Colegio San Mateo is a private bilingual, calendar B, international school located at the north of Bogota, with over 40 years of experience demonstrating the highest standards in premium education. We develop social entrepreneurship through positive community transformation, maximizing the potential of our school members.
Colegio San Mateo is the only premier learning institution in Bogota to be part of the Inspired Education Group, a multi-national organisation comprising over 80 premium schools spanning 22 countries. With more than 70 thousand students, who enjoy academic, cultural and sport activities, as well as international exchanges, summer camps and investigation groups. Each member school ensures pupils are well-equipped to thrive in a progressive global environment.
Grimm’s Preschool
For more than 40 years, Grimm's Preschool, Bogota, has supported preschool children aged 1-3 years in their artistic, physical, and spiritual development by providing a rich, well-planned course of study. Dedicated teachers sow seeds of strong principles and values, allowing young class members to develop critical skills within the ELS curriculum. They enjoy a stimulating and vibrant environment from their very first day at school.
Academic excellence
At our school, we are committed to propelling our students to exceptional academic levels, comprehensively preparing them for entrance to the most prestigious universities, both in Colombia and abroad. Our dedication to educational excellence is reflected in a personalized, innovative, and enriching approach that enhances the holistic development of each student, ensuring not only their academic success but also their readiness to tackle the challenges of today's globalized world.
International School
Our school provides the full Cambridge curriculum from Early Years to A-Levels, offering our students the flexibility to choose virtually any university worldwide.
Global opportunities
Being an Inspired school opens doors to a world of possibilities, such as exchanges and summer camps. Our global opportunities, mobility and commitment to nurturing global citizenship empower your child to thrive on a global stage.
Renovated Preschool
Our preschool facilities have undergone a cutting-edge architectural redesign, featuring modern classrooms equipped with everything necessary for your children's education.
I am incredibly proud to belong to Colegio San Mateo and Grimm's because I know that the new generations have the talent to positively transform society; and I am convinced that this begins with education. Furthermore, we are the only school in Colombia that is part of the International Inspired Group, which guarantees that our students will live international educational experiences that will change their lives. In this way, we aspire for them to achieve community transformation, foster their entrepreneurship spirit and values, and maximize their full potential.
We are an Inspired School
Inspired is a global group of more than 80 premium schools worldwide, with more than 70,000 students. The educational philosophy of the international school's group is based on three fundamental pillars of holistic learning: academic excellence, participation in sports, and creative and performing arts pursuits.
Accreditations and Certifications
Everything you need to know
A guide to choose the best one
There are many schools in Bogota, but which one is ideal for your son or daughter? This very important decision can be overwhelming because the choice of school greatly influences the education and future of our little ones. This practical guide will be of great help to your family when taking this decisive step. We will give you the key factors to bear in mind when looking at the schools in the region and the criteria that will help you make your choice. Write down everything you must remember to choose the best school in Bogota for your child.
When selecting the best school in Bogota for your child, you could have doubts about the priorities: some offer a good education but have hardly any sports facilities. There are many variables to consider and the most important thing is to keep them in mind when weighing and prioritizing those that will set the direction to be taken by your child.
Your child is an uncut diamond with all its potential, and what happens in the first few years at school can radically change his or her life. What should you keep in mind in order to make the best decision? In this guide you will see where you should send your child to study in Bogota from an early age.
Among the schools in Bogota, there are three main aspects to evaluate in order to choose a good school:
This classification will help you not to lose sight of any area, because you could just look at the location without considering other important issues.
As well as these characteristics, a criterion that must be evaluated is the type of school, as we shall see next.
In Colombia, there are 3 educational models to choose from. One is the public schools, which are financed and managed entirely by the State. The teachers of public centers pass a probity test to occupy their position. Another model are the private schools, which are sustained by the fees charged to each student. The third is the model of educational centers in concession. These concession centers are founded by individuals of private origin and receive subsidies from the Government. Each campus selects its teachers according to its own criteria. Furthermore, some of the schools are secular, while others are religious, mainly Catholic.
Within the private schools in Bogota we can also find differentiated education or mixed schools, depending on whether the students are separated by gender or not. Language is also a difference between schools, some being bilingual with English as a second or main language.
In Colombia, educational centers are based on two types of calendars. Several of the frequently asked questions by parents are: Which of the two calendars should I choose and why?; The type of calendar defines the cost of the school? Here is all the information about it:
The Ministry of Education, in order to guarantee that students obtain the expected basic knowledge, has defined a minimum number of study hours per year, which are as follows:
Calendar A applies to most public institutions and a good number of private ones. The academic period begins in February and ends in November.
In Colombia, the schools with the highest economic level normally take advantage of the B calendar. They do this to adapt to the calendars of countries such as Canada and the United States, which offer summer courses and allow students to do exchanges with the objective of knowing new cultures and strengthen the language, mainly English.
