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Rua Santa Clara 84

1924 - The British School is founded by Sir Alexander Mackenzie at Rua Santa Clara 84.

1945/49 - The British School, under the leadership of Mrs. Cashman, moves to the Real Grandeza community property in Botafogo. According to one account, the school goes 'underground' during the war years after Getúlio Vargas determined that all foreign schools in Brazil were to be closed.

Once the war efforts are over, funds are raised to build the Cashman Building on land leased by the community to the school.

1951 - The Cashman Building is opened. The kitchen and dining room are on the ground floor. Classrooms are on the ground and second floors.

Mrs. Cashman and her dog 'Shags' live in an apartment on the third floor while she leads the school until 1956.

1957 - The Cashman Building is extended.
The school becomes a member of the Incorporated Association of Boys Preparatory Schools (IAPS) and is affiliated to the Association of Headmistresses of Preparatory Schools (AHPS).

1967 - The house on Rua da Matriz 86 is purchased to relieve the pressure on space as the school roll grows.
The building is dedicated to Mr. Peter Ribeiro dos Santos who led the fund-raising efforts.

The Ribeiro dos Santos is used to house school offices and the kitchen. The second and third floors are used as apartments for the School Bursar and the Head of Science.

1969 - The Cashman Building is extended to develop a fully equipped Science laboratory. The lab is donated in memory of Major K. H. McCrimmon, C.B.E., D.S.O., by his family.

Staff 1975 - Can you see Marilia Lopes and Lilianne Kirillof in the centre (bottom row)
and Betty Marques (3rd row, 3rd from the left)?

1975 - The school opens a 'Brazilian Stream' led by Mrs. Irene Thompson to teach English as a second language to Brazilian children.
The Senior School is expanded to include pupils to age 16, preparing them for the GCE 'O' Level examinations.

1983 - The Thompson Building is leased to house the 'Brazilian Stream'.

The growing Senior School occupies the whole Ribeiro dos Santos Building with a new library and resource centre and the school's first computer department with six computers donated by the PTA.

The sítio at Pedra Negra is purchased to be developed into a sports centre.

1989 - The'Brazilian Stream' and the'British Wing' are merged and all pupils are changed to the February to December academic calendar.
The school is accredited by the Brazilian Educational authorities to offer a 'Segundo Grau'.

The first Cambridge IGCSE examinations are taken by British School students.

1991 - The International Baccalaureate programme is introduced and the Senior School is expanded to include the last two years of secondary education.

1992 - Real Grandeza 80, known as the 'White House', is rented to create space for administrative offices. Rua da Matriz 87 is leased and transformed into an IB Centre.

The first group of IB students graduates.

1997 - The Reco-Reco house, behind the Cashman, is rented and transformed into a Nursery Unit.

1997/98 - As a result of the success of the IB programme, the growing Senior School puts pressure on space in Botafogo.

A fourth floor is added to the Cashman Building over the course of two holiday periods. The new classrooms are ready for use in February 1998.

1999 - The school earns the prestigious Award of Accreditation from the ECIS European Council of International Schools
(now CIS - Council of International Schools).

1998/99 - The two houses adjacent to the Ribeiro dos Santos are purchased by the school in preparation for the Matriz Project.

1999 - The Urca Project is launched. Urquinha, the monkey, is the mascot of the fund-raising campaign and measures its success monthly as he climbs a palm tree towards the target of
R$ 4 million.

Through the voluntary efforts and enormous contributions of various members of the school community, the new school unit is completed in February 2000.
The school purchases the house on Av. Pasteur 419, named Reid House in memory of Alistair Reid, Chair of the Board from 1990 to 1995.

2000/01 - The house on Matriz 87 is prepared to house a self-contained Nursery unit. The unit opens in February 2001.

2001/02 - The interior of the Thompson Building is fully refurbished to house the Lower Primary School from Reception to Infant 2.

2002/03 - The Jakurski House, donated to the school by Mr. & Mrs. André Jakurski, is refurbished to house an Art Centre at Urca.
Reid House is totally refurbished to develop a music suite including practice rooms, a recording room and classroom; offices and meeting room; a PE storage area and office; and support areas for administrative staff.

Rooms in the main Urca building are rearranged to develop more classrooms and recreation areas for the students.

