The Casco School

Community and Diversity

Student Body

The Casco School's student community is one of the most diverse in Panama City. With over 400 students from 36 nationalities, the school brings together children from across Latin America, North America, Europe, Asia, and beyond. Approximately 53% of students are from Panamanian families, while 47% are from international expatriate families — a balance that reflects Panama City's status as a regional business and diplomatic hub.

This diversity is not merely demographic; it is embedded in the school's educational model. The bilingual English-Spanish curriculum means that both local Panamanian students and international students are simultaneously learning in their stronger and weaker language, creating a genuinely collaborative multilingual environment.

Family Community

The school actively cultivates a strong parent community. The admissions process includes a family interview component, and the school's communications are conducted in both English and Spanish. The relatively small school size (400+ students across two campuses) means that families tend to know each other well, and the school's events — including sports days, house competitions, and cultural celebrations — bring the community together regularly.

After-School and Extracurricular Life

The school's after-school programme is a significant part of community life. Clubs and activities span four main categories: sports, arts, technology, and academic enrichment. Specific offerings include Jiu Jitsu, yoga, basketball, ballet, football, tennis, art classes, music, Scratch programming, and English, Spanish, and French language clubs. The annual House Cup competition, decided through inter-house sporting and academic events, is a highlight of the school calendar.

Inclusion and Support

The school's inclusive admissions philosophy — welcoming students regardless of their current proficiency in English or Spanish — means that the community includes children at a wide range of language levels. A SEN coordinator and language support staff ensure that all students can access the curriculum, and the small class sizes allow teachers to provide genuinely differentiated instruction.

Campus Life and Atmosphere

Albrook Campus — The Main Site

The Albrook campus is the heart of The Casco School. Located in the former Panama Canal Zone, the campus benefits from the area's distinctive character: wide open spaces, mature trees, and a sense of history that sets it apart from typical urban school environments. The campus occupies a renovated historic building surrounded by green fields and sports areas.

The outdoor facilities are a particular highlight. The campus features dedicated fields for football/soccer, flag football, volleyball, baseball, ultimate frisbee, and rugby — an unusually broad range of sports for a school of this size. A covered outdoor cafeteria provides a social hub for students during lunch and break times, and a dedicated car park makes drop-off and pick-up straightforward for parents.

Indoors, the campus has purpose-built music and art rooms, well-equipped classrooms, and library spaces. The atmosphere is described as warm and community-oriented, with the bilingual teaching model meaning that students constantly move between English and Spanish throughout their school day.

Costa del Este Campus — Modern and Growing

The Costa del Este campus, opened in August 2022, serves the primary years (Pre-Nursery to Year 6) in one of Panama City's most modern residential and business districts. The campus is housed in a contemporary building designed specifically for young learners, with bright, open classrooms, a library, music and art rooms, and outdoor play and sports areas.

The campus also has a referral partnership with ABCnMe, a nursery provider, for families with children younger than the school's minimum entry age.

Community and Culture

Across both campuses, the school community reflects Panama City's international character: students from 36 nationalities, roughly split between local Panamanian families (53%) and international expatriate families (47%). The bilingual environment means that English and Spanish are heard equally throughout the school day, and the school's house system — with inter-house competitions culminating in the annual House Cup — creates a strong sense of community and friendly rivalry across year groups.

Educational Philosophy

The Casco School's educational philosophy is rooted in the belief that every child is a lifelong learner. The school uses a bilingual British curriculum as its foundational framework, combining the rigour of England's National Curriculum with the requirements of Panama's Ministry of Education (MEDUCA). This dual-curriculum approach ensures that graduates hold internationally recognised qualifications while also meeting local Panamanian educational standards.

Bilingual Instruction

All academic subjects are taught in both English and Spanish by native-speaking teachers of each language. Rather than treating one language as primary and the other as supplementary, the school treats both languages as equal vehicles of instruction. This means students develop genuine bilingual proficiency across all subject areas, from mathematics and science to humanities and the arts.

Personalised, Small-Group Learning

A defining feature of the school's pedagogy is its commitment to small class sizes and personalised learning. With a maximum of 20 students per class and a teacher-to-pupil ratio of 1:10 (with both an English and a Spanish teacher present simultaneously), each child receives a high degree of individual attention. The school explicitly rejects a one-size-fits-all approach, instead tailoring the learning journey to each child's individual needs, interests, and learning style.

Holistic and Global Citizenship

The school's holistic approach connects learning to both local Panamanian culture and the wider global community. Students are encouraged to develop global citizenship — an awareness of and responsibility toward the world beyond their immediate environment. The school's mission statement encapsulates this: "To be a bilingual, British International School, fostering ambitious, confident and resilient global citizens with a lifelong love of learning."

