The expansive campus of Gimnasio Colombo Británico Bilingüe Internacional (GCB) rests in the pleasant countryside surrounding Bogotá. The school, with grounds extending over 60,000 square meters, is close to restaurants and a good range of outdoor activities such as hang gliding, hiking, and sailing, as well as a very large and active InterNations organization for expatriates. Bogotá hosts the biggest theatre festival in Latin America, attracting theater companies from all over the world. Colombians—with their love of music and dance—are warm, friendly, and very welcoming, so you are sure to have an outstanding cultural experience in Colombia.
At GCB, the pre-school, lower primary, upper primary, and secondary levels are each housed in separate buildings, and there are specialized classrooms for art, music, dance, theater, and computer science, along with laboratories for physics, biology, and chemistry. Classrooms—with a capacity of up to 25 students—are well-appointed, with good lighting, ventilation, and interactive video projectors.
GCB, which delivers the International General Certificate of Secondary Education, has been a Cambridge International School with a history of over 25 years. In the past decade, the school has been ranked in the top 10 by the Colombian Ministry of Education. The school is also accredited by Western Association of Schools and Colleges as well as the European Foundation for Quality Management. At present, 1,484 K–12 students, most of whom are Colombian, are enrolled. The teaching staff of 161 includes one from North America, three from the U.K., and 148 Colombian educators. Over 1,000 alumni have enrolled in top universities in Colombia and abroad.
The whole school community enjoys GCB’s excellent facilities. The sports complex includes the GCB Arena; courts for basketball, volleyball, table tennis, and tennis; a full-size football pitch; and a small football 7-pitch with a roof. With a capacity for up to 500 people, the auditorium is a busy venue for community and student events.
After school, GCB students may choose from a full range of intellectual, creative, and athletic activities. For sport, students can train in tennis, soccer, basketball, volleyball, swimming, skating, taekwondo, and horseback riding. More creative after-school endeavors include robotics, Mini-Chef, choir, string instrument orchestra, ballet, aerial dancing, and more.
GCB prefers to hire single teachers, but they will consider teaching couples and those with a non-teaching partner. They will also consider exceptional newly-certified candidates, experienced teachers lacking certification, and those certified in non-English-speaking countries. All candidates must hold their academic degree in the subject they will be teaching, but there is no age limit to obtain a work visa.
The benefits package includes a fully-furnished apartment in a residential area, with easy access to transportation and a shopping center—all located within 30-45 minutes from the school. Utilities—such as electricity, gas, water, and a basic telephone line—as well as an internet and TV package, are paid for by the school. In addition to the flight at the start of employment, GCB covers one annual flight home for each teacher. This does not include flight costs for dependents. Local health insurance is fully covered. GCB also provides transportation, lunch, and morning snacks along with membership to a recreational club. Other perks include discounted rates at specific hotels and for mobile phone plans as well.
The package includes many financial incentives as well. While the teacher contributes 4% of his or her salary to the State Retirement Plan, the school contributes 12.5% of an employee’s salary towards their retirement plan. The tuition benefit is 90% per child once the teacher pays the enrollment fee. During the year GCB organizes internal training for teachers; however, after five years of working at the school, teachers may apply for a 50% scholarship for postgraduate studies that are related to the teacher’s current role. The remaining 50% may be paid in up to six installments, with no interest. This benefits package amounts to some nice savings or the chance for a family of four to live on one salary. Additionally, there are local employment opportunities for non-teaching partners.
To gain access to Gimnasio Colombo Británico Bilingüe Internacional’s full profile on the Search Associates database, including a list of all open positions, candidates can apply for membership by clicking here. Candidates already registered can easily access the school profile directly through their dashboards.
Please note: The information presented about this school was valid on the date published. This information may change, and the most up-to-date information can be found on the school profile.
