Colegio Nueva Granada

Holistic Education at Colegio Nueva Granada

Colegio Nueva Granada (CNG) has built its identity around a singular, unifying vision: "Educating the Mind, Strengthening the Body, and Developing Character for Leadership and Service in the World of Today for a Better Tomorrow." This is not merely a motto but the organizing principle for every aspect of life at the school.

Academic Excellence through Differentiated Instruction

CNG offers a rigorous U.S. college-preparatory curriculum supplemented by over 32 Advanced Placement courses and 31 Honors/Pre-AP courses. The school uses research-based teaching methodologies and integrates innovative technology throughout its curriculum. Class sizes are deliberately kept small — averaging just 11 students in the high school with a maximum of 23 — to enable a personalized, differentiated approach to learning.

Instructional language is primarily English, accounting for approximately 85% of classroom time. Spanish is taught as both a language subject and in Colombian social studies, reflecting the school's commitment to bilingual competency and respect for its Colombian context.

Character Education as a Core Discipline

Character formation is not extracurricular at CNG — it is embedded in the core program. The school's Character Education initiative, recognized by Character.org as a Promising Practice, guides students through advisory lessons touching on topics ranging from consent and ethics to community responsibility. CNG's framework aims to develop students who are intentional, visional, and morally grounded.

The Core Values — Respect, Integrity, Responsibility, and Caring — are woven into the daily fabric of school life, from classroom interactions to the inter-house competition system.

Social-Emotional and Physical Well-being

The school maintains an unusually comprehensive counseling team of 17 professionals — 14 grade-level counselors and 3 college and career counselors. This exceptional ratio reflects CNG's commitment to supporting the whole child. Physical education and athletics are central to the curriculum, reinforced by world-class sports facilities including two gymnasiums, three full-sized soccer fields, and extensive courts and playgrounds.

Service and Leadership as Graduate Outcomes

CNG's "Classroom Without Walls" experiential program takes students into different regions of Colombia, connecting academic learning to real-world service. The four-House system (Eagles, Falcons, Hawks, Ospreys) fosters friendly competition, school spirit, and a sense of belonging. Leadership opportunities are embedded throughout: Model United Nations, student government, and community service initiatives all prepare students for lives of meaningful contribution.

This holistic framework yields tangible outcomes: approximately 99% of CNG graduates matriculate to competitive universities around the world, validating the school's mission to cultivate the full potential of every student.

CNG's Historical Journey

Founding (1938)

Colegio Nueva Granada was established in 1938 by an international group of visionaries united by a common goal: "building a better future for others." The school opened under the name Colegio Anglo-American with just 55 students in Bogotá. Its founders were primarily foreign academics and investors who envisioned a bilingual institution that would serve both expatriate families and forward-looking Colombian families seeking a U.S.-quality education.

Wartime Renaming and Post-War Growth

During and after World War II, the school was renamed Colegio Nueva Granada — a name that honors Colombia's historical identity while projecting a new, internationally minded future. In the post-war decades, the school steadily expanded its enrollment, faculty, and academic offerings to meet the needs of Bogotá's growing expatriate and professional communities.

Key Milestones

• 1975: Establishment of the Learning Center, one of the earliest dedicated learning support programs at an international school in Latin America, providing structured assistance for students with learning differences.
• Dual Diploma Program: Introduction of a track awarding both a U.S. High School Diploma and the Colombian Bachillerato, allowing graduates to pursue higher education in both the United States and Colombia.
• Advanced Placement Expansion: Growth to over 32 AP courses, establishing CNG as one of the most rigorous AP programs in the region.
• Cognia Recognition: CNG achieved the highest Index of Educational Quality awarded by Cognia (formerly AdvancED) in all of Latin America, cementing its position as the regional benchmark for international school quality.

Today

CNG now enrolls approximately 1,650 students from over 50 nationalities, employs more than 500 staff (including approximately 395 teachers), and is consistently cited in Colombian media as the country's most prestigious — and most expensive — school. Its graduates attend highly competitive universities worldwide, including institutions in the United States, Colombia, and Europe.

The founding spirit — international, ambitious, community-oriented — remains alive in every corner of the school, from its four-house competition system to its "Classroom Without Walls" experiential learning program.

CNG's International Community

Colegio Nueva Granada represents one of the most internationally diverse school communities in Latin America. With approximately 1,646 students from over 50 nationalities, the campus is a genuine microcosm of the global community that its founders envisioned in 1938.

Demographics and Composition

Approximately 56% of CNG's student body hold non-Colombian passports, including children of diplomats, multinational corporate employees, NGO workers, and international academics. The remaining 44% are Colombian nationals — many from elite Bogotá families and Colombian returnees who have lived abroad. This balanced mix is deliberate: CNG positions itself as neither a purely expatriate school nor a purely local institution, but a bridge between these worlds.

The student body collectively represents over 49–50 nationalities in any given year, with significant populations from the United States, Europe, and neighboring Latin American countries. This diversity is reflected in the daily life of the school — in classroom discussions, lunch-table conversations, and cultural events.

