The early years at St Julian's are the foot of a long ladder, and a popular starting point for families arriving on our Lisbon city hub. Because the school opened in 1932 and runs all the way to age 18, securing a place in the early years is, for many families, the surest way to guarantee a route through the whole school. That makes the youngest year groups the most contested entry points, and the reason relocating parents often plan their application around them.
This profile is an independent reference page focused on the early years. GlobalSchoolGuide does not rank schools for payment and no school appears here because it paid to. We researched the facts below from the school and public sources at the time of writing and flag anything we could not confirm as not published.
At a glance
Early years approach
The early years follow a British early years model, play based and language rich, with the emphasis on settling young children into school life, building spoken English and laying the groundwork for reading, writing and number. For families arriving from the United Kingdom or another English medium system, the structure is familiar, and for those coming from a Portuguese or other background, this is often where a child picks up English quickly through immersion.
What distinguishes the early years at an all through school from a standalone nursery is continuity. A child who starts here moves up into the prep school and the National Curriculum for England without changing institution, and ultimately toward IGCSEs and the IB Diploma at the top. Parents thinking about where these first years eventually lead can read our IB curriculum guide to see the qualification that sits at the end of the pathway.
Budgeting the early years and beyond
Fees rise sharply as a child moves up an all through school. Use our fee calculator to model the cost across the stages.
St Julian's early years fees
The early years are the lowest fee stage at St Julian's, though the school sits in the upper part of the Lisbon market overall. Published early years tuition has run in the low five figures in euros a year, below the primary and well below the senior rates. Treat any figure as one that changes each academic year, confirm the latest directly, then set it against the bands in our Lisbon international school fees guide to see how the early years compare across the city.
Budget beyond tuition. Expect a registration fee to apply and a one time entrance or capital levy to secure a place, with insurance usually included in the fees here. Even in the early years, transport, lunch and activities add to the annual bill. Because fees climb steeply as a child moves up, it helps to model the full pathway rather than just the first year, and our fee tools are built for exactly that.
Admissions to the early years
The early years admit for a September start, with applications reviewed through the year subject to space. Entry at this age is not academically selective in the way the senior school is, but the youngest year groups are the most sought after, so the practical challenge is availability rather than assessment. The school will look at a child's date of birth to place them in the right year and may meet the family as part of the process.
Because demand is heaviest here, families should register as early as they can, ask directly about waiting lists for the specific entry year, and mention any siblings already at the school. Securing an early years place is often the cleanest way into the school as a whole.
Location and who goes there
The early years are part of the main St Julian's campus in Carcavelos, in the Cascais municipality on the Portuguese Riviera west of central Lisbon. Families with young children tend to settle nearby in Carcavelos, Parede, Estoril and Cascais, close to the school and the coast. The early years community is broadly international, with a long established British and Portuguese core and a wide European spread, and it is often where new arrivals first meet other relocating families.
For the wider picture of who settles where on the coast and how the St Julian's early years compare with other lower schools nearby, see the Lisbon city hub, which maps the full landscape across the city and the Cascais line.
Reviews
We do not yet have verified parent reviews for the early years at this school. GlobalSchoolGuide is independent and no school pays to be listed, so we publish reviews only once we can confirm they come from real families. If your child is in the early years here, we would value your first hand account. Share your experience through the school reviews hub and help the next relocating family decide with better information.
Frequently asked questions
How much are St Julian's early years fees?
The early years are the lowest fee stage at St Julian's, though the school sits in the upper part of the Lisbon range overall, with published early years tuition in the low five figures in euros a year. A registration fee and a one time entrance levy apply on top. Confirm the current schedule directly, since figures change each year.
What ages does the St Julian's early years take?
The early years stage broadly covers children from around age 3 to 5, before they move up into the prep or primary school. Exact entry ages are set by the school.
What is the early years curriculum at St Julian's?
The early years follow a British early years approach, play based and language rich, taught in English and preparing children for the National Curriculum for England in the prep school. It is the first step into an all through pathway that runs to IGCSEs and the IB Diploma.
Where is the St Julian's early years?
The early years are part of the main St Julian's campus in Carcavelos, in the Cascais municipality on the Portuguese Riviera west of central Lisbon.
When should I apply for St Julian's early years?
Apply well ahead of a September start. The entry points into the early years are among the most sought after at the school, so families should register early and ask about availability and waiting lists for the youngest year groups.
