Parent's Review of Escola Bloom in Rio de Janeiro
What is the name of your child's school? (Please report on one school per survey.)
Escola Bloom
In what town or city is this school located?
Rio de Janeiro
How would you describe this school? (i.e. American, British, International, Local, etc.)
Local English / Portuguese Bilingual
What grade levels are represented at this school?
Preschool up to K
How do most children get to school everyday? (bus, train, walk, etc.)
Most kids are taken to school by car.
How would you describe the facilities at this school? What extra-curricular activities are available?
The overall school size is modest but more than sufficient. There is an patio that serves as a reception area that has a sandbox and a playground set. The main building is two stories with several school rooms, a cafeteria and library. Behind the main building is a large, open play area that has a roofed playground section. In the back is a smaller, secondary building which houses the PE area on the second floor. There are lots of "extracurricular" activities such as field trips, music sessions, regular visits from biologists and others to talk about animals, plants, etc.
What has this school done to help your child transition from the curriculum in your home country into the curriculum in your new country? Are there programs to prepare your child for repatriation?
I am an American living in Brazil married to a Brazilian. My little girl was born here and has dual citizenship. I chose this school because it best reflected for me her reality. The school day is split into all-English and all-Portuguese sessions, so it helps develop both languages. This is very different from many Brazilian schools which only have English as an additional or part-time offering. It is also very different from the "American" schools which are 100% in English and, in my opinion, isolate themselves from Brazilian culture.
How would you describe the social activities available for parents through this school? Are there parent-teacher organizations?
Parents have regularly-scheduled meetings with the school staff.
What advice would you give to someone considering enrolling their child in this school?
If you are coming to Brazil for a 2-year stint and then head back to the US, this school may not make sense for you. If you are a foreigner living or coming to live in Brazil, consider this school. Apart from everything that I have said above, I can say that we love it and are completely satisfied with our little girl's experience. She actually asks to put on her uniform and go to school every day. There is a level of care, love and concern at this school that is unique.
More Parents' Reviews of International Schools in Brazil
Write a Comment about this Expat Report
Comments about this Report
guestAs a graduate of EARJ,I found the comment that the "Americans" school tend to isolate themselves from Brasilian culture. I know this was true some 30 years ago when I graduated though I will say the Portuguese program was excellent and still allows me to speak,read and write Portuguese after not having lived in Brasil for 30 + years. I believe the atmosphere is different now based on my observations that native Brasilian students now comprise the majority of the student population.
mrsomersetUpdate: our first child has moved on to elementary school but our second one started at Bloom this year. The school has ,made a lot of investments in the physical infrastructure, upgrading the sophistication of a lot of the play activities. We continue to be extremely satisfied with the school and would not think of sending our second child anywhere else. She started a few months ago as a fairly reserved child who did not open up to people easily. The school has completely transformed her, making her more outgoing, expressive and enthusiastic. When she has her uniform on and we are headed out the door, if you ask her where she is going, she shouts " 'scola bloom! ". If you are looking to give your kids a head start in English or simply want a wonderful place where you can trust the level of care and instruction, look no further. They also offer "integral" (all-day) options and now have a "berçario" (baby care) service.
