Thanks to Sven for sending me this link, and a myst read if you are thinking of sending your children to the international sharing school.
(An open letter & a parent’s honest perspective)
This letter reflects my perspective as a parent and the information available to me as of 28/01/26. It does not speculate on intent and focuses solely on observable actions, communications, and outcomes.
I’m aware that writing publicly about a school my child attends may carry personal repercussions. I have not taken this step lightly. However, when concerns involve student welfare, transparency, and trust, remaining silent can carry its own consequences. This letter is written in good faith, with care, and with the hope that clarity and accountability ultimately serve the best interests of current and future students and families.
I’ve been a parent at ISS Madeira for multiple years now. I’ve had dozens of conversations with other parents across different year groups, and I’ve spoken with current and former teachers. After all of that, one thing has become crystal clear: the problems at this school aren’t just random issues or growing pains. They all come back to one fundamental truth.
How This School Is Run
ISS Madeira isn’t led by educators. It’s a for-profit business, controlled by the Sharing Education Group and run by a board of four brothers from the same family. From what we can tell through public information and communications with parents, none of them have professional backgrounds in education. The decisions about who gets hired, what resources we get, what the facilities look like — all of it gets filtered through a business mindset, not an educational one.
The school is part of a bigger investment picture. The Sharing Education Fund talks about their schools using words like “valuation,” “growth trajectories,” and “exit strategies.” That might be normal business language, but when you’re talking about a school, it creates this uncomfortable tension. Education starts to feel like something that needs to be managed and marketed, rather than something that’s carefully built around what kids actually need.
Once you understand how the school is structured, a lot of what parents experience here starts to make sense.
What You See vs. What You Get
The school’s website and social media look amazing — modern facilities, strong resources, and a fully realized international education program. But honestly? The website feels more like a wish list than a reflection of reality. For over a year now, families have been shown imagery and promises that simply do not match what’s actually happening.
Here’s a specific example: ISS Madeira is currently located inside another Portuguese private school called Apel. If you pull up “International Sharing School of Madeira” on Google Maps, the photo that shows up is of the Apel campus — a building they only occupy about one-sixth of, with no priority access to the surrounding facilities like basketball or tennis courts.
Will the new campus be bigger? Yes. Will it be an improvement in terms of space? Absolutely. But here’s what they’re not telling prospective families: the new campus they’re marketing with glossy photos and AI renderings won’t actually exist when students move in. It’s going to be an active construction site for god knows how long. Teachers and students will be working around ongoing construction. All those facilities they show on the website — the playgrounds, the specialized learning spaces, the custom furniture — won’t be there. Not when school starts in the new building. Probably not until well past the next school year, if then.
This disconnect matters. Families are making life-changing decisions based on
Read the Article Here its about a 12 minute read in total.
Also you can find a petition here.
https://www.change.org/p/parent-petition-conditions-for-continued-enrollment-at-iss-madeira