First of all, hello! My family and I are moving to Geneva later in the year with the UN.
We are currently trying to obtain a school place for our 12 year old daughter.
The most obvious option would be the British School in Geneva as it is very close to the office and we will probably be moving back to the UK after Geneva (up till now she has been in International Schools in Africa/Asia) so the British system would perhaps be preferable to IB (even though she is used to the latter).
However, I have found no parent feedback for the BSG. Also, it is not independently accredited or inspected which concerns me.
Can anyone offer any insights into the British School?
We are also considering Ecolint and Institut International du Lancy. Any feedback for these would be much appreciated too. And any suggestions for alternatives likewise.
The British School of Geneva advertises a lot on World Radio Switzerland. I have no idea about the curriculum or the quality of education, but if I remember correctly, it promotes itself as having small classes which could be a good thing, or could mean that it's operated on a shoestring budget.
My kids go to Ecolint and we have no complaints. Broad spectrum IB education, Lots of opportunity for field trips etc.
It's where a lot of UN kids go, as well as P&G and Caterpillar expat kids.
I had a child at the International School and now have one at the British School of Geneva so I'm well-placed to answer your questions. Overall we're much happier with BSG - smaller classes, much more caring teachers and, overall, a more nurturing environment. I get regular feedback on my son's progress and find his teachers very approachable. As far as curriculum goes, I find the British one much more sensible and serious than the IB and I like knowing that, should we go back to the UK, my son will be able to pick up where he left off here without a problem. As for accreditation, I'm sure I remember seeing something about educational association memberships and quality certificates on their website b
In any case, we're very happy and can recommend BSG. Does this help or is it getting to you after you've already made up your mind?
Perhaps so, but there are some inaccuracies in your post.
There is no such thing as a "British Curriculum". There are English, Welsh, Scottish and Northern Irish curricula. BSG follows the English National Curriculum.
The comment regarding the "British Curriculum" being more serious than the IB is a curious comment. By what criteria are you judging this seriousness? At what level are you judging it? GCSEs are all but discredited, A Levels are hanging on by the skin of their teeth ( quite a number of the top schools in the UK are changing to the Pre-U or the IB, or have already done so ) and the Primary curriculum is undergoing a battering and a half from Gove's changes to schools.
As I recall, British School Geneva recently changed its name, it used to be Geneva Secondary School, part of a language school. Maybe do some searches with the old name and you might find some more information on the school.
As a new arrival looking for useful information, I am quite shocked at the agressive tone in some of these posts; it seems to me that experiencedexpat was just trying to be helpful and didin't deserve a pompous lecture about the British education system - they are clearly a parent and not an education expert! Anyway, any advice on a suitable school for a 12 year old who only speaks English?
Hello and welcome to the forum. If you need help with anything, it is nicer if you first stop by at our Intro subforum and tell us more about yourself, before launching criticism or expecting people to show up with answers to suit your query. I think the way some of the newbies were corrected could have been done better, I agree with you, but just to add my experience, to say somebody is clearly this or that , online, after one single post..Naw. One never knows and as member already mentioned, people often show up just to advertise sneakily.
Good luck with your search, and look out for the threads that have been already posted that might answer your question.
I didn't read the replies as agressive, rather as a warning from some of the more experienced posters on here to take the comments with a pinch of salt. The reason for this is that it has happened in the past on the forum that someone has replied to this kind of query giving positive feedback but when questioned in more detail it became apparent that they were probably not who they said they were. The obvious conclusion is that the "owners" of the school in question were trying to get some free publicity...
With regards your query, I can't specifically help as mine are not school-age yet, but it might be worth indicating how long you are planning to stay in Switzerland as that would have an impact on which type of school is most suitable. Good luck.
Two of our daughters attended Ecolint in the 1990s. From there one went to Chelsea Ladies College and from there to Edinburgh where she got a first in Microbiology. (Then, sadly, she went to work in the City after she found out how little she would earn with a PhD in her subject.)
The younger went to the Lycée français de Londres and then to Lady Margaret School for A levels. And thence to Cambridge where she got a first in Medicine.
People come looking for advice and it is preferable if they are told the truth, rather than speculative comments.
Anyway, you don't have to read or accept my comments. They were made in the spirit of correcting misunderstandings and as a caveat. If you believe the comments were pompous, then perhaps that is more of a commentary on your own perception than on my intention.
Our daughter went to the Ecolint, French section. From there she was accepted into the Swiss secondary school based on exam performance but in the end went to Cheltenham Ladies College and eventually to University of Edinburgh.
A younger daughter was also at Ecolint and when we moved to London she transferred to the Lycée Français Charles de Gaulle bilingual track, and for Sixth Form to Lady Margaret School, Fulham.
Mabinogion, thanks for your support. Hard to believe how some people (Tuborg) choose to spend their time.
I think the best way to judge a school is to visit and see for yourself. For me the best indicator of how good a school will be is the overall feeling I get from being in the place and the enthusiasm I see in the teachers. If the teachers love the place and what they do, it will make all the difference. There's always turnover at Geneva schools - particularly at International schools - so it's best to see how the classes are made up this September. Good luck finding the best place for your child!
I've got this in my mailing-lists. So in case this interests some parents...
INFORMATION EVENING ABOUT THE A-LEVEL PROGRAMME – A POST-16 EDUCATION CHOICE
British School of Geneva
Geneva
Tuesday, 28 January, 2014
18h-19h30
An event for all who would like more information about the A-Level programme – a post-16 education choice in the Lac Léman region. A-Levels are a gateway to universities worldwide and can be available to students of all nationalities and educational backgrounds. Learn more from a panel of experts: Sabine Hutcheson, Academic Director, TutorsPlus; Sarah Frei, Head of Marketing, Brillantmont International School; Raji Sundaram, Principal, British School of Geneva. Click here for more information.