COLEGIO MIXTO SANTA TERESITA

Academic Culture

Academically, Colegio Mixto Santa Teresita occupies a distinctive position among Lima private schools: it offers Cambridge International (IGCSE) qualifications while maintaining a Peruvian national curriculum foundation, creating a hybrid that serves both local university entrance requirements and international educational benchmarks.

Cambridge International Programme

As an affiliated Cambridge International center, the school follows the IGCSE framework for its secondary students. This means subject content, assessment standards, and learning outcomes are benchmarked against an internationally recognized qualification — a meaningful differentiator in the Peruvian market. Students are exposed to global academic standards from secondary school onward.

Bilingual and Trilingual Ambitions

Language instruction is central to the academic identity of Santa Teresita. The school operates:

• Intensive English program: Embedded in the curriculum across grade levels, with significant instructional time dedicated to English language competency
• French program: Offered through a partnership with the Alliance Française, giving students access to professional-level language instruction
• Spanish: Remains the primary language of instruction across academic subjects

This trilingual orientation distinguishes the school and reflects a conviction that language proficiency is foundational to success in a globalized world.

STEM and Technology Integration

Beyond core academics, the school actively promotes STEM culture through its extracurricular taller (workshop) program:

• Robótica (Robotics): Students design and program robots
• Programación (Programming): Fundamentals of computer coding
• Animación 3D (3D Animation): Digital creative production using advanced software
• Ciencia Divertida (Fun Science): Hands-on experiments and inquiry-based learning
• Science Fair: Annual school-wide science exhibition

Leadership and Civic Formation

The ST MUN (Model United Nations) program — conducted in English — cultivates the argumentation, diplomacy, and leadership skills that align directly with the school's vision of forming leaders who transform society. The Oratoria (Public Speaking) taller complements this by building communication confidence from an early age.

Assessment and Academic Expectations

The school's educational approach emphasizes high academic standards within a personalized framework. Students are assessed through the Cambridge IGCSE system at the secondary level, providing formal, externally validated qualifications. Internally, the multiple-intelligences methodology guides teachers to use diverse assessment modalities rather than relying solely on traditional examinations.

Educational Philosophy

Colegio Mixto Santa Teresita has built its reputation in Lima's Santiago de Surco district on a clear, mission-driven philosophy: provide every student with a comprehensive and personalized education rooted in the constant practice of principles and values.

The school's official mission statement reads:

"Brindar a nuestros estudiantes una educación integral y personalizada con la práctica constante de principios y valores para que sean capaces de enfrentar los retos que la vida les presente y ser felices, disfrutando su etapa escolar."

Translated, this means: to give students an integral and personalized education grounded in principles and values, equipping them to face life's challenges and to enjoy their school years with happiness.

This philosophy is operationalized through a multiple-intelligences-based pedagogical approach. Rather than treating all students as if they learn identically, teachers design instruction that recognizes the diversity of cognitive strengths — linguistic, logical-mathematical, musical, spatial, bodily-kinesthetic, and more. This translates in practice to varied teaching methods, project-based workshops, and an unusually broad extracurricular menu that allows every student to discover and develop their strongest capabilities.

The school's vision extends beyond academic performance:

"Ser reconocidos como un colegio innovador, formadores de líderes con sólidos principios, capaces de transformar el mundo en que viven en beneficio de la humanidad."

(To be recognized as an innovative school that forms leaders with solid principles, capable of transforming the world they live in for the benefit of humanity.)

This ambition — to produce future leaders who positively impact society — shapes the culture from primary school onward. Activities such as the ST MUN (Model United Nations), Oratoria (public speaking), and Science Fair reflect this aspiration directly, giving students opportunities to develop leadership, argumentation, and civic awareness from an early age.

The integration of the Cambridge International curriculum (IGCSE) reinforces these goals by providing internationally benchmarked academic standards, ensuring graduates are prepared not only for Peruvian universities but for higher education globally. The combination of rigorous academics with character formation and personalized attention is what the school considers its distinctive educational offering.

History & Milestones

Colegio Mixto Santa Teresita has deep roots in Lima's Santiago de Surco district. The school was established in April 1977 under government decree RD.0692, founded by educator Gladys Garayar Segura (widow of Cachay), who envisioned an innovative, value-based school for the local community.

From Modest Beginnings to Cambridge Affiliation

The school began as a small private institution serving the Surco neighborhood. Over the following decades it steadily expanded its academic program, administrative capacity, and physical campus. A defining evolution was its affiliation as a Cambridge International examination center, allowing students to pursue IGCSE qualifications alongside the Peruvian national curriculum — a significant step that positioned Santa Teresita among Lima's academically ambitious private schools.

