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✓ What we like
Rare combination — the Montessori method all the way from age 3 to 18, with Cambridge IGCSE and A Levels (AICE Diploma) at the top; Cambridge centre PT238
Farm campus in the pine woods of Quinta da Marinha, next to Guincho beach — students grow and sell crops and look after livestock as part of lessons
Non-profit owned by an association, with accounts audited by PwC; fees are deliberately kept low for the Cascais area
Tuition includes materials, school trips (including trips abroad for ages 12–18) and IGCSE and A Level exam fees
Generous sibling discounts — 15% for the 2nd child, 25% for the 3rd, 40% for the 4th and 50% from the 5th
Organic, locally sourced lunch cooked on site every day; same guide for each three-year Montessori cycle
◎ Worth noting
Kairos has a strong Catholic identity: prayer is part of daily life, there is Mass on Fridays and religious formation through the Catechesis of the Good Shepherd. Non-Catholic families are welcome, but should be comfortable with faith being central to school life
Two fee bands — Band II (€10,675–€16,400) is for families who can pay more, and the school manages admissions towards a 50/50 split. New Band II families do not get sibling discounts from 2026/27
Extra costs: €2,350 one-off registration for new students, €925 annual re-registration and lunch at €1,330–€1,600 a year; extracurricular activities are charged separately, and leaving mid-year means paying the full year
Strict “technological minimalism” — no mobile phones, smartwatches, tablets or laptops on campus
Admission is based on fit: a visit by both parents, a letter of application and a 2–3 day class experience; places also depend on class composition, distance, parish involvement and expected length of stay in Portugal
The school handbook (July 2025) still describes Years 11–13 as subject to Ministry of Education authorisation, and no exam results or student numbers are published — ask the school about both
Kairos Montessori is a small, English-speaking Catholic school founded in 2017 in Quinta da Marinha, Cascais, between Guincho beach and the Sintra hills. It combines the philosophy and materials of the Montessori method with the Cambridge International curriculum, in a Catholic setting “faithful to the Magisterium of the Church”. The school is a non-profit owned by an association (KMCS).
Children move through Montessori three-year cycles: Children’s House (ages 3–6), Lower and Upper Elementary (6–12), then the Lower Adolescent Programme (12–15, following the UK National Curriculum) and the Upper Adolescent Programme (15–18), where students take Cambridge A Levels under the AICE Diploma after a foundation year. The farm is part of everyday learning, and adolescents run it themselves. English is the first language and Portuguese the second.
School profile
Founded
2017
Programme
Montessori · Cambridge
Ages
3–18
Children’s House
Up to 40 children, ages 3–6
Boarding
No
Programme authorisations / affiliations
✓ Cambridge International School (PT238)✓ Cambridge exam centre · AICE DiplomaAMI-trained Montessori guides
Portuguese education licence
? Years 11–13 subject to Ministry authorisation (handbook, July 2025) — ask the school
Academics
Children’s House (3–6)
Montessori · practical life, sensorial, maths, language and phonics · mixed-age class
Elementary (6–12)
Montessori + Cambridge Primary · Great Lessons · specialists in Portuguese, art, music, PE and catechesis
Lower Adolescent (12–15)
UK National Curriculum · combined science, English, maths, humanities, Portuguese, art, music
Upper Adolescent (15–18)
Cambridge IGCSE & A Levels · AICE Diploma · foundation year in UAP1
A Level subjects
Art & Design, Biology, Chemistry, Economics, English Language / Literature, Further Mathematics, Global Perspectives, History, Mathematics, Physics, Portuguese, Psychology
Teaching language
English · Portuguese as second language
Religion
Catholic · Catechesis of the Good Shepherd · Mass on Fridays
Exam results
Not published
Sport & activities within curriculum
Farm
Gardening from age 3; adolescents run the farm, sell crops and tend livestock
Outdoors
Beach, stables, pine woods and Sintra hills within walking distance
Secondary
Model United Nations, Duke of Edinburgh Award, residentials in Portugal and abroad (e.g. Kraków, Rome)
Fees · 2026/27
Children’s House (3–6) · Band I
€8,200
Children’s House (3–6) · Band II
€10,675
Elementary (6–12) · Band I
€8,200
Elementary (6–12) · Band II
€10,675
Lower Adolescent (12–15) · Band I
€11,830
Lower Adolescent (12–15) · Band II
€14,850
Upper Adolescent (15–18) · Band I
€14,600
Upper Adolescent (15–18) · Band II
€16,400
* From the school’s Fees Policy 2026/27 (updated January 2026). Sibling discounts on tuition: 15% / 25% / 40% / 50% — not applied for new-to-Kairos Band II families from 2026/27. Extracurricular activities are extra. Always verify fees directly with the school — they change annually.
Frequently asked questions
Is Kairos Montessori a Catholic school?
Yes. It describes itself as a Catholic Montessori school faithful to the Magisterium of the Church, with daily prayer, Mass on Fridays and the Catechesis of the Good Shepherd. Non-Catholic families are welcome.
How much does Kairos Montessori cost?
For 2026/27, tuition is €8,200 – €14,600 a year in Band I and €10,675 – €16,400 in Band II, plus a €2,350 registration fee for new students, €925 annual re-registration and lunch (€1,330 – €1,600 a year).
What curriculum does Kairos follow?
The Montessori method combined with the Cambridge International curriculum: Montessori Children’s House and Elementary, the UK National Curriculum for ages 12–15, and Cambridge A Levels under the AICE Diploma for ages 15–18.
How do admissions work?
Families review the handbook, complete a pre-registration form and visit the school, then send a letter of application. The child spends 2–3 days in class before a decision. Applications by 15 March are answered by 30 March; Children’s House has two admission windows (end of September and end of March).
Source: school website and school documents — Fees Policy 2026/27, School Handbook (July 2025)