Agrupamento de Escolas Alcaides de Faria, in Barcelos, Portugal, is a lower secondary and high school located in the centre of the town and attended by 1700 students. There are Scientific Courses (Science and technology, Economics, Arts and Humanistic) and Vocational Courses (Accountancy, Design, Electro technology, IT programming and management, Electromechanical, Multimedia and Mechatronics). Most of our students have direct access to university or enrol the world market due to the technical skills developed in the vocational courses. In terms of results in the national exams, our school is the best public school in the whole district, among 40 other schools (see http://infoescolas.mec.pt/Secundario/)
The school is located in the centre of the town, which used to be the heart of textile industry. Now and due to the emerging markets, most factories had to close down and many workers had to immigrate, which has caused severe economic problems and affected family life.