Language Education as a Pillar

Early in its history the school recognized the growing importance of bilingual education. It introduced an intensive English program — later reinforced through a French language partnership with the Alliance Française — giving students access to high-quality foreign language instruction uncommon in many Peruvian private schools of its size.

Recent Years

By 2025, Santa Teresita has celebrated more than 48 years of educational history. The school has continued to invest in technology-oriented learning (robotics, 3D animation, programming clubs) and sports excellence (a student won four gymnastics medals at the Copa Federación 2023 held at the VIDENA). It was also recognized in Micole.net's 2026 list of top schools in Santiago de Surco, reflecting its sustained reputation in the community.

Today the school is led by Director Monica Margot Fuentes Quiroz, as registered with Peru's Ministry of Education, and continues to operate as a secular, coeducational day school serving students from preschool (Initial level) through secondary school (up to Grade 11).

Community & Extracurricular Culture

One of the most visible expressions of community life at Colegio Mixto Santa Teresita is its remarkably broad taller (workshop/club) program, which offers more than 20 distinct extracurricular activities across sports, arts, STEM, music, and leadership domains.

Sports Culture

Athletics are deeply embedded in school life. Students can participate in:

• Volleyball, Basketball, Boys' Soccer, Girls' Soccer, Table Tennis, Self-Defense

The school's commitment to sports excellence is demonstrated by real competitive achievement. In 2023, student Lucía Centa won four medals at the Copa Federación gymnastics championship held at Lima's VIDENA sports complex — a remarkable individual achievement that was celebrated across the school community.

Arts and Creative Expression

Creative and performing arts are given equal prominence:

• Baile Moderno (Modern Dance), Teatro (Drama), Orquestina (Music Ensemble), Lettering, Manualidades (Crafts), Globoflexia (Balloon Modeling), Escultura en Perlas (Bead Sculpture)

This breadth ensures that students with artistic temperaments find meaningful creative outlets within the school day.

STEM and Technology Clubs

The school has invested in future-skills programming through clubs in robotics, computer programming, 3D animation, and science experimentation — reflecting the administration's awareness that graduates will need technological literacy.

Civic and Leadership Activities

The ST MUN (Model United Nations, conducted in English) and Oratoria (public speaking) clubs develop civic awareness and communication skills. The annual Science Fair encourages inquiry and scientific communication to a school-wide audience.

Community Relationships

The school maintains formal academic partnerships. An Alliance Française partnership supports French language instruction. The school also has links with Universidad del Pacífico, a leading Peruvian university, which is noted in third-party directory descriptions — suggesting the school actively works to create pathways for graduates into higher education.

A psychopedagogical department and nurse's office ensure that students' social, emotional, and physical wellbeing are supported throughout their school journey, reinforcing the sense of community care that pervades the institution's culture.

Unique Features

Colegio Mixto Santa Teresita occupies a genuinely distinctive position in Lima's competitive private school market. Several features combine to make its offering unusual:

1. Cambridge IGCSE in a Spanish-First Environment

Most Peruvian private schools follow only the national curriculum. Santa Teresita's Cambridge International affiliation adds a layer of externally validated, internationally recognized qualifications — particularly through the IGCSE examination framework. This dual-track approach allows graduates to demonstrate academic ability according to globally benchmarked standards without abandoning the Spanish-language curriculum that is essential for Peruvian university entrance.

2. Three-Language Instruction

Few schools in Lima's Surco district offer three distinct language programs. Santa Teresita delivers:

• Spanish as the primary instruction medium
• Intensive English embedded throughout the curriculum
• French via a formal Alliance Française partnership

The French program in particular is unusual: it signals a commitment to European linguistic culture beyond the ubiquitous English-only bilingual model.

3. Technology-Forward Extracurriculars

The school's taller (workshop) catalog includes Robótica, Programación, and Animación 3D — a trio of technology-oriented clubs that go well beyond what is typical for a school of this scale. These activities reflect a forward-looking administration that recognizes the importance of digital literacy and creative technology skills.

4. Psychopedagogical Support as a Structural Feature

Rather than treating student wellbeing as an add-on, Santa Teresita has institutionalized support through its Departamento Psicopedagógico (psychopedagogical department). This signals that learning support, psychological wellbeing, and academic guidance are treated as core functions of the school — not merely reactive services.

5. Fee Transparency via Government Registry

Unusually, the school's fee data — including its S/ 30 matriculation fee and S/ 1,675 monthly tuition — is publicly accessible via Peru's Ministry of Education registry (Identicole, code 06431970). This transparency is a mark of compliance and accountability that families can appreciate when comparing options.

6. Competitive Sports Achievement

The school's participation in official sporting competitions — and student Lucía Centa's four-medal performance at the 2023 Copa Federación gymnastics championship at the VIDENA — demonstrate that Santa Teresita's sports program generates genuine competitive results, not merely recreational participation.