Craighouse School

The Campus in Numbers

Craighouse School occupies one of the largest school campuses in Santiago:

• 24 hectares of total land
• Approximately 29,000 sqm of built facilities
• Dedicated Primary, Middle and Senior sections, each with their own classrooms and specialist spaces
• Located in Lo Barnechea, in the foothills of the Andes in eastern Santiago

Sports Facilities

Sports are a cornerstone of Craighouse life, and the campus reflects this:

• A 1,800 sqm two-level Sports Hall with capacity for 1,000 spectators, featuring basketball and volleyball courts
• 6 rugby and hockey fields — testament to the school's British sporting heritage
• 4 netball courts
• A running track for athletics
• Outdoor spaces for cross-country, mountain biking and more

The school has a proud and long-standing tradition in rugby and hockey, introduced by the founders, and continues to compete at high levels in Chilean inter-school competitions.

Arts and Academic Spaces

Beyond sports, the campus hosts a rich range of specialist facilities:

• A theater for dramatic productions and school events
• A recording studio for music
• Art and technology studios across sections
• Inquiry centres supporting the IB PYP and MYP frameworks
• Multiple computer and music labs

Health and Wellbeing Infrastructure

Student wellbeing is supported by two on-campus infirmaries:

• A 65 sqm fully equipped medical room for general health needs
• A separate respiratory symptoms room — installed to handle health concerns with greater safety

Sustainability and Green Spaces

Craighouse has made a strong commitment to environmental responsibility:

• Extensive green areas and gardens across the 24-hectare site
• Renewable energy systems installed on campus
• The school describes itself as committed to carbon neutrality and environmental leadership — values embedded in its IB curriculum

Community and Safety

The campus is designed to support a safe, close-knit community. Separate sections for Primary, Middle and Senior students allow age-appropriate environments while shared facilities like the sports hall and theater bring the whole school community together for major events.

A Dual Heritage

Craighouse School occupies a distinctive position in Chilean education: it is simultaneously a deeply Chilean institution and one shaped by decades of British educational tradition. Founded in 1959 by British-Chilean educators, the school has spent over 60 years synthesizing these two cultural inheritances into a coherent and compelling educational vision.

The school's motto — Vive Deo et Vives (Live for God and you will live) — reflects its Scottish and Christian roots. Yet its curriculum, its IB framework, and its open, co-educational community speak to a thoroughly modern and global institution.

The Core Educational Philosophy

Craighouse articulates its philosophy around three interconnected commitments:

1. Academic Excellence The school sets high academic expectations across all year groups. Through the IB Continuum, students are challenged to think critically, make connections across disciplines, and produce work of genuine intellectual quality. The 92% IB Diploma pass rate in 2024 (vs. 80% globally) is evidence of this commitment.

2. Character Development Academic achievement at Craighouse is always coupled with the formation of character. The school's founding pillars — Family, Community, Values, Sport — remain central. The House system, community service, pastoral programmes and leadership opportunities all contribute to forming students who are "globally minded, tolerant and deeply aware of their social and environmental responsibilities."

3. Environmental Stewardship Craighouse has integrated sustainability deeply into its culture. The school operates with renewable energy systems on its 24-hectare campus, embeds environmental responsibility in its curriculum, and positions itself as a leader in eco-education in Chile.

The Four Founding Pillars

The school explicitly identifies four pillars that have guided it since 1959:

• Family — the name 'house' in Craighouse reflects this foundational value
• Community — through the House system, shared traditions and events
• Values — integrity, respect and ethical conduct
• Sport — as a vehicle for resilience, teamwork and wellbeing

Membership and Recognition

Craighouse's philosophy is recognized and supported by its membership in several prestigious international networks:

• Round Square — a global network of schools committed to character and leadership beyond the classroom
• Association of British Schools in Chile (ABSCH)
• Latin American Heads Conference (LAHC)
• Google for Education Reference School

These affiliations reflect the school's commitment to continuous improvement, international collaboration and innovation in teaching and learning.

Overview

Admission to Craighouse School is a structured, multi-stage process designed to assess academic readiness, English language proficiency, and family-school fit. The school admits students from Pre-Kínder (age ~3) through II Medio (Year 11), with each stage having its own assessment requirements.

Application Timelines

Craighouse operates two distinct admissions windows:

• Pre-Kínder (Little Darlings): Applications open December through March (for entry the following school year, which begins in March)
• Kínder through II Medio: Rolling admissions, March through November

This structure reflects the Chilean school calendar, which runs from March to December.

