The International School of Madeira (ISM)

The International School of Madeira (ISM) is a Cambridge International accredited primary school in Funchal, offering bilingual English/Portuguese education from age 3 through Grade 4 (age 10). It is the most affordable entry point into international education in Madeira — at €5,300–€5,900/year, significantly cheaper than ISS Madeira while still offering Cambridge accreditation and genuine bilingual education. The school's stated ethos is that every student feels recognised, supported and empowered. Both English and Portuguese native-speaking educators are present from the earliest years, meaning children develop genuine dual-language literacy from nursery. Class sizes are small, allowing individual attention throughout. Unusually for an international school, monthly payment instalments are available — making fees more manageable for families. Sibling and early payment discounts are also available. The school operates two term structures: Infant School runs September–July, Primary School runs September–June.