Baixa-Chiado School Cluster

The Baixa-Chiado School Cluster gathers 6 school establishments – Escola Básica e Secundária Passos Manuel, which is the cluster’s head-school (former Lyceu de Passos Manuel); Escola Básica do 1.º ciclo com jardim-de-infância Gaivotas; Escola Básica do 1.º ciclo com jardim-de-infância Luísa Ducla Soares; Escola Básica do 1.º ciclo com jardim-de-infância Maria Barroso; Escola Básica do 1.º ciclo com jardim-de-infância Padre Abel Varzim; and Escola Básica do 1.º ciclo com jardim-de-infância São José – that encompass different levels of education, from kindergarten education to secondary education, and provide a diversified educational offer. The cluster’s area of influence embraces the historical and central area of Lisbon, comprising the city’s downtown and the ancient neighbourhoods of “Bairro Alto” and “Bica”. Nowadays, more than 1600 students attend Baixa-Chiado School Cluster, whose staff include more than 180 collaborators (among teachers, technicians and assistants). Its population is multicultural and incorporates a large diversity of migrant populations (from Brazil, Cape Verde, Nepal, India, China, etc.) including more than 35 nationalities. Currently, the school cluster is part of a Priority Intervention Education Territory (TEIP), whose definition supposes the design of a special support programme, intended to deal with some of the problems that contribute to the students’ lack of academic results, when compared to national standards and rankings (e.g. the risk of social exclusion, difficulties in social integration, absenteeism, and high dropout rates).