Assessment by Stage

Early Years (Pre-Kínder)

• Age-appropriate observational assessment
• Parent interview
• Birth certificate and prior educational documents required

Primary (1º Básico – 4º Básico)

• Psychopedagogical evaluation
• Parent interview
• Supporting documents (birth certificate, school records)

Upper Primary and Middle School (5º Básico – II Medio)

• Psychopedagogical evaluation
• English assessment (oral and written) — reflecting the bilingual nature of the programme
• Parent interview
• Supporting documents

Fees at Application and Entry

Craighouse charges an incorporation fee (Cuota de incorporación) upon acceptance:

• First child: UF 150 (approximately CLP 5.4M)
• Second child: UF 125
• Third child and High School entry: UF 100

These amounts are payable in Chilean Unidades de Fomento (UF), an inflation-linked unit.

Sibling Policy

The school operates a tiered fee structure that provides meaningful discounts for families with multiple children enrolled simultaneously:

Contact

Admissions enquiries are handled by María de la Luz González and the admissions team at [email protected].

Origins in 1959

On 16 March 1959, Charles T. Darling and Joan Gibson-Craig-Carmichael opened the doors of Craighouse School in Santiago, Chile. The school began modestly — with just nine boarding boys — but with a clear vision: to bring the traditions of a British-style education to South America. The name itself is symbolic: Craig is drawn from Mrs. Darling's maiden name, and house evokes the founding pillar of Family, one of the school's enduring core pillars.

British Traditions from Day One

From the outset, Craighouse adopted hallmarks of a British school:

• A formal uniform
• A House system for inter-school competition and pastoral care
• Daily assemblies with a school prayer
• Traditional British sports, notably hockey and rugby
• The school motto Vive Deo et Vives — rooted in the founders' Scottish heritage

These traditions continue to define the school's culture more than six decades later.

Transition to Co-Education and Bilingualism

Originally an all-boys institution, Craighouse gradually transitioned to a co-educational model as it grew. Simultaneously, the school deepened its commitment to bilingual education, weaving English and Spanish instruction into a coherent academic programme that prepared students for both national and international contexts.

Becoming an IB Continuum School

Perhaps the most significant milestone in the school's academic evolution was its authorization as an International Baccalaureate (IB) World School. Craighouse received IB authorization on 24 September 1991 — becoming one of the earliest IB schools in South America. Today it holds full IB Continuum status, offering:

• PYP (Primary Years Programme) — from Pre-Kínder (age 3)
• MYP (Middle Years Programme) — through the middle school years
• DP (Diploma Programme) — culminating in Years 11–12 (III–IV Medio)

This makes Craighouse one of a select number of schools in Chile to offer the complete IB pathway from early childhood through graduation.

Scale and Campus Today

From nine boarding boys in 1959, the school has grown to approximately 1,900 students across a sprawling 24-hectare campus in the Lo Barnechea district of Santiago. The campus now contains approximately 29,000 sqm of built facilities, including dedicated Primary, Middle and Senior sections, a 1,800 sqm sports hall, six sports fields, a theater, recording studio, and extensive sustainability infrastructure.

The school is no longer a boarding school — it operates today as a day school — but its founding spirit of community, tradition and academic excellence endures in every aspect of campus life.

The IB Continuum Framework

At the heart of Craighouse's academic identity is the International Baccalaureate Continuum, delivered across all three programmes:

• Primary Years Programme (PYP): Pre-Kínder through Year 6 (ages 3–11), emphasizing transdisciplinary inquiry and student agency
• Middle Years Programme (MYP): Years 7–10, building conceptual understanding and interdisciplinary thinking
• Diploma Programme (DP): Years 11–12 (III–IV Medio), the internationally recognized qualification for university entry

This seamless progression from early childhood to pre-university study is offered at very few schools in Chile, making Craighouse a standout institution for families committed to an internationally recognized education pathway.

Bilingual and Inquiry-Based Pedagogy

Instruction at Craighouse is delivered in both English and Spanish, with English serving as the primary medium for most academic subjects. The school's pedagogical philosophy centers on:

• Inquiry-based learning — students are encouraged to question, investigate, and construct knowledge
• STEAM integration — science, technology, engineering, arts and mathematics are woven across the curriculum
• Critical thinking and global-mindedness — aligned with the IB learner profile
• Personalized education — small class sizes (approximately 20 students) allow teachers to tailor instruction

IB Diploma Results (2024)

In 2024, Craighouse reported strong IB Diploma outcomes:

• 83 students passed the IB Diploma
• 92% pass rate — significantly above the global IB average of 80%

These results position Craighouse among the top-performing IB schools in Chile and across Latin America.

The Chilean-British Curriculum Blend

Uniquely, Craighouse integrates the IB framework with elements of the Chilean national curriculum, ensuring that graduates are prepared for both Chilean and international university pathways. Students sit Chilean national examinations alongside their IB assessments, giving them dual academic credentials recognized domestically and abroad.

Academic Leadership

The academic programme is overseen by a dedicated senior leadership team:

• Head of School: Patrick Lyons
• Academic Director: Aymé Visconti
• Head of Primary Section: Thomas Hughes
• Head of Middle Section: Pablo Salvador
• Head of Senior Section: Mark Cross