded global citizens. Our learners learn that through collaboration, they can work together to make the world a better place. We do this so that all of our students have the chance to model the knowledge, are equipped with the skills and share the values needed to thrive in an ever-changing world.

As an IB World School, we are authorised by the International Baccalaureate Organization (IBO) to offer the Primary Years Programme and the Middle Years Programme (currently a candidate school for DP)

The school is also accredited by the Brazilian Education Ministry (MEC). The Portuguese language, alongside Brazilian culture, literature, geography and history occupy a prominent place in the school’s curriculum alongside international elements and perspectives, so as to honour the diverse nature of the school.

Throughout each key stage in students’ learning, the school offers a vibrant and innovative education which inspires and challenges our students to develop a love of learning. As a result, our students are empowered with the knowledge, skills and values to thrive in a rapidly changing world.

At St. Nicholas School, we are proud to offer a broad variety of Extra Curricular Activities in the areas of sports (with ball, on wheels, martial arts, etc.), arts (dance, music, visual arts, drawing, clay, embroidery, etc.), board games, MUN, gardening and recreational activities. ECAs take place at lunchtime and after school and are led by a combination of teachers, parents, outside agencies and Secondary School learners.

We encourage our students to take part in ECAs allowing them to develop a balanced lifestyle and appreciation for fitness as a means to create new friendships, develop existing passions and to discover new ones. ECAs are a great opportunity for children to develop the attributes and attitudes that define our school: to be risk-takers and inquirers; to be cooperative, open minded, caring people.

Sport is highly valued as St. Nicholas School. Students are taught technical and motor skills within the timetabled curriculum as well as in their chosen sporting ECAs. They have the opportunities to train for school teams and represent their school in tournaments and fixtures with other schools. Pupils are also encouraged to participate in non-representative sports that offer recreational and competitive opportunities.

The aims and objectives of sport at St. Nicholas are to develop each student’s interpersonal skills, attitudes and attributes in relation to the IB learner profile. Sport at St. Nicholas also enables learners to proactively develop their leadership skills, as well as providing them a safe and guided environment to practise managing their emotions; to encourage teamwork and sportsmanship and to foster interpersonal respect.

Events organised by the Physical Education (PE) Department are a key feature of the school calendar. The primary purpose is to contribute towards the mission of the school by providing a range of sporting experiences geared towards developing each learner’s unique potential, increasing participation and strengthening our sense of community through collaboration.