Hi, I'm an American married to a Swiss and we are expecting our first child this year. I am new to the whole world of education in Basel. Have been reading some of the threads about schools in the forum and trying to get an overview of the offerings.
One particular question: Anyone have experience with Susanna's International Kindergarden? Will visit next week.
We live near Musical Theater 4058 and are looking for a nursery/day care, preferably nearby and bilingual (German/English) but open to ideas and options.
Would also consider moving later if it means finding a better education/school. I am aware the public schools in Switzerland are quite good. Husband grew up with that system here, though I come from a totally private school background and paid a fortune for a top-end US university (and would not be opposed to doing the same for my child).
Any recommendations (or places you wouldn't recommend) would be much appreciated. Thanks in advance!!
We have had an absolutely fantastic experience at the Brigitte trilingual (English, German, Swiss German) Montessori in Basel. Can not recommend highly enough...
We had NickatBaselJnr at Kinderkrippe Susanna as soon as he was on solid food - from about 6 months old in 2007 until he was just 3 - after which we moved to Zurich. It started life as Kinderkrippe Eva - they were in a former Ethiopian restaurant on Shönaustrasse and they later moved to Erlentor site. At the time they were slowly expanding it to be multilingual etc but it was primarily German.
The two women in charge were from former East Germany so spoke High German with the children - most of the helpers were local Basel girls so Swiss German being spoken. We were quite happy with this arrangement as we are Dutch / English speaking at home and it meant he acquired Swiss German from an early age. I notice from the website that it is pretty much the same people running it as when our son was attending - we were quite satisfied with the care he received.
If you are planning to remain in CH longterm I would recommend aiming at the Swiss public system - our son started "Chindsgi" (the first stage of compulsory Swiss education) in 2012 and he is now 7 years old and in first year primary. So far we have been satisfied with the quality of the Swiss public system, plus it gave us a chance to get to know some Swiss parents and to integrate into society a little more. As he is not from a German speaking household, at Kindergarten they had a woman coming in to give such kids a little extra coaching with their German. Since he has been to primary school, he hasn't needed any additional help with German.
For his English and Dutch, we pay privately for him to attend 1hr a week at a literacy hour for English native speakers held at the AWC in Zürich and he also goes with my wife to a class for native Dutch speakers for a few hours on Wednesdays. There they follow a potted version of the Dutch primary school curriculum. We just wanted to make sure he develops a good command of english and Dutch - particularly written - so if in later life he decides to attend university etc in NL or UK, hopefully language will be less of a barrier for him.
The advantage of the English and Dutch classes is he is already reading and writing quite well in English and Dutch - as well as German. The Swiss children in his primary school are only just starting to learn their letters - but they will catch up over the next year.
I assume you and your husband will raise your child bilingual - i.e. make sure you speak always English to him or her and your husband always German / Swiss German - from the moment the child is born - and stick to that strictly. Also insist when the child is old enough to speak that you are addressed in English and your husband in German. This will benefit the child no end in the longrun.