2002/03 - Av. Guignard 60 is leased to be developed into the Recreio Lower Primary Unit, the first stage of a British School in Barra. The unit is opened in February 2003 with a Nursery class and a pilot Pre-Nursery group.

The Recreio Unit is officially opened on the 19th March, 2003 by Her Britannic Majesty's Consul General in Rio de Janeiro, Mr. Paul Yaghmourian.

2004/05 – The Cashman Extension is built in Botafogo.

2005 - “Santa Monica’s” area is bought to be developed into the new Barra Unit. Buildings are refurbished to house all children from the Recreio site and new pupils.

2005/06 - In Botafogo, the new kitchen is established in the Reco-Reco building and a complete refurbishment is done in the ground floor of the Cashman Building.

TBS Barra Unit is officially inaugurated by Her Britannic Majesty’s Ambassador to Brazil, H.E. Dr Peter Collecott with the participation of Mr Adam Reid, Chairman of the Board of Governors; Mr Steve Rimmer, former Chairman of the Board of Governors and Mr Paul Wiseman, Director of The British School. Reverend David Weller gave the Blessing.

2006 - The Barra Unit is opened in February 2006 with 250 children with an initial intake of pupils from age 2 (Pre-Nursery) to age 9 (Class 3). It is officially inaugurated on Founder’s Day Fête, on May 27th, 2006 by Her Britannic Majesty’s Ambassador to Brazil, H.E. Dr Peter Collecott. Plans are for the school to open the subsequent year groups each year (Class 4 – 2007; Class 5 – 2008; Class 6 – 2009; Class 7 – 2010; and so forth…). The first group is expected to graduate in 2014 when they reach the end of Class 11 (all the way to completing the full “Ensino Médio” in Brazilian terms) and go onto University.

Jane Bruce Robertson (26/04/62 - 13/ 07/2003)

2006 - On December 1st, the Library in the Thompson building at the Botafogo Site is officially inaugurated as the Jane Robertson Library. While more than three years had passed since the tragic and sudden death of our friend and colleague, Ms Jane Robertson, the impact of her untimely passing, at the age of forty-one, yet remained.

Jane had joined the school in 1992 and had developed into an extremely dedicated and highly effective teacher. She was a totally reliable, principled and honest professional who had rightfully earned over the years the trust and respect of all who knew her. Above all she was passionate about her mission as a teacher and cared dearly for all her pupils.

Jane’s dedication and loyalty to our school was always exemplary, always there in ready support of school events and activities, always prepared to put in more time to seek improvement. Jane loved her work and her life and friends at The British School – this was always very clear. She was always ready to give support to her colleagues and her evident vigour and good humour – indeed, more than often, joy - were infectious.

Her daughters Stephanie and Kristine, in Classes 10 and 8 at that moment, joined Mr Paul Wiseman, Mrs Lesley Dimmock, and several teachers and friends in this special and very emotional event. It was gratifying to know that Jane’s children are turning out into fine young women for whom, we know, Jane would be so proud. Both have been blessed with many of their mother’s great qualities and have been putting into practice the values that Jane would have nurtured in their formative years.

Mr Paul Wiseman, Jane’s daughters, several teachers and friends joined together in this special and very emotional event.

Jane’s daughters, Stephanie and Kristine, officially inaugurate the Jane Robertson Library

With Jane’s passing we all lost a wonderful example of how to be – as a mother, a friend, a colleague. But Jane will always be so much more than a memory for those that knew her; she will be a guide and a source of strength as we consider our own destinies.

2006 / 2007 – At Urca a new house is rented and refurbished to house offices, staff room and a centre for the IB Business Studies course. Open space for playground is made available at the back court of the house to all students.

Areas liberated at Urca’s main building, due to the use of the new house, were reorganized and refurbished to become a new ICT Lab and 2 extra class rooms. The Drama Studio was up graded with new equipment and material.

2007 – CIS Ten-Year Team Visit (October). School is Re-accredited by CIS (December).

2009 – The Barra Unit starts in February with 555 children. The new building at the Barra Unit is opened housing the Nursery, Reception and Classes 1 to 6. Pre-Nursery and Infants Classes are expanded within the Block B. The Library is extended to incorporate an area for Seniors. At Botafogo Site, the first Pre-Nursery class is open with 11 children.