Core Values

The school's core values — Ambitious, Confident, Resilient, Creative, and Lifelong Learners — are embedded throughout the curriculum and school culture. These values are not merely aspirational; they are reflected in the school's admissions philosophy (welcoming students regardless of their current language proficiency), its extracurricular programme (offering sports, arts, technology, and language clubs), and its pastoral care approach.

Curriculum Progression

In the Early Years, the school follows the EYFS (Early Years Foundation Stage) framework. Primary students follow the English National Curriculum delivered bilingually. In secondary, students progress through Cambridge IGCSE (Years 10–11) and Cambridge A-Levels (Years 12–13), with the school also working toward IB Diploma Programme authorisation for future cohorts. This progression ensures students are well-prepared for university entry in Panama, the United Kingdom, the United States, and internationally.

History and Growth

Origins (2018)

The Casco School opened its doors in 2018 in Casco Antiguo, Panama City's UNESCO-listed historic district. The school began modestly, offering a Pre-Nursery programme for children from age two. The founding vision was to bring a bilingual British international education to Panama — combining the English National Curriculum with Panama's MEDUCA requirements — in a city that was increasingly home to a diverse international community.

Early Expansion and Relocation (2020)

As enrolment grew, the school outgrew its original premises. In 2020, it relocated within Casco Antiguo to the Galería San Felipe building, a renovated two-storey historic structure capable of accommodating up to 150 students. This move allowed the school to expand its year groups upward through primary school while maintaining its distinctive character in the historic neighbourhood.

Two New Campuses (2022)

The most significant milestone in the school's history came in 2022, when two brand-new campuses were opened simultaneously:

• Albrook Campus: Located in the former Canal Zone area of Panama City, this campus became the school's main site, hosting students from Pre-Nursery through Year 12 (ages 2–18). The campus features extensive outdoor sports fields, music and art rooms, and a covered outdoor cafeteria.
• Costa del Este Campus: Opened in August 2022 in the modern Costa del Este business and residential district, this campus focuses on Pre-Nursery through Year 6 (primary education). It features a modern building design with dedicated classrooms, a library, music and art rooms, and sports facilities.

Consolidation (2024)

By 2024, the original Casco Antiguo campus had served its purpose as a founding site. With the two larger campuses now fully operational and enrolment exceeding 400 students, the school closed the historic Casco Antiguo location and consolidated all operations at Albrook and Costa del Este. This consolidation allowed for better resource allocation and a more consistent educational experience across the school community.

Today

The Casco School now operates as a two-campus institution with over 400 students from 36 nationalities, approximately 50 teaching staff, and a growing secondary programme working toward IB Diploma Programme authorisation.

Academic Culture and Secondary Curriculum

Primary Years

In the primary years, The Casco School follows the English National Curriculum (EYFS through Key Stage 2) delivered bilingually in English and Spanish. The curriculum is enriched with Panama's MEDUCA requirements, ensuring students meet both international and local educational standards. The emphasis is on developing strong foundations in literacy (in both languages), numeracy, science, and the arts, within a personalised learning environment.

Secondary — Cambridge IGCSE (Years 10–11)

Upon entering secondary school, students follow the Cambridge IGCSE programme. The subject offering is broad, covering:

• Languages: English Language, English Literature, Spanish, French
• Mathematics: Cambridge IGCSE Mathematics
• Sciences: Biology, Chemistry, Physics
• Humanities: History, Geography, Social Sciences (Panama)
• Technology: Information Technology
• Arts: Art, Music, Physical Education
• Personal Development: PSHE

The bilingual delivery continues through secondary, with subjects taught in English and/or Spanish depending on the subject and teacher.

Sixth Form — Cambridge A-Levels (Years 12–13)

In Years 12 and 13, students sit Cambridge A-Level examinations. Subject choices include English, Spanish, Mathematics, Physics, Chemistry, Biology, History, Geography, and Business, among others. The A-Level pathway prepares students for university entry in the UK, Panama, the United States, and internationally.

IB Diploma Programme — Candidacy

The school is working toward authorisation as an IB World School for the Diploma Programme. The planned IB DP subject offering is comprehensive, covering all six subject groups:

• Group 1 (Studies in Language and Literature): English Language and Literature A, Spanish Language and Literature A
• Group 2 (Language Acquisition): English B, Spanish B
• Group 3 (Individuals and Societies): History, Business & Management, Psychology, Environmental Systems & Societies
• Group 4 (Sciences): Biology, Chemistry, Physics
• Group 5 (Mathematics): Mathematics (multiple levels)
• Group 6 (Arts): Visual Arts, Music, Film

All subjects are planned to be offered at both Higher Level (HL) and Standard Level (SL).

University Outcomes

While the school does not publish detailed university destination data, third-party sources indicate that almost all graduates proceed to higher education. The school's Cambridge qualifications are recognised by universities worldwide, and its bilingual graduates are well-positioned for universities in Panama, the UK, the US, Spain, and Latin America.