Shared Language, Shared Values

English serves as the common language that unites this diverse community. With approximately 85% of instruction delivered in English, students from any linguistic background enter a shared academic environment. Spanish instruction (for language, literature, and Colombian social studies) honors the school's Colombian context and ensures all graduates are functionally bilingual.

The House System as Community Builder

CNG's four-House system — Eagles (yellow), Falcons (green), Hawks (red), and Ospreys (orange) — plays a central role in community building. Houses compete across academic, athletic, and cultural events, creating bonds that cut across grade levels, nationalities, and social groups. The system intentionally mixes students of different ages and backgrounds to foster intergenerational mentorship and school pride.

Family Engagement

The school actively engages parent communities through various programs and welcomes international families through a streamlined admissions process. Admissions inquiries are welcomed via email at [email protected], and the school prides itself on accessibility and responsiveness to prospective families navigating a relocation to Bogotá.

This rich community environment — diverse in origin but unified in values — is central to CNG's identity and is frequently cited by parents and alumni as one of the school's most enduring strengths.

Academic Culture at CNG

Curriculum Architecture

CNG operates a U.S.-style college-preparatory curriculum aligned with American high school standards, while simultaneously awarding the Colombian Bachillerato — a dual-diploma approach that qualifies graduates for higher education in both the United States and Colombia (and by extension, most universities worldwide).

The school does not offer the IB Diploma Programme, A-Levels, or IGCSE. Instead, its academic program is anchored in:

• Advanced Placement (AP): Over 32 AP courses across disciplines including mathematics, sciences, social studies, English, languages, and the arts.
• Honors and Pre-AP: 31 additional Honors and Pre-AP courses providing a challenging middle tier.
• Core U.S. curriculum: Standard high school sequence in math, sciences, English language arts, and social studies.
• Colombian requirements: Spanish language, Colombian social studies, and other subjects required for the Bachillerato.

Small Class Sizes and Personalized Learning

CNG's commitment to personalized education is reflected in its class size policy. High school classes average just 11 students, with a maximum of 23 by institutional policy. This enables teachers to employ differentiated instructional strategies, respond to individual learning needs, and maintain a genuinely dialogic classroom environment. Condor Activities (extracurricular courses) are even smaller, with some classes enrolling as few as 8–10 students.

Support for All Learners

The Learning Center (founded 1975) provides structured support for students with learning differences, while a Gifted and Talented program offers enrichment for high-ability learners. The school's 17-person counseling team further supports academic planning and college placement.

University Outcomes

The results speak for themselves: approximately 99% of CNG graduates matriculate to competitive universities around the world. Graduates attend institutions in the United States, Colombia, Europe, and beyond. The high school principal, Mary West, and a dedicated college counseling team of three counselors guide seniors through the university application process.

This culture of academic ambition, scaffolded by small classes, expert faculty, and extensive support services, positions CNG as one of Latin America's most academically rigorous international schools.

Unique Features of CNG

Classroom Without Walls

One of CNG's most distinctive programs is its Classroom Without Walls initiative, which takes students out of the traditional classroom and into different regions of Colombia for immersive, experiential learning. This program connects academic content to real-world contexts, fostering appreciation for Colombia's extraordinary ecological, cultural, and social diversity. It reflects CNG's commitment to service, leadership, and global citizenship — all pillars of the school's vision.

CNG Model United Nations (CNGMUN)

CNG hosts its own Model United Nations conference — CNGMUN — which has grown into a nationally recognized event attracting student delegates from across Colombia. CNGMUN #38 saw 25 CNG delegates distributed across committees representing a wide range of global issues. This program develops students' research, public speaking, negotiation, and international affairs skills in a highly competitive and intellectually stimulating environment.

Condor Activities Program

The school's extracurricular offering, branded as Condor Activities, provides students from kindergarten through high school with access to a wide range of clubs, enrichment courses, and activities. Uniquely, CNG operates a dependable bus service specifically for Condor Activities, ensuring that participation is not limited by family transportation constraints. Classes are kept intentionally small (8–10 students) to maximize engagement and quality.

Athletics Excellence

CNG athletics has a long tradition of excellence, with multiple Colombian championships across various sports. The school fields competitive teams spanning kindergarten through high school in sports including soccer, basketball, swimming, volleyball, and more. Three full-sized turf soccer fields, two gymnasiums, and extensive courts support a serious athletic culture that is fully integrated with the school's four-house competition system.

World-Class Campus Facilities

CNG's campus is exceptionally well-equipped for a day school, featuring 11 science laboratories (7 secondary, 4 middle school), 7 technology labs, 3 MakerSpaces, a high-tech Global Learning Lab, a performing arts theatre, recording and photography studios, libraries for both primary and secondary students, and dedicated Mandarin-language classrooms. The combination of intellectual infrastructure and creative spaces reflects CNG's commitment to a genuinely 21st-century education.

Colombia's Most Prestigious International School

CNG is consistently cited in Colombian media as the country's most expensive and most prestigious school, with tuition figures and facilities that place it in the same tier as leading international schools worldwide. This reputation, earned over 85+ years, makes CNG the first choice for diplomats, multinational executives, and ambitious Colombian families seeking world-class education in Bogotá.