Choosing one or the other depends on several factors, and it has to do with the formative plan you want for your child.
In Bogota there is a wide variety of schools, including some top-ranking private schools. You could have difficulty deciding between the best options, so you should carefully assess the key points for your family when choosing one.
Issues like geographical location may seem to be a priority but it is important to think long-term. Often, in retrospect, what parents most value is that the school fits the overall education of the students, both at the academic and the human level.
One important point that many parents take into account is the emphasis placed on languages. If you want your child to be fluent in English, which opens many doors, choose one of Bogota’s bilingual schools. Bear in mind that by starting from an early age, learning another language helps them develop greater neuroplasticity and may also be a key factor in their future career.
Another aspect that many parents value is the range of activities available at the school. Investigate the school’s sports and artistic options, and its facilities and resources. These features go beyond the compulsory subjects that affect the child's cognitive development and add up to a comprehensive education that also takes into account other aspects:
The values that the college teaches are also very important in education. Bear in mind that your child’s personality will be shaped to a great extent by the school. So, evaluate whether the school chosen promotes aspects like perseverance, personal improvement, teamwork and leadership.
Also, take into consideration whether the education is tailored to the individual. A school with very large classes will prevent your child from receiving the necessary attention. Schools with more involved teachers who offer more personalized classes can guide them, advise them, reinforce their strengths and even awaken some great talents in your child.
When sending children to school, bilingualism is an important factor to evaluate. If you want your child to learn to express themselves and understand two languages from a very early age, a bilingual school offers this differential value.
Remember that however many English classes a conventional school may have, or even some subjects taught in that language, it is not the same as a bilingual school. It is a question of your child learning the second language naturally, as if they were in another country.
Many schools have a good academic level in Spanish but they fall short in foreign languages and cultural openness. Some more advanced schools, however, stand out as they have an international mentality and focus.
There are international schools in Bogota, but what advantages do they offer?
If you think that these points are important, choose a private school in Bogota with this international perspective as an added value. Consider registering your child in a school of this type, such as St. Matthew School to enjoy the advantages mentioned above. In this way, your child will have a top-flight education with an important added value.
Many parents are inclined to choose private schools for their children’s education as they can offer some significant added values. In general, private schools in Bogota offer advantages like:
If you want to ensure your child’s overall development throughout their entire childhood and adolescence, a private school is an excellent option. Sending your child here means a greater investment but it will offer so much more than just learning languages and mathematics – you will be able to give them an educational legacy, and good values and habits. In addition, with a private school you will be offering them more opportunities, facilities, resources and much more personalized support.
In Colombia, the quality of education is measured based on the results of standardized assessments such as PISA (in the international context) and the SABER Tests (in the national context). With respect to national tests, the country has ICFES as an entity specialized in education evaluation services at all levels, in addition to supporting the MEN in conducting state exams. This entity is in charge of carrying out the SABER 3rd, 5th, 9th and 11th tests, whose main purpose is "to contribute to the improvement of the quality of Colombian education by carrying out evaluations applied periodically to monitor the development of basic skills in the basic education students as quality monitoring of the educational system”.
School rankings are a guarantee of quality that help us identify the best schools. In this sense, St. Matthew School is ranked number 6 in Bogotá and number 13 in Colombia in the ICFES results.
If you want an excellent education for your child, don’t let your location stop you. By using school buses, you can resolve the logistics and your child can have the best education, regardless of where they live.
St. Matthew School is located in the north of Bogota, but caters to students from many places.
St. Matthew School is a private, bilingual, calendar B and mixed school located in the north of Bogota, demonstrating the highest standards in premium education. It is the only institution in Colombia that is part of the international group of premium schools; Inspired. A multinational organization comprising more than 80 premium institutions around the world, across 22 countries. The Inspired Group has more than 70,000 students who enjoy academic, cultural, and sports activities, as well as exchanges, summer camps, and research groups.
For more than 40 years, our school in Bogota has been committed to the growth of our boys and girls from 18 months to 18 years of age, promoting and stimulating their artistic, emotional, physical and spiritual development, sowing principles and values that allow them to grow with joy and well-being.
We pursue excellence in academic, artistic and sports terms. In addition, we have a world-class international program in which we stand out for our results, always being among the first in national or international academic rankings.
At St. Matthew School we develop social entrepreneurship through a positive community transformation, maximizing the potential of the members of our school. Our students and their families are characterized by being entrepreneurs with great social and environmental responsibility, and our projects are recognized for the positive impact they generate. We intend to be the best school for the country and the world.
We share the best educational practices that are being developed internationally, with a world-class program in which we stand out for its implementation and our results. In addition, our students go to the best universities in the world.
Are you interested in St. Matthew School?
Contact us so that we can answer all your questions and, in this way, help you choose the best option for your child.
