At the British School of Lisbon, we believe that great teaching makes a real difference to every child's educational journey. We are always looking for ways to build on the strengths of our school, support our teachers and create even more opportunities for our students to learn, grow and achieve.
As part of the Dukes Education family, we are delighted to announce two exciting developments that will help us do just that, bringing new opportunities for professional learning, collaboration and the sharing of expertise across Dukes schools in Portugal.
The first is a shared initiative across Dukes Education Portugal, with all six schools being encouraged to build on their existing strengths by exploring the principles of High Performance Learning (HPL) and the opportunities it offers to help every student achieve their full potential.
Building on What We Already Do Well
HPL is an internationally recognised educational framework based on the belief that achievement is not simply determined by natural ability. With the right teaching, encouragement, learning habits and opportunities, every student can develop their skills, confidence and ambition.
Many of these principles are already an important part of life at BSL. We encourage our students to be curious, think independently, show resilience and take pride in doing their best. We want them to feel confident in tackling challenges, asking questions and discovering what they are capable of achieving.
HPL offers a valuable opportunity to build on this work. It gives our teachers an additional framework through which to share ideas, reflect on their practice and explore new ways to make learning even more engaging and effective. It is very much about developing our existing strengths and finding new ways to help every student flourish.
It also sits naturally alongside our commitment to Character, Community and Choices, which is central to school life. We want our students to become thoughtful, resilient and responsible young people who embrace opportunities, make informed decisions and understand the positive contribution they can make to the world around them.
Learning and Growing Together
A further exciting development is the appointment of Manj Nijjer as Director of Learning & Safeguarding for Dukes Education Portugal.
Manj brings more than 20 years of experience in education, including senior leadership and headship roles. His experience in school improvement, educational leadership and professional development will be a real asset to schools across the Dukes network.
Working alongside school leaders and teachers in Portugal, Manj will help develop the shared approach to HPL, encourage collaboration and create opportunities for colleagues to learn from one another. He will also help connect our schools with the wider Dukes Education network in the UK and Europe.
For BSL, this is one of the real benefits of being part of an international family of schools. Our teachers have opportunities to exchange ideas, share experience and learn from colleagues working in different educational settings. This wider perspective can only enrich the experience we offer our students.
Looking Ahead
Every school within Dukes Education has its own identity, character and community, and that is something to be celebrated. At the same time, being part of a wider family gives us access to a wealth of experience, expertise and opportunities that can help us continue to develop.
As BSL grows, our ambition remains to combine the individual attention, warmth and strong sense of community that are so important to us with the wider opportunities and shared expertise available through Dukes Education.
Ultimately, these developments are about investing in our teachers and creating the best possible conditions for our students to succeed. We are proud of the strong foundations we have already established and excited about the opportunities ahead as we continue to learn, grow and